Tupac: Tupac

This stunningly illustrated and intimate book—composed of Tupac's own words—is in many ways the autobiography Tupac Shakur never got to write.

This richly illustrated companion to the Academy Award-nominated documentary film, Tupac: Resurrection brings unprecedented clarity and soulful intimacy to the life and work of the late Tupac Shakur. It shines a light on the complex life of a complicated man.

Authorized by his mother, Afeni Shakur, Tupac is in many ways the autobiography he never got to write, featuring the artist in his own words, letters, and poems. They are showcased here, along with dozens of never-before-seen photographs, lyrics, screenplay ideas, and other personal effects. Capturing as never before the unrivaled passion and intense candor that made him one of America's bestselling solo recording artists of all time, Tupac: Resurrection stands as an indelible testament to Tupac's astonishing cultural legacy and crystallizes the enduring significance and impact of one of the most complex, haunting, and influential artists of our time.

Jacob Hoye is the author of seven books, including Tupac: Resurrection, Cash, and The World According To Pretty Toney.​

Tupac Shakur was born in June 1971. After spending time in the 127th Street Ensemble, a Harlem theater group, Tupac Shakur eventually ended up at the Baltimore School of Arts, where he honed his already impressive rap skills. At the age of nineteen he released his first album, SEX PACKETS, with a band called Digital Underground. After one more DU record, he went solo, and the following five years were his most fruitful artistically. He released a number of classic records, including 2Pacaalypse Now and Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. In 1995, after recovering from being shot five times during a robbery, he released the two-million copy hit Me Against the World and followed that up with the double CD All Eyez on Me, which sold 3 million records. Shakur also appeared in a number of films, including the John Singleton picture, Poetic Justice. In September 1996, Tupac Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas. He was 25 years old.​

Afeni Shakur ran the Tupac Amaru Shakur foundation, an organization that fulfills one of Tupac's dreams by providing opportunities for youth to pursue their creative and artistic endeavors. She was a political activist and former member and section leader of the Black Panther Party. She later worked as a paralegal in New York City. She passed away May 2016.