Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel
- 2002
- 1h 32m
Documentary examining the politics, music, and life of Tupac Shakur.Documentary examining the politics, music, and life of Tupac Shakur.Documentary examining the politics, music, and life of Tupac Shakur.
- Self
- (as Treach)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Self
- (as Marion 'Suge' Knight)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Shock-G: All of the Biggie versus Pac heads... First of all, Biggie's gonna win hands down if you're talking flow. Strictly from a rhythm standpoint, Biggie is a swinger. He swings like a horn player over jazz. "B-I, G-P-O, P-P-A, no-in-fo, for-the, D-E-A". He put more emphasis on the "uh-UH, uh-UH-uh..." He just spelling his name. When people say Pac is the best rapper of all time, they don't just mean he's the best rapper, they just mean what he had to say was most potent, most relevant, and that he was the better... human being. Tupac pulled from Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, all the good... speakers. "Even though you was a crack FIEND mama, you always was a black QUEEN mama." It's like pouring those words out because you mean it.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Mug Life: Morning Rush (2016)
The really difficult thing about Tupac is the 'black Jesus' tag. Since his death he has been repackaged and reimagined as this latter day Martin Luther King or Malcolm X character - and it seems to fit that he died young and was shot.
Look - Tupac was one of the most bipolar, manic, split personality dudes out there. At different times he wore crip blue and blood red. It wasn't a symbolic thing that was supposed to bring people together - he just went from one crew to the other and he was allowed to do that because he was Tupac and he was rich. There are countless stories about how he could be the nicest guy, he could impart wisdom, how he respected women and ask people to strive to be better... all true no doubt. There are lyrics that disrespect women, are abusive, stories of his behaviour that is impossible to condone, actions that he took that were beyond foolish and lacking in wisdom.
In death he has been painted as a martyr and a sacrifice. He has been claimed as a point of counter culture. He has been seen as a victim of the state (yeah he was too - why was the FBI following him and why did they feed him false information in prison that Biggie was behind him being shot?). As much as he was a firebrand of meaningful political concepts - he was used, he was prone to shallow and immature behaviour, he was deeply flawed, he was at time repulsive and cruel. Comedian Chris Rock makes a point that he wasn't assassinated - he got himself shot. Martin Luther King was assassinated. Malcolm X was assassinated, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. Tupac got himself shot out of his foolish emotional and egotistical behaviour.
How do we ever resolve this? It makes one of the most compelling characters of modern music culture. He is powerful - no doubt whatsoever he is hugely powerful. If you're looking for a documentary that really turns the corner on that conversation and gets that job done - I'm sorry to say that this isn't it folks. Why? Well it allows itself to get dragged into the tractor beam of sentimentality idolisation too much. It's too heavy in that direction and it's a great shame because it really does prevent it from getting under the surface of a fascinating topic and an incredible man.
(And yes - I do love a lot of Tupac's music and I respect him as a lyricist and as a rapper)
- philpriestley
- Aug 18, 2023
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- Also known as
- Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel - The Life of an Outlaw
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- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Color