Since the death of Tupac Shakur in 1997, there have been numerous attempts to keep his legendary holding in hip-hop alive and well. With a handful of records from the grave that seem to never end, you have to wonder, why is there so much material from Tupac that keeps surfacing? In this informative and highly compelling documentary, we learn that the extremely-talented MC knew his time was up and made sure that his name would be on the minds of fans for years to come. So before you scratch your head when you realise that Tupac is narrating a documentary about his own life six years after his death, just remember that you're witnessing a man who had a plan that could stretch forever.
The fact that the hip-hop figure tells his own story is what makes Tupac: Resurrection feel honest and personal, rather than like another cold-hearted Biggie & Tupac episode. Instead of being fed loads of facts and testimonial, and never really being able to witness the personal lifestyle and hardships of an individual that so many have admired for years, we're instead growing up and collapsing with the superstar.
It's hard not to find Tupac completely charming and commanding when he speaks. The man was an all-around entertainer, with an acting ability to match his verbal assaults on the microphone. He took his skills from performance arts, transferred them into the music industry and completely took the world by storm. Piles of childhood footage, lines of love for his Black Panther mother, growing up surrounded by crack and bypassing it all to reach the top of the music industry are just a handful of elements that make this documentary so much more than a retelling of a celebrity's life.
Tupac: Resurrection serves as a continuing voice for Shakur, giving life again to his vision of politics, poverty, censorship and anything else he had on his mind when the cameras and tapes were rolling. This is beyond the simple facts of his life, and though it touches on practically every up and down, including the first shooting incident to his relationship with Suge Knight to Notorious B.I.G.'s possible involvement in Tupac's death, this film paints a true portrait. The most rewarding moments of the Biggie & Tupac documentary was footage of the two MCs doing what they did best and what people loved them for, but there wasn't enough focus on the legacy that Tupac left for his fans. Thankfully we now have Tupac: Resurrection to indulge in; truly a much-deserved autobiography that will be hard to top. (Paramount)
The fact that the hip-hop figure tells his own story is what makes Tupac: Resurrection feel honest and personal, rather than like another cold-hearted Biggie & Tupac episode. Instead of being fed loads of facts and testimonial, and never really being able to witness the personal lifestyle and hardships of an individual that so many have admired for years, we're instead growing up and collapsing with the superstar.
It's hard not to find Tupac completely charming and commanding when he speaks. The man was an all-around entertainer, with an acting ability to match his verbal assaults on the microphone. He took his skills from performance arts, transferred them into the music industry and completely took the world by storm. Piles of childhood footage, lines of love for his Black Panther mother, growing up surrounded by crack and bypassing it all to reach the top of the music industry are just a handful of elements that make this documentary so much more than a retelling of a celebrity's life.
Tupac: Resurrection serves as a continuing voice for Shakur, giving life again to his vision of politics, poverty, censorship and anything else he had on his mind when the cameras and tapes were rolling. This is beyond the simple facts of his life, and though it touches on practically every up and down, including the first shooting incident to his relationship with Suge Knight to Notorious B.I.G.'s possible involvement in Tupac's death, this film paints a true portrait. The most rewarding moments of the Biggie & Tupac documentary was footage of the two MCs doing what they did best and what people loved them for, but there wasn't enough focus on the legacy that Tupac left for his fans. Thankfully we now have Tupac: Resurrection to indulge in; truly a much-deserved autobiography that will be hard to top. (Paramount)