Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

According to AMG.com, "2Pac became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America. At the outset of his career, it didn't appear that he would emerge as one of the definitive rappers of the '90s — he started out as a second-string rapper and dancer for Digital Underground, joining only after they had already landed their biggest hit."This 2003 documentary film, "Tupac: Resurrection," directed by Lauren Lazin, is about the life of slain rap artist Tupac Amaru Shakur, and is both a testament to his career and legacy and is also an insightful look into 2Pac, the man behind the controversy.There's no question of the impact of 2Pac's legacy on rap music, and all of music in general. He's sold almost as much posthumous material as Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix combined. As a fan of the hip-hop culture and rap music, I have nothing but love for 2Pac, even though my greatest admiration of him has always been his music and his message, never his media-exaggerated persona and seemingly contradictory philosophies.But at the same time, it's very distressing for me to realize that he is best remembered for his death, much rather than his life and achievements, such as his "Thug Life" code and "One Nation" project, which was aimed at squashing East/West beef and curiously enough still hasn't gotten off the ground."Thug Life" and Black Panther political rhetoric were his signature. His "don't-give-a-f**k" attitude permeated his early rap career on records like "2pacalypse Now" (1991) and "Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z." (1993), all of this following his brief stint with rap/"P"-funk heroes Digital Underground. His black militancy stance did of course catch the furor of every moral-minded politician in America, as he did also join the ranks of every other rap artist who came under fire by the anti-rap circles active in this country.Even after seeing this film, I'm reaffirmed in my beliefs about 2Pac's depth and message as an artist. He was one of the most gifted rappers that the industry has and ever will see. His performances in films like "Juice" (1992) and "Above the Rim" (1994) were thematically deep, intense, and incredibly "real," almost too real for some people to handle.Of course, 2Pac and his friend, the Notorious B.I.G., had beef, put their respective coasts on the map, and were both killed seven months apart from another - 2Pac died on September 13, 1996 (the day after my 11th birthday that year), six days after being wounded in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting; the Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a Los Angeles drive-by on March 9, 1997. Both men came to be recognized in subsequent years as the tragic symbols of the East Coast/West Coast rivalries between artists and a lesson to future generations about not just mo' money and mo' problems, but the entire industry as well.They both died so other artists could continue in hip-hop. I can recall television interviews from the time with other prominent rap artists, such as Nas, or Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian, both of whom seemed hardly overcome with any kind of grief over the murder of 2Pac, but were lamenting the fact that people were now idolizing him because of the fact he was dead.Lazin's film offers some careful and thoughtful insight into the slain rapper's revolutionary and troubled life, from being born a month after his mother, former Black Panther Afeni Shakur, was released from jail after having to face a laundry list of bogus conspiracy charges, to his impoverished upbringing, his rap and film careers, and finally his death and resurrection, as 2Pac himself narrates his own story from beyond the grave.2Pac wasn't perfect and I think that was something he frequently acknowledged and this film, using hours of archive footage and his songs, allows for the audience to see the different sides to his personality. Even in today's world of 2005, I'm still a bit angry with him because of the so many mistakes that he made, and letting his ego and emotions get the better of him especially when he seemed to know better.He made a number of contradictory statements in his songs and image, and committed a number of harmful actions against himself and others, many of which may or may not have played into his death. For me, it was his getting involved with Marion "Suge" Knight, Death Row Records, and the whole East/West rivalries that brought about his downfall, and 2Pac seemed to recognize that his own demise was imminent.Also, his frequent court troubles, like the alleged sexual sodomizing of a female fan in 1994 and his fight with the Hughes Brothers on the set of "Menace II Society" (1993), were also detrimental to his character and image. But again, I still respect 2Pac because he took the time out to acknowledge his mistakes and at least try to correct them.Lauren Lazin has directed a skillful and poignant film that lets its deceased subject matter speak for itself. The life of Tupac Amaru Shakur is an intense study of progress and change seen through the life of a revolutionary artist who tried his best to change himself and the troubled world that he lived in.10/10

I am a fan of Tupac. Usually when rappers appear in movies they end up catastrophic (minus Friday and Boyz N The Hood) but considering there was little script and movie acting, I gave this a try. There is no doubt that Tupac was always a very intellectual and talented individual, and though he didn't piece this together, it was an interesting and thoughtful way of looking at "Thug Life".Though there should be no excuses for any violence and such demeaning phrases used towards women, Tupac uses a relatively unseen and very interesting viewpoint. "I rap about graphic violence the for the same reason people make war movies," he states. "I'm trying to make a point. Trying to show people what the ghetto is like in reality and how not to fall into that trap." Though it sounds a little contrived, interesting viewpoints like this appear throughout the movie, and we see a lighter side to the gun toting man we're all used to hearing about. He in fact was shy, and wrote poetry. One main message is blatant and cleverly true: never judge a book by its cover.However, the film has its weaknesses; it, though having no real voice-over apart from the man itself, seems rather biased. Apart from that, it is a thoughtful and interesting account of the hardship Tupac Sukur endured, which ultimately cost him his life.Final Summary: 7 out of 10

Tupac Resurrection is a MUST SEE. Regardless if you know who Tupac is or not, this film gives a deep and interesting perspective on the life of Tupac. A TRULY GREAT Portrayal OF A LEGENDARY FIGURE. This documentary/film looks at how Tupac was brought up and how his life has changed many. It is all explained in Tupac's own words, which helps add to the feel of the film. In many ways the autobiography he never got to write, Tupac: Resurrection features the artist in his own words, examining his complicated life and the controversial decisions that plagued him while he was alive. Tupac: Resurrection captures, as never before, his boundless passion, searing honesty, and stunning intelligence, and showcases a range of never-before-seen writings, letters, screenplay ideas, lyrics, poems, photographs, and personal effects, and stands as an indelible testament to the artist's astonishing cultural legacy.

After watching almost everything related to Tupac Shakur and his life and learning by heart all his CD's I was more than excited when I sat down with my girlfriend ready to watch a documentary about the myth - this one made in co-operation with Afeni Shakur (Tupac's mom). Since Afeni Shakur has the rights to Tupac's work this movie is filled with Tupac's music which obviously is a great benefit - compared to "Biggie and Tupac" and "Thug Angel". This movie goes into the background of Tupac and describes how a young black male came up through hard situations that sculpted his mind. There isn't a big focus on his actual murder and no theories are presented about his death but the '95 shooting is described a little bit. If you are interested in Tupac and his life this movie is both informative and entertaining. I also have to recommend "Thug Angel", "Biggie and Tupac" and other films about Tupac to better understand some events and things in his short but remarkable life. Respect to Tupac, the best rapper ever. R.I.P.