Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel

Whether you love him, hate him, or can't even pronounce his name, you can't deny that the late hip hop superstar Tupac Shakur made a huge impact on the hearts and minds of a whole generation of listeners. Filmmaker Peter Spirer's Tupac Shakur--Thug Angel combines exclusive interview footage with Tupac (from the eloquent musings of a 17-year-old, to an adult, profanity-laden rant at a gun range), with commentary from friends and associates, including Quincy Jones, Treach from Naughty By Nature, and Shakur's incarcerated stepfather Dr. Mutulu Shakur, among others, to explore both sides of Shakur's nature: thug and angel. Growing up with an ardent Black Panther mother, gaining acceptance to the Baltimore School for the Arts, and later acclimatizing to a tough Marin City, CA neighborhood, Shakur's upbringing is contrasted with the later development of his gangster rapper persona and his numerous altercations with law enforcement. Yet, while much of his music praised the "thug" lifestyle, Thug Angel also reveals that Shakur drew inspiration from a surprising range of muses (including John Steinbeck and Kahlil Gibran). An excellent portrait of a controversial but brilliant young artist, who was shot and killed at the age of 25 by an unidentified assailant, this is sure to be very popular and is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (J. Williams)