Tupac: Resurrection

An apt title, given that this biography is ostensibly narrated by Tupac Shakur himself from beyond the grave. Using excerpts from interviews with the rapper, it begins with him apparently describing his own murder in 1996 (in fact, of course, he’s talking about an earlier non-fatal shooting). It’s a surreal opening to what becomes a grounded, engaging tale. The child of Black Panther parents, Tupac escaped the ghetto via stage school and inhabited an uneasy space between two worlds, his fame providing a platform for the challenging political position his background helped to foster. Well-sourced footage, soundtrack material and hand-written notes lend a sense of wistful intimacy to this authorised tribute, which avoids sycophancy by exposing the artist’s aggressive macho posturing as well as his charm and articulacy.