By Nick Kaoma
About ten years ago, I was in a very interesting period of my life. As I had just fallen deeply in love with hip-hop music, I used to spend endless hours bumping the latest hits, international or local, so much so that both my parents regularly threatened that they would sell our decayed Hi-Fi system just so that they can get some tranquility in the house.
Of all the artists that endured the underwhelming speakers of my beloved old-school Tedelex system, none featured more prominently that the late Tupac Amaru Shakur.
I caught on Tupac’s music a little late than most, his earlier albums such as 2Pacalypse Now and Strictly 4 My Niggaz don’t conjure as many fond memories in my head as Me Against the World, All Eyes on Me and Makaveli. So I listened to his music day after day and night after night as if trying to make up for all the lost time.
To me Tupac was an enigma. He was a man who contradicted himself more times that one could have considered possible. He was many things to different people. He was a revolutionary, a brother, a thug, a son, a gangster rapper, a philanthropist and a convicted criminal all at the same time.
Perhaps, it is this – his realness or authenticity – that endeared him to so many in a way that has yet to be seen again in the hip-hop fraternity.
Vibe magazine, a preeminent American urban publication, covered Tupac extensively; he appeared a total of 5 times on its cover. Vibe decided to publish a book or collage of Tupac’s articles and interviews as they appeared in the magazine from 1993 – 1998.
The result is a nuanced book simply titled Tupac Shakur. Aside from articles and interviews, the book also includes brilliant essays and letters written by prominent hip-hop scholars such as Kevin Powers, Dream Hampton, Cheo Hodari Parker and current editor of Vibe, Danyel Smith. Quincy Jones also weighs in on the phenomenon that is Tupac in a concise but poignant foreword.
This book provides an invaluable insight and glimpse into the chaotic life of Tupac. Potent and enthralling images also grace the pages of the book; taken by renowned photographers such as David LaChappelle and David Clinch, they bring the unfathomable Tupac to life in a way that I had never seen before.
If Tupac is someone that influenced you in any way, I strongly suggest that you get yourself a copy of this captivating book, even if it is just to mark ten years since he left us poor hip-hop souls.
2 comments:
Having grown up inspired by the same phenomenon, Man, disciple or prophet as some like to describe him. Tupac was a troubled youth who used his talent to educate young American's like himself that they can be anything the put there minds to. If you don't like the system, let the system know you don't like it. If you don't like where you are, go somewhere else.
At a tender age of 25 this man taught me more relevant lessons about life and survival that most. I gosta get me a copy of the book. Long Live Tupac Amaru Shakur
Mos def homey! Also look forward to some more amazing in-depth features in Encore on the late Mr. Shakur as we continue celebrating his legacy.
Nuff Said.
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