Intimate Portrait of Hip-Hop's Most Famous Legend Print
Written by Robert ID2889   
Thursday, 27 July 2006 19:29

Ten years after the tragic, still unsolved murder of hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac), Jamal Joseph presents the story of rap artist, political spokesman, poet, actor, writer, humanitarian and entrepreneur Tupac Amaru Shakur (2Pac).

‘Tupac Shakur Legacy’ is far more than just a book. As a unique and special tribute to the memory of the fallen hip-hop icon irreplaceable genius, Becker & Mayar and Atria Books have put together a hands-on, interactive, portable museum that’s not just a portrait of the artist, but a knowing, revealing glimpse into the world and mind of one of hip-hop’s most revered poets.

Jamal Joseph, the author of the book, worked closely with Shakur’s aunt, Gloria Cox, and Molly Monjauze, one of Tupac’s best friends and trusted confident of the Shakur family, to reveal a personal side to Tupac that’s rarely been seen by the public.

Both Cox and Monjauze are story consultants on the book and worked for years to gather Tupac’s never before seen personal articles for inclusion in the book.

“My sister, Afeni Shakur and I feel it’s time to share his personal memorabilia with his ardent fans who are so devoted and are constantly seeking a deeper connection to him. This book gives them a glimpse into Tupac’s life through his eyes, in a different more special way,” says Tupac’s aunt and Afeni Shakur’s sister, Gloria Cox.

Using recovered and removable exact replicas of documents, including everything from a 1984 playbill for a Harlem festival featuring a very young Shakur to the infamous handwritten contract with Death Row Records, ‘TUPAC SHAKUR LEGACY’ stands alone in revealing the superstar as he saw himself: both supremely confident and supremely vulnerable.

Far from superfluous, the documents (and the audio CD that also accompanies the book) serve as reminders that before he was known as an amazing artist, Tupac was already an extraordinary person.

In stories only known to his closest friends and family, ‘TUPAC SHAKUR LEGACY’ covers everything, from his early childhood in Harlem, to his quick rise to stardom, through his incarceration and subsequent release, to his last, triumphant years in the eyes of his adoring public,. In this unusual scrapbook, ‘TUPAC SHAKUR LEGACY’ tells of a singular life, one full of grittiness and heart – and one imbued, at its core, in honesty and passion.

Jamal Joseph is a writer, director, producer, poet, activist and educator who credits his time spent in prison as the inspiration that forged his creativity. Jamal earned two college degrees, wrote five plays and two volumes of poetry while incarcerated. He is currently an associate professor at Columbia University’s Graduate Film Division and the artistic director of the New Heritage Theater in Harlem. Jamal Joseph was also the youngest Black Panther whom Afeni Shakur met when he was only 15 years old when she was the section leader in the Bronx.

Tupac Shakur Legacy by Jamal Joseph will be released August 16th.

For more information on Tupac Shakur (2Pac) and all upcoming Tupac projects, please visit the only Official Tupac Web sites on the net

www.2PacLegacy.com  and  www.TASF.org

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