What attracted you to Tupac Shakur?
I first became interested in Tupac as a teenager in the 1990s, and like many teenage boys, I was drawn initially to his raw and unbridled energy, his bravado, his swagger. As I grew older and began a career of writing about the intersection of art and social justice issues, I began examining Tupac’s lyrics more thoroughly, and I was surprised to discover just how insightful, perceptive, and prophetic he’d been when he was alive.
How did you approach the research process for this book?
My research began with speaking directly with Shakur family members, friends, and others who’ve worked with the family, then corroborating these personal stories with what historical sources were available. But it was those initial interviews with elders and veterans that were the most valuable and rewarding and ultimately guided the book’s direction.
How has the Shakur family’s legacy changed?
For years, many people had only known the names Tupac and—vaguely—Assata, and maybe some had heard about Tupac’s mother, Afeni, from his song “Dear Mama.” But recently, Afeni’s remarkable story as an influential Black Panther in the 1960s has begun to be celebrated, and the acupuncture work pioneered by Tupac’s stepfather Mutulu in the 1970s is also beginning to be more widely acknowledged. From grassroots activism to popular art and culture, we continue to benefit from the examples and sacrifices of the Shakurs.•
AN AMERIKAN FAMILY: THE SHAKURS AND THE NATION THEY CREATED, By Santi Elijah Holley
MARINER BOOKS • MAY 2023 • 320 PAGES • $33 HARDCOVER
While the late Tupac Shakur is a household name because of his music, the history of his extended family is less familiar. Santi Elijah Holley remedies this oversight with his deeply reported account of the Shakurs’ skills, passions, and struggles; their social and political impact; and their multi-generational fight for Black liberation.
Elizabeth Casillas is an assistant editor at Alta Journal. A graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, she has previously written for the Poly Post and Enspire Magazine.
