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Century lands first and only authorised biography of Tupac Shakur
Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, has signed the first and only Estate-authorised biography of American rapper Tupac Shakur.
Ben Brusey, publishing director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Denise Cronin, s.v.p. and executive director of rights at PRH US. Kevin Doughten, v.p. and executive editor, Crown, PRH US, bought world English rights from Jeff Silberman of Folio Literary Management in conjunction with the Tupac Shakur Estate.
Century will publish on 24th October 2023 in print, digital and audiobook in the UK and Commonwealth markets, in global coordination with Crown.
Written by the author and screenwriter Staci Robinson — who knew Tupac as a young man and who was entrusted by his mother, Afeni Shakur, to write the book — Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography is described as “a moving exploration of Tupac Shakur’s life and powerful legacy”, illustrated with photos, mementos, handwritten poetry, musings and more.
The publisher states: “An artist, poet, actor and revolutionary, Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just 25, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated and prolific figures in modern history. Tupac’s unapologetic lyrics, for which he was villainised by many at the time, read in these pages as prophecy. His cry of outrage in a country that repeatedly told Black men and women that their lives did not matter, continues to inspire his fans around the world.
“In Tupac Shakur, Staci Robinson peels back the myths and unpacks the complexities that have shadowed Tupac’s existence. With exclusive access to his private notebooks, letters, unpublished lyrics and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, Robinson tells a powerful story of a life defined by politics and art, and a man driven by equal parts brilliance and impulsiveness.
“It is a story of a mother and son bound together by a love for each other and for their people, and the relationship that endured through their darkest times. It is a political story that begins in the whirlwind of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, and takes you through a young artist’s awakening to rage and purpose in the 1990s era of Rodney King. It is a story of dizzying success and its devastating consequences. And, of course, it is the story of his music, his timeless message that will never die as it continues to touch and inspire past, present and future generations.”
Robinson said: “My hope is that this book offers a new lens through which to explore Tupac’s complicated yet beautiful legacy. I wanted to help readers understand him and view him not just as a rap artist and actor and entertainer, but as a human being—a man with a passionate message, a son who listened to his mother, and a loving brother. Most importantly, this book is to help readers understand how he has become a global icon, one who will never be forgotten."
Brusey commented: “We are honoured to be publishing this ground-breaking biography of Tupac Shakur, which sheds new light on one of popular culture’s most important and enduring figures, who remains as influential today as he was during his short but meteoric career. Based on a treasure trove of exclusive unpublished material, and layered with the kind of insight that only someone who knew Tupac can share, Staci Robinson has written the definitive book on Tupac, one which makes us re-evaluate his extraordinary contribution, both as an artist and as a human being.”
