Famed ’12 Years a Slave’ Director to Release Tupac Shakur Documentary
The Tupac biopic All Eyez on Me will not be the only film to tell the rapper's life story. 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen is set to direct a documentary about the hip-hop icon, according to Deadline.
“I am extremely moved and excited to be exploring the life and times of this legendary artist," McQueen said. "I attended NYU film school in 1993 and can remember the unfolding hip-hop world and mine overlapping with Tupac’s through a mutual friend in a small way. Few, if any shined brighter than Tupac Shakur. I look forward to working closely with his family to tell the unvarnished story of this talented man.”
Tupac Estate trustee Tom Whalley and Amaru Entertainment, which was created by the late Afeni Shakur to handle her son's posthumous releases, came to an agreement for the fully authorized documentary. The two sides secured a deal with Nigel Sinclair’s White Horse Pictures and Jayson Jackson to produce the film.
The involvement of Sinclair and Jackson should inspire hope in any Tupac fan wary of such a project. Sinclair produced the critically acclaimed documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years. Jackson was one of the minds behind Netflix's Nine Simone documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?
The Tupac documentary has already avoided one major hurdle in attaining access to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's music. The film is being supported by Interscope Records, which released most of Tupac's discography, and the Universal Music Publishing Group.
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