Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur [Paperback]

Armond White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

This first full length biography of Tupac Shakur details each step in Shakur's development, from his early exposure to racism and political activism to his studies of drama to his move from New York to the West Coast and his innovative work with early hip hop culture and music. Armond White's understanding of Tupac's art will uncork the bottled up rage and confusion that attends the way hip hop culture is produced and received. The ever controversial Shakur offers a great occasion for a close, passionate reading of rap and ghetto culture. His art can be helpful in cross-referencing the ideas of self-expression and the efforts toward survival and resistance that seem so haphazard and conflicted in much of hip hop music. Through connections drawn between Shakur and Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Ice Cube, and Sister Souljah, White examines Shakur's life as a prism for the hip hop world.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Well-known journalist and author White describes the life of murdered rapper/actor Tupac Shakur (1971-96), attempting to connect Shakur's life with the African American experience during the last three decades. He begins with the rapper's birth to an absentee father and a mother who played a major role in the New York Black Panther movement. The author continues with the young Shakur's impoverished childhood, his constant moves from city to city, and his early interest in drama. Chronicling Shakur's short-lived but influential career, White outlines his stint as a dancer with the Digital Underground, his breakthrough second album, his three subsequent multiplatinum efforts, and his various roles in such movies as Juice and Poetic Justice. He also details the rapper's trouble with the law, his incarceration at Riker's Island prison, and his untimely death. Though clearly showing the change from the political activism and hope of Shakur's mother to Tupac's materialistic cynicism, White has interviewed few subjects and done only modest secondary research in his attempt to place the rap star in a larger social and cultural context. This will appeal mostly to fans of standard rock biography.?David P. Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Pr; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560251220
• ISBN-13: 978-1560251224
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,190,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars tupac shakur was a great loss to the rap fans every were, December 26, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur (Paperback)

Rebel for the hell of it was a great book. Tupac Shakur was in my eyes the greatest rapper ever in the book it states that tupac told a'' Reverend Daughtry he wanted to be a revolutionary'' & indeed he was he spoke truth in his songs many people try & ignore the problems in todays society but it is or own ignorance that makes people criticiez people like 2pac who speak the truth we can not face .People speak of the gangsta' he was maybe so but do they know of his childhood he studied ballet & drama & like his mother Afeni & stepfather Mutulu Shakur two Blackpanther activist he wanted his life to have meaning which I think it did .Wether you love him or hate him he was a great rapper & no one can take that away wether he's dead or alive.Admiration to the strength of Afeni she let him go as stated in the book''every time they revived him he just went back.And I asked them to leave him alone & let him go.I really felt it was important for tupac,who foughtso hard for a free spirit.I thought it was important for his spirit to be allowed free. I rejoiced with him & the release of his spirit'' these are the words of Afeni.So I would say to any one read this book wether your a fan or not it might just change your mind about 2pac. R.I.P TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The author clearly hates Tupac, December 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur (Paperback)

why write a biography about someone you 1) can't stand 2) don't know anything about??? That is a question that should seriously be posed to Armond White, the author of this pile of excrement. Let's put it this way.. when talking about the great party jam "California Love" (the one that gets any party hoppin') this wannabe rap critic says something about "Black California history" and includes references to Cesar Chavez and Tom Joad. That is really ridiculous! Armond White doesn't even think that Tupac is one of the better rappers, let alone the greatest as all true rap fans know he is. This guy clearly does not like Tupac and is a bitter old rap fan from the 80s bitter that someone that is 20 years younger than him became a millionaire icon known around the world.

If I saw the author on the street I'd beat him senseless with the nearest blunt object for mocking Tupac's memory and putting out this poor book. The writing is really subpar, as well, and you wonder who told Armond White that he had any writing skill at all.

In conclusion-- if you've heard any of Tupac's music, you know more about Tupac than this guy. Don't waste the money- this book really really really sucks the big one!

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Aint even 'bout 'pac, October 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur (Paperback)

Wozzup, man dis aint even 'bout tupac. Itz 'bout old scool. " add insult the author says BIGGIE was better than 'pac (R.I.P), yall know dat aint true. Dont buy it if yall want something on 'pac but if you do miss the first few chapters as it aint 'bout him. Well those not bad if ya into the origins of Hip-Hop. Better books 'bout and remember WESTCOAST & DEATH ROW 4 LIFE.