Tupac and Elvis: Inevitably Restless

Tupac Shakur and Elvis Presley in one book sounds like an unlikely pairing at first. Author Denard McClairne sees parallels: two musicians who became icons very young, whose deaths set off endless rumours, and who are still said by some to be alive and in hiding.

About the book

What it covers

McClairne tells both life stories side by side and looks for links between their biographies and the circumstances of their deaths. He discusses the so-called “Seven Day Theory” and other claims that Tupac faked his death, and concludes that Tupac really did die. He also examines the different images the two artists have in different parts of American society. A long list of other musicians gets mentioned along the way.

Assessment

A self-published fan book with a speculative streak. The blurb was plainly promotional copy, claiming the book outdid every previous biography and had won wide acclaim. No evidence for that, reviews in newspapers or trade journals, for instance, could be found. For the documented facts around Tupac’s death, see Death and the 1996 shooting.