News of November 30, 2010
Kevin Powell Set to Write Authorized Tupac Biography
Afeni Shakur gave her blessing: In late 2010, Simon & Schuster announced an authorized Tupac biography by former Vibe writer Kevin Powell.
In late November 2010, AllHipHop reported on a book project with official backing: author and activist Kevin Powell was set to write Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography for the publisher Simon & Schuster. Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother and administrator of the estate, explicitly supported the project. She trusted Powell because he had long followed and documented her son’s life.
From Vibe Reporter to Biographer
Powell had met Tupac in the nineties as a writer for the magazine Vibe. When Tupac’s death was announced in Las Vegas, he was at the hospital. According to AllHipHop, Tupac had once asked him to become his “Alex Haley”, an allusion to the author who co-wrote Malcolm X’s autobiography. Powell called it an honor to write the definitive biography of Tupac’s life and times. The report did not mention a release date.
Shortly before, Powell had run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Congress in Brooklyn.
What Came of It
A book with that exact title did not appear until 2023, written not by Powell, but by Staci Robinson and published by Crown: Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography. Additional titles are shown in the Books overview.