He is a recipient of the 2022 National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award and a 2020 PEN America grant. His essays, reviews and journalism have appeared in various publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and Vice. In his new book, 'An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs And The Nation They Created,' Holley explores the complex legacy of the Shakur family and the different factions of the Black nationalist movement in which they were a part. Writer Santi Elijah Holley wanted to delve even deeper into the family behind Tupac and what made him an electrifying presence and the voice of a generation. MOSLEY: That's the song 'Changes' by Tupac Shakur. My stomach hurts, so I'm looking for a purse to snatch. Wake up in the morning and I ask myself, is life worth living? Should I blast myself? I'm tired of being poor, and even worse, I'm Black.
TUPAC SHAKUR: (Rapping) Come on, come on. And over the decades, a flurry of books and documentaries have been created and written about his short life and the way he used rap lyrics to convey messages about the world around him. This week, the late rapper Tupac Shakur would have turned 52 years old.
