Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael
Society & Culture
On this edition of Parallax Views, Tupac Shakur is without a doubt one of the most beloved rappers of all-time. A voice of the hip hop generation, Tupac's death remains shrouded in controversy and conspiracy theories abound in its wake. Was it related to the gang war between the Bloods and Crips? Was it a revenge plot by Death Row Records' leader Suge Knight because the rapper sought to leave the label? Author John Potash offers another theory in his book The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders.
Regardless your opinion on the theories surrounding Tupac's death, John offers a fascinating history of U.S. intelligence agency efforts to squash black liberations movements through the FBI's COINTELPRO as well as unveiling the radical political activism of the Shakur family dating back to the 1960's and 1970's with groups like the Black Panthers. He also unveils the often overlooked political side of Tupac Shakur in the process. In this conversation we discuss:
- The history of COINTELPRO
- Shakur's family, including Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur and her involvement with the Panther 21 case, the work of Mutulu Shakur and his drug addiction recovery efforts at Lincoln Detox, and the frame-up of Assata Shakur (who remains on the lam to this very day)
- Tupac's own politics, his involvement with the shady Death Row Records, his attempts to end the East Vs. Left Coast gang wars, the suspicions related to his death, and much, much more!
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