I watched Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel yesterday.

Oh.  I am full of surprises, my friends.

Anyway, this particular documentary chronicles the life of rapper Tupac Shakur (duh) and his cultural impact on society.  One of the interesting things about this particular documentary was that it featured clips from an interview with Shakur at the tender age of seventeen.  This particular interview forces one to reevaluate the terms “gang banger,” “thug,” and mysogynist as they are applied to the rapper.  Often, according to the perspective of these filmmakers, the lines between reality and representation become blurred.  Even to those who are drawing them.

If you even remotely liked his music, I think you should watch it.  Actually, even if you didn’t like his music, you should watch it.

Not just because I’m a fan, but because Tupac Shakur was a significant contributor to American culture as we have come to understand it in 2010.  And, apparently, the Library of Congress think so as well, or, at least, someone who works there.  On June 23, the National Recording Registry deemed his song “Dear Mama” as “culturally significant” along with several other recordings.

For those of you who have never heard “Dear Mama”… SERIOUSLY?! : (FB users, visit my blog for the video).

For those of you who are completely flabbergasted and appalled by Shakur’s inclusion in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, you should watch the following video  where Michael Eric Dyson expounds on the theology of hip hop and Tupac’s role in its creation (FB readers you know what to do).

Go here if you can’t see the last video.