jasmine Guy

Apart from being the mother of acclaimed rapper Tupac, Afeni Shakur was a Black Panther Party member, activist, and author. It seems she’ll finally be receiving some credit.

Afeni Shakur gets her flowers

A biopic about Afeni Shakur is soon on the horizon. The film, titled Peace, Love & Respect; the Afeni Shakur/Panther 21 Story, will document the late icon’s life from 1969 to Tupac’s birth in 1971. Shakur has starred in movies before. Specifically, Black Panther star Danai Gurira brought her to life in her son’s biopic All Eyez On Me in 2017. Unlike All Eyez On Me though, this upcoming movie will focus solely on Afeni. Similar to the Tupac biopic, Peace, Love & Respect, the Afeni Shakur/Panther 21 Story will showcase how her adversity led to greatness.

Jasmine Guy, mostly known for her role as Whitley on A Different World, recently spoke to Variety (Feb. 17) about the project. “I was honored when Afeni asked me to author her biography. Now, I have the opportunity to honor her life and her legacy on the screen, and I am very excited to share her remarkable story this way,” she said.

The Harlem Nights actress had a long history with Afeni Shakur. She wrote the activist’s 2004 biography Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary. In the book, she touched on subjects matching those planned for the movie, especially Afeni’s time in the Black Panther Party and experiences in jail. Activist and educator Jamal Joseph is serving as the film’s writer/director. Moreover, he has personal experience with the famous New Yorker. NYPD arrested 21 Black Panthers in 1969 for conspiracy to plant explosives. Joseph and Shakur were among the lineup. He subsequently spent six years at Leavenworth Penitentiary, while Shakur defended herself in court and was acquitted in 1971.

Afeni Shakur lived a life of challenge, power, rebelliousness, genius and beauty,” he said.

“This is an origin story of a fierce, sexy, trailblazing, woman in Blackness Super Hero!”

Afeni Shakur continues to touch lives

Peace, Love & Respect; the Afeni Shakur/Panther 21 Story has the added advantage of full support from the subject’s estate. In the past, certain biographies conflicted with the deceased subjects’ families. Films like Nina and Aaliyah: the Princess of R&B, based on Nina Simone and Aaliyah Haughton respectively, suffered from production issues due to lack of estate support.

Dina Lapolt is an entertainment lawyer who closely collaborated with Shakur’s estate for years. She is co-producing the biopic and had plenty to say to Variety about her personal connection to the venture.

“My mother was very much a part of the civil rights movement — she taught me about Afeni and how she was arrested as a member of the ‘Panther 21,’” she recounted. In addition to her personal connections, she also expounded on how their actions impacted both black and women’s rights.

“The free breakfast programs, the medical facilities, the newsletter, information about where to go for access to education — that was run by women,” she said. Lapolt showed a great appreciation for women in powerful positions during the interview. She revealed her intentions to have an all-black production team. “I foresee a Black woman director, screenwriter, or Black woman production company, that would be our dream. That would be our goal.”

Indeed, it’s hard to imagine this film won’t be great. In the meantime you can pick up Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy at your local library and learn more about the black power icon.