From Look at Me: XXXTentacion to Biggie & Tupac: 7 Best Documentaries on rappers and hip-hop world
Edited By Pragati Awasthi
Published: Jun 04, 2025, 18:29 IST | Updated: Jun 04, 2025, 18:29 IST
This list has some of the best documentaries about rappers from the Western world. Scroll down to take a look.
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Best Documentaries on rappers and hip-hop world
From stardom to tragedy and death, the lives of rappers have been well documented over the years. Here, we have curated some well-known documentaries based on popular rappers.
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Look at Me: XXXTentacion
Directed by Sabaah Folayan, this documentary explores the life and tragic death of rapper and singer-songwriter Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, known professionally as XXXTentacion. The docu-film is named after his breakthrough single. Featuring never-before-seen footage, the documentary includes appearances from XXXTentacion’s friends and family, including his mother Cleopatra Bernard and girlfriend Jenesis Sanchez, among others.
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Tupac: Resurrection
The Oscar-nominated 2003 documentary, directed by Lauren Lazin, delves into the life and death of revolutionary rapper Tupac Shakur, who was shot dead in 1996. Told in Tupac’s own voice, the documentary features archival interview footage and traces his journey from childhood to superstardom.
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Fade to Black
Released in 2004, this documentary chronicles the career of hip-hop legend Jay-Z. Directed by Patrick Paulson and Michael John Warren, the film highlights Jay-Z’s iconic Madison Square Garden performance on November 25, 2003, offering a behind-the-scenes look at his journey and the Madison Square concert.
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Nas: Time Is Illmatic
The 2014 documentary, directed by One9, shines a spotlight on the early life of rapper Nas. It gives a close look at the creation and impact of his groundbreaking debut album, Illmatic.
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Biggie & Tupac
This 2002 feature-length documentary by director Nick Broomfield investigates the murders of American rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Based on various theories and interviews, including of ex-detective Russell Poole, the film suggests that the murders may have been orchestrated by Suge Knight.
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The Carter
Directed by Adam Bhala Lough, this 2009 documentary focuses on rapper Lil Wayne before and after the release of his smash-hit album Tha Carter III, which sold around one million copies in its first week. The film presents an unfiltered look at Wayne's life, from concerts to personal moments, in the most authentic way.
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2 Turntables and a Microphone: The Life and Death of Jam Master Jay
This gripping documentary investigates the 2002 murder of Jam Master Jay, RUN-DMC’s groundbreaking DJ and producer, who was gunned down in his Queens studio. According to Prime Video’s description, the one hour documentary explores, ''Security tapes of the incident mysteriously disappear, the five witnesses are uncooperative and no one is talking...until now. 2 TURNTABLES AND A MICROPHONE documents the investigation of the unsolved murder of Jam Master Jay, RUN- DMC's groundbreaking DJ and producer.''
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