Thug Life Army

Producer Karolyn Ali's critically acclaimed 2004 release Tupac: Resurrection (MTV Films/Amaru Entertainment, Inc.) has received an Academy Award nomination in the Documentary feature category for her work as Producer of the film. Tupac: Resurrection, which is ingeniously and eerily narrated by the late hip-hop rap icon through the use of recorded statements he made prior to his death was a hit with the public and the critics. Ali will join with her fellow nominees, Academy members, A-list celebrities and a world wide television audience when the winners, selected by the 5,808 voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are announced during the 77th Annual Academy Awards show on ABC, Sunday, February 27, 2005.

Ali was already a producer of independent film, television and literary projects for Tupac Shakur's production company Amaru Entertainment, Inc. when the opportunity to produce Tupac: Resurrection as a joint venture with MTV Films became possible, especially once Paramount Pictures was on board as a distributor. Ali shares the producer's credit with the film's director Lauren Lazin.

"Having worked for many years and in a variety of challenging and rewarding mediums in the entertainment industry, the exhilarating effect of this, my first Academy Award nomination, leaves me humbled -- win, lose or draw!" States Ali. "I deeply thank Tupac's mom, Afeni Shakur, for allowing me to helm this very special project. Long live Tupac's legacy!" Ali proclaims.

Ali was also editor of the companion book Tupac: Resurrection 1971-1996 for MTV Books/Atria Books, distributed by Simon & Schuster. In addition, she shepherded the production of Afeni Shakur:Evolution of a Revolutionary written by Jasmine Guy for Atria Books/Simon & Schuster.

Ali is grateful that the Academy members had the opportunity to see the film and obviously appreciated the experience as they got to know the many facets of Tupac.

"During his all too short time on this planet, Tupac accomplished a rich life's work and left a detailed roadmap that led us to Oscar. All we had to do was weave together the facts (good, bad and ugly), and present his story married to the soundtrack of his life," says Ali. "What makes this film truly special is that we left it to Tupac to further engage the audience by narrating his story in his own voice."

About Karolyn Ali Karolyn Ali has been in the world of film/video production since 1984, and has executive produced several projects with directors such as Peter Allen and Bill Parker. The team became a powerhouse in the music video and commercial industry as Renge Films, Inc., and later she formed Ali/Parker Pictures with Bill Parker.

To date, Ali has produced over 250 music videos, including Stevie Wonder's American Music Award winning song and video: Part Time Lover and Lakeside's Outrageous, which won a prestigious CEBA Award (Creative Excellence in Business Award). Ali also produced the widely syndicated television special Sultans of Soul, hosted by Tim Reid.

Ali's clients have ranged from larger than life comic Sinbad to the sun soaked Caribbean super band Steel Pulse and the musician/singer Ziggy Marley and his Reggae artistry straight through to the timeless musical mastery of songstress extraordinaire Dionne Warwick and brilliant composer/pianist Burt Bacharach. Ali has also produced numerous television commercials, including spots for corporate titan Coca Cola for an unforgettable ad for their Cherry Coke brand as well as spots for fast food giant McDonald's. Other career highlights include producing Stevie Wonder's concert film Stevie Wonder Live at Madison Square Garden, as well as corporate films for Nissan and Peter Ueberroth's very successful Rebuild L.A. project. Ali produced the poignant memorial tribute to Tupac Shakur days after his death and the unforgettable posthumous animated hip-hop music video for Tupac's hit single Do For Love. Karolyn Ali produced her first feature film in 1994. The film was entitled Klash: starring Jasmine Guy, Ali then went on to produce additional scenes for cinematographer Jack Green's directorial debut Traveller in 1997. The film starred Bill Paxton, Julianna Margulies and Mark Wahlberg.

Karolyn Ali has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the prestigious Lillian Gish Award as well as the NAACP/Legal Defense Fund's AT&T Entrepreneur of the Year. Her Oscar nomination for Tupac: Resurrection marks a high point in her commitment to excellence - a win would be fabulous but the nomination is a victory in its own right. The future is bright for this industry veteran.