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Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential rappers of all time. On September 13, 1996, in Las Vegas after leaving a Mike Tyson fight, a white Cadillac pulled up beside him and his business partner Suge Knight at a red light ultimately killing Tupac. Was this the act of revenge or was this act of a more plotted situation against him by his peers? No one really knows what actually happened that fateful night in Las Vegas, but we do know that he was involved in a shooting. Did he survive or did he succumb to his wounds? We may never know the truth of what happened, but there is strong evidence for a few different theories.

Tupac Shakur was very outspoken and voiced his opinion through his music about how his community and even his own well being was being looked upon as thugs or even outlaws in this society. He felt that the police were out to punish him and his own kind for being black (Dear Mama 1). He was very forthcoming about society and treatment of black men in America. In his song “ It's Just Me Against The World” he discussed how people of power would use their status to justify the outcome of black men (1). He also brings to the attention in that song of “how he is losing homies in a hurry, they are relocating to the cemetery” referring to the violence that many black men experience (1). Tupac would make direct references to his community through his music.

Tupac would make various songs about it, like “Brenda’s Got a Baby”, and how it affected the community. Even though Tupac was convicted of rape, he was against how black men would treat black woman; “Whatever, he left her and she had the baby solo (Dear Mama 1). “Brenda’s Got a Baby” tackled real-life issues like poverty , and teen pregnancy, which resonated with many listeners. The song mentioned “Her boyfriend was her cousin, now let's watch the joy end…Whatever, he left her and she had the baby solo…She tried to hide her pregnancy, She had it on the bathroom floor and didn't know so she didn't know what to throw away and what to keep She wrapped the baby up and threw him in a trash heap… She's twelve years old and she's havin' a baby In love with a molester, who's sexin' her crazy”(1). The song was based on a young lady who had a baby by one of her relatives and how she threw the baby in a trash dumpster (1). Tupac was very forthcoming about society and treatment of black women in America (1). Tupac’s ability to address these tough topics in his song’s made a lasting impact.

There are multiple theories involving the murder of Tupac Shakur. Was he murdered by a rival record label or was it a gang related incident? Is it possible that he is still alive and living a good life in the country?

The first conspiracy theory is that Bad Boy records Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sean ‘P. Diddy” Combs might have had something to do with his death. It is believed that Mr. Combs was involved due to the ongoing feud between the East Coast and the West Coast rapping scenes (“Documentary Claims Diddy Was Behind Tupac’s Murder”1). The conspiracy theory about P . Diddy's involvement stems from the fact that both artists were involved in a highly publicized East Coast - West Coast rap rivalry during the 1990’s . Some speculate that this rivalry escalated to the point where Sean“P. Diddy”Combs , may have had a hand in Tupac’s ultimate death in 1996 (1). However, some speculate that rival rapper Notorious B.I.G , also known as Biggie Smalls , might have had a role in the incident as part of the ongoing East Coast - West Coast feud. They started off as friends and collaborators , but their relationship became strained due to the East Coast - West Coast rivalry that dominated the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. (1) . The relationship between them was a complicated one after 2 Pac was robbed and shot five times at a studio in which he believed was done or set up by B.I.G (1). The media and fans often pitted them against each other, fueling the tension between them (1). The tragic events surrounding their lives and deaths have fueled numerous conspiracy theories and speculation. Tupac was shot and killed in Las Vegas in 1996 , and Biggie was killed in Las Angeles the following year. The murders of both artists remain unsolved leaving a void in the music industry and sparking ongoing discussions about their legacies (1).

The second theory was it was gang related and the altercation that he was involved with Orlando Anderson earlier in the night was a sparked retaliation against him (“Who Killed Tupac Shakur: Could the Mystery Finally Be Solved?” 1). One of the entourage members pointed out Orlando Anderson to Tupac and told him that “he was the one who had tried to rob a death row member's gold chain” (1). Orlando Anderson, being associated with the Crips and Tupac’s business partner, was a Blood member, may have added a lot more animosity to the situation. Tupac immediately rushed Orlando Anderson and a fight out with him, which involved Suge Knight and the rest of the entourage members (1). It is a possibility that Orlando Anderson killed Tupac in retaliation.

It is also said to be that maybe 2 Pac faked his death and is living on a Cuban island (Hsu 1 ). In 2012, Death Row honcho Suge Knight ,who was with Pac in the car when he died said “The person who supposedly cremated Tupac ... this guy got about $3 million.. personally from me ... cash ... and next thing I know I never heard from the guy or seen him again ... he retired and left” (1). Suge fanned the conspiracy flames by throwing in, “"Maybe the question is ... Pac's not really dead ... Pac's somewhere else” (1). Even on his autopsy report they had his height and weight wrong (1). Did Tupac fake his death? Is he still alive and well somewhere on an island?

If 2Pac is alive and well, he’s probably on an island surrounded by beautiful women. Enter: the theory that the rapper is living in Cuba (1). Pac was close to political activist and fighter Assata Shakur, who fled to Cuba in the 80s, so it’s no surprise that he would want to leave the drama and spotlight of hip hop and join her. Until President Obama opened up US-Cuba relations, it looked like Pac could relax in peace (1).

After looking into the murder of Tupac Shakur, there are three conspiracy theories surrounding Tupac’s murder.

1. Was he murdered by a rival label company?

2. Is Tupac still alive?

3. Did a rival gang member kill him?

In 2023, an arrest was made in his case, the suspect Keith” Keefe D” Davis was said to be the trigger man. Was he the actual shooter that night, or will the mystery of Tupac's death still continue?

Words Cited

S Dear Mama. A Defiant Ones Media Group Production, An Amaru Entertainment Production, DreamCrew Entertainment, 2023.

S “Documentary Claims Diddy Was Behind Tupac’s Murder.” HuffPost, 3 Feb. 2016. P. 1. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sean-diddy-combs-tupac-shakur-murder-allegations_n_56afe0ace4b09214b14f4a10.

S Hsu, Hua. “Why Tupac Never Died.” The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023. www.newyorker.com, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/30/tupac-shakur-the-authorized-biography-book-review.

S “Who Killed Tupac Shakur: Could the Mystery Finally Be Solved?” Sky News, https://news.sky.com/story/who-killed-tupac-shakur-could-the-mystery-finally-be-solved-11424761. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.