Tupac is alive. In an interview with TMZ and what will be included in an upcoming issue of the Collect Call With Suge Knight podcast the imprisoned music boss went after the official story of his 1996 death and also put forth what are to some very out of the blue associations between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Afeni Shakur which in the known history of that case, did not include that.
Knight, who at present is serving out a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, has been the central figure in the tellings surrounding Tupac's death. Now, nearly 30 years on, he is bringing forward new charges which may once again rock the hip-hop world.
Suge Knight's Explosive Claims: Tupac Still with Us
During a recorded prison call, Suge Knight shocked the audience with what he had to say regarding Tupac's death. "Pac isn't dead," he said plain and simple. If he were, I would be the first to tell you. Suge, who was in the car with Tupac at the time of the fatal incident in Las Vegas in 1996, has always said the story of what happened didn't add up. But this is the first time that he has come out and said the artist survived.
Knight's remarks are set to revive what has been a long-standing debate and conspiracy theory. Tupac's posthumous releases, his enigmatic lyrics, reports of him seen in Cuba and Malaysia they have all been a part of a culture which will not die. Also, with Suge Knight throwing more wood on the fire from within his prison walls, the story of Tupac Shakur is being rehashed and, in some regards, made more contentious.
Diddy's Alleged Connection to Tupac's Murder
Also of great shock is that Tupac is still alive, which reports also bring forward that Suge Knight has issues with Sean "Diddy" Combs. It is put forth that Diddy may have played a larger role in the issue that led to Tupac's death than we thought.
Knight reported that Diddy had in fact known of the plot against Tupac and may have been behind it. Also, without going so far as to name names, he brought up the long-standing industry rumors which put Diddy at the center of a plot which may have been a hit job on Tupac in revenge for the growing East Coast-West Coast feud.
Diddy has time and again said that he is not a part of Tupac's death and that which does exist of concrete evidence which puts him at the crime scene has never been put forth to the public. But what Suge Knight says now is at a time of reopenings of the Tupac and Biggie cases, which are reviving interest in persons who had been for a while written off as not directly at fault.
The Afeni Shakur Angle: A Surprising Turn of Events
What caused shock was Suge Knight's assertion that Afeni Shakur, Tupac's iconic and respected mother, may have been in on if not completely aware of the issues surrounding her son's disappearance.
Knight put forth that Afeni, who by 2016 had passed, may have been in the know that Tupac was not really dead. "People around them knew what was going on, Suge said enigmatically. This issue is very controversial given Afeni's activism, legacy and very protective nature of her son's image and estate.
He didn't go as far as to accuse Afeni of wrongdoing, but put forth enough to make heads turn regarding what her role may have been in the events following Tupac's death. To the great degree in which she is held in regard, that which he put forth has drawn wide-scale rejection and disbelief.
Podcast of Suge Knight to Rock the Boat
Suge Knight has turned to his new podcast, Collect Call With Suge Knight, to present his side of what is perhaps hip hop's most legendary time. The show, which went out while Knight is still in prison, is to go very deep into Death Row Records, the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, and the still-unsolved deaths of Tupac and Biggie.
Set for release this summer, the podcast's intro promises to bring a flood of uncensored stories, inside information, and raw commentary, which only Knight is known for. For fans, journalists, and conspiracy theorists, this could be the most disruptive voice in hip-hop media in recent years.
A Ripple Through Hip-Hop Culture
The response to Suge Knight's claims has been quick and divided. While some fans are intrigued and at times hopeful that Tupac is still out there, others see Knight's words as a publicity ploy. Critics put forth that Knight, with a long prison sentence ahead of him and reduced relevance in today's music scene, is using the Tupac legacy to draw attention to himself or to change public opinion.
Still, the timing of these allegations is to be noted. In the wake of recent developments, which saw the arrest of Duane "Keefe D" Davis in relation to Tupac's death, the issue has once again come to the fore. Knight's comments may complicate present investigations or at least bring back to light what until recently had been dismissed theories.
What of the Tupac case
Tupac Amaru Shakur was reported dead on 9/13/1996 of a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Although there have been many documentaries, police reports, and books produced on the subject, the case is still officially open.
While in Suge Knight's latest outburst of info, he may not present direct proof, but what he does put forth is that at the time key players may be quiet, or that which we thought was the full story is far from it. Should any of what he puts forth about Tupac being alive be true, that would be one of the largest cover-ups in music history.
A Legacy Revisited
In all of its forms, be it fact or fiction, Suge Knight's words have had a cultural impact. Tupac's story has been a grand stage a play of passion, politics, poetry and paranoia. This new chapter sees the legend grow only larger, between what is true and what is not.
As time goes by, with each new episode of what Suge Knight has in store, we may see public narratives deconstructed, old issues brought back to the fore, and maybe also very different perspectives which will either clarify or add to the great enigmas that have dogged music history for so long.
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