Sean “Diddy” Combs Denies Link To 1994 Tupac Shakur Shooting
Has risen to the top of his field
A story that has become legend in hoods across America is coming to the mainstream. Up until his death, Tupac Shakur was adamant Diddy was involved in the 1994 Quad Recording Studios shooting and all the subsequent drama eventually culminated in the deaths of Pac and Biggie.
The ambush at the Quad remains a source of fascination and frustration to music fans and law enforcement officials alike. No one has ever been charged in the attack.
Now, newly discovered information, including interviews with people who were at the studio that night, lends credence to Shakur’s insistence that associates of rap impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs were behind the assault. Their alleged motives: to punish Shakur for disrespecting them and rejecting their business overtures and, not incidentally, to curry favor with Combs.
The information focuses on two New York hip-hop figures — talent manager James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond and promoter James Sabatino, who is now in prison for unrelated crimes.
FBI records obtained recently by The Times say that a confidential informant told authorities in 2002 that Rosemond and Sabatino “set up the rapper Tupac Shakur to get shot at Quad Studios.” The informant said Sabatino had told him that Shakur “had to be dealt with.”
The records — summaries of FBI interviews with the informant conducted in July and December 2002 — provide details of how Shakur was lured to the studio and ambushed. Others with knowledge of the incident corroborated the informant’s account in interviews with The Times and gave additional details.
According to this information, Rosemond and Sabatino, infuriated by what they saw as Shakur’s insolent behavior, enticed him to the Quad by offering him $7,000 to provide a vocal track for a rap recording.
Three assailants — reputedly friends of Rosemond — were lying in wait. They were on orders to beat Shakur but not kill him and to make the incident look like a robbery, the sources said. They were told they could keep whatever jewelry or other valuables they could steal from Shakur and his entourage.
A member of Shakur’s posse cooperated with the rapper’s enemies, relaying their offer of a $7,000 payment and keeping them informed of his whereabouts on the night of the assault, according to the informant and the other sources.
Rosemond, who has served prison time for drug dealing and weapons offenses, has been described by Vibe magazine as “one of the most respected and feared players in hip-hop.” His Czar Entertainment represents rappers Shyne, Too Short, Gucci Mane and the Game.
Rosemond has long denied any role in the Quad incident. He declined to be interviewed for this article, but his lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, dismissed the new information as “ancient double-hearsay allegations.”
Lichtman noted that Rosemond had never been charged or questioned in connection with the attack — a sign, Lichtman said, that federal authorities have “discounted” what the informant told them. Rosemond “was not involved in the assault and will not be prosecuted for it,” Lichtman said.
Sabatino declined to comment.
Combs, whose business empire includes Bad Boy Records and clothing and fragrance lines, also declined to comment.
The FBI documents do not name the informant. The Times learned his identity and verified that he was at the Quad on the night of the assault. When contacted, the man said the FBI records accurately convey what happened, and what he told investigators. He and the other sources interviewed for this article discussed the events of Nov. 30, 1994, on condition that their names not be published.
Their accounts are consistent with Shakur’s own. In interviews and on recordings, the rapper blamed Rosemond, Combs and their associates for the attack and promised to get even.
Story continues on the site…
Diddy denies report.
Dead for what? As blaze as 90’s Hip Hop was–and still is–why did it have to come to this?
With the exception of a few conscious rap holdovers (Nas, Mos, Common, Talib) and the entrepreneurial skills of Hov and Rockafella, straight up Hip Hop on a serious level died when BIG and Pac were senselessly killed. Both of their camps should be held accountable for propagating a battle which left two of music’s biggest influences dead for absolutely nothing.
Imagine if those two were still alive for a scant second (after obviously mending fences).
Pac, Biggie and Puffy on stage together (NSFW..language)
What would music be? Would the two stars have matured as music evolved (Think Jay-Z) and set the world on its ear with their and transcendent influence? Would we ever have taken Jay-Z seriously? Would he be considered the best of all time as Chuck D proclaimed in our initial interview? Also, in the interview, Chuck also goes on to say Biggie’s lofty status in the game was prematurely gifted.
Chuck D: I think he’s the greatest MC of all time.
MT: Wow! Big statement–especially coming from someone like you. Really?
Chuck D: He is the greatest of all time because he recognized the embodiment of everything involved–legends before him–and put his game on an entirely different level of anyone past or present. Jay-Z is the embodiment of Kool Mo Dee, Rakim, KRS1, Pac, Biggie and anyone else that has ever been on the mic. Similar to Jordan, he was the right dude at the right time. He just didn’t sit on his talent. He sought other aspects of business to conquer. It’s not just about how much fame on top of fame you can get. He’s special. From the outside looking in, people might say he’s stuffing himself. No, he’s widening the road for other cats to follow. Now if cats get on the road and crash their vehicles, that’s their problem. He’s added a business structure to the game that hasn’t been seen, taking Hip Hop to the board room, Madison Avenue and giving it a legitimate voice. My respect for Jay-Z went to a higher level when he did the Hard Knock Life Tour in 1999–performing after DMX! Making records and having skill is cool, but when you can take it to the stage and give the fans a great show, I’m tipping my hat to you. When I saw him doing that every night–going on after DMX is very difficult–I knew he was the one. I’m not saying at all that he was beating out DMX, but he held the fort down.
A lot of people don’t agree with me, but I’ve been there, so I know what kind of effort you have to give across the board. He’s phenomenal. When cats were calling Biggie the greatest of all time, I had problems with that. He came in and put out 1 1/2 records and people were judging him unfairly. There was no way he was the best.
To be fair, Chuck has also railed against the negative influences surrounding Pac. Chuck has built his credibility and right to voice his knowledgeable opinions of the rap game because he’s remained true to its roots. He is the present day God Father of Hip Hop and is definitely one of strongest advocates of rap. Personally, there’s not anyone I respect more in the business.
This bullshit has to stop because it damn sure didn’t stop there. How many Pacs or Biggies or Jordans, or Tomlinsons have been dead for years because of stupid bitchassness–to coin Diddy’s words–instead of going out and getting your own the right way?
The same thing goes for brothas who land somebody’s girl by dissin’ her man.
What happened to respect?
Biggie and Pac performing together R.I.P brothas. (NSFW: language)
Am I proud of everything in this video? Hell no, but we all live and learn. Both those cats were young and lived based on the environment they were raised in.
How in the hell can we find Saddam Hussein layin’ in the cut, but can’t find the killers of our own?
Please do your jobs fathers (including me). If you take the time out, just to talk to your sons, this won’t happen to them. The streets are hard and death comes speeding harder.
I hope Diddy didn’t have anything to do with this. If he did, that’s a damn shame.
Before we rush to judgment, we must respect the facts as they are presented in their entirety. Be very careful here, because no one knows why this is coming out right now.
If the authorities thought for a second Diddy was involved, then why hasn’t he been brought up on charges?
Why was this story published online and not in the paper?
Just sayin’…
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