On September 16, 1996, the West Coast lost one of its brightest stars in the hip-hop scene: Tupac Shakur. To the music industry, Tupac was a lyrical genius with more than 75 million albums sold worldwide. To the community, he was an activist for the common people, vocally representing those who bear a disproportionate social burden because of their race, gender, and socio-economic status. But in a scary foreshadowing of sorts, Tupac already had a feeling that his time on Earth was about to be cut short. Call it paranoia, call it a premonition, his morbid prediction would later on be the central theme of his third album.
‘If I Die 2Nite’ Suggests Tupac Saw His Fate Coming
The opening track to Tupac’s triple-platinum album Me Against The World, “If I Die 2Nite,” is as eerie as it sounds. For one, the project was released a year before the artist would meet his unfortunate demise. “If I Die 2Nite” expresses the rapper’s anxiety about feeling like someone’s about to kill him. Throughout the song, Tupac lists out potential suspects who would possibly get him. From snitches (“punk n****s copping pleas”) to cops and jealous rivals (“I’m duckin’ the cops / I hit the weed as I’m clutchin’ my Glock / N****s is how when I hit the block), “If I Die 2Nite” is not just a morbid premonition — it also describes the deadly situation Tupac has found himself in, one that has put him on some twisted hit list.
Tupac’s paranoia didn’t pop up out of nowhere. A year before the release of Me Against The World, and two years before Tupac’s passing, the rapper was involved in a shooting in the lobby of Quad Recording Studios in Times Square. On November 30, 1994, Tupac was walking around the corner when he heard some familiar voices — Lil Cease and members of Biggie’s affiliate rap group, Junior Mafia. In a blurry series of events, three armed men surrounded Tupac in a robbery attempt. Before the rapper could do anything, he was shot five times. Since the incident, Tupac and Biggie’s friendship took a turn for the worse, with the former accusing Biggie, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and members of Bad Boy Records of having prior knowledge of the deadly incident.
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The 1996 Shooting That Left Tupac Dead Six Days Later
Nearly three decades after Tupac was gunned down in Las Vegas, the details of that night remain blurry. On September 7, 1996, Tupac, just 25, was riding in a black BMW with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight after a Mike Tyson fight. Hours earlier, Tupac had gotten into a casino brawl with a gang member. As they drove near the Strip, a white Cadillac pulled up alongside them with a spotlight. Prosecutors now say gang member Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson handed a gun to Deandre “Big Dre” Smith, who fired 13 shots — four of which struck Tupac. Knight was grazed but survived.
Tupac was rushed to the hospital and initially seemed alert, joking with Knight and asking for blunts and Hennessy. But his condition worsened. Knight claims Tupac begged him — and later his mother, Afeni Shakur — to end his life, fearing his return to prison. Tupac was placed in a coma, but the damage was too severe. On September 13, 1996, Tupa was pronounced dead.
Sean “Diddy” Combs Linked to Masterminding Tupac’s Murders
In more recent news, Biggie’s former affiliate, Combs, has been tied to a string of legal troubles, with over 100 individuals reportedly filing or planning to file lawsuits accusing him of rape, assault, and sexual misconduct dating back to 1991. Allegations include a 2003 case in which a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted at 17 after being given drugs and alcohol. Combs denies all accusations. In late 2023, singer Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit alleging violent abuse and rape, which was quickly settled. In the latest development of the case, a New York jury found Combs not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering but convicted him on a lesser charge of transporting people for prostitution.
One of Comb’s recent lawsuits might reveal new clues to the long-unsolved 1996 murder of Tupac. Ashley Parham alleges Combs raped her as “payback” for implying he had a role in Tupac’s death. She claims he threatened her with a knife, saying she would “pay” after she refused to join a video call because of his rumored involvement in the shooting. A month later, she says Combs allegedly ambushed her, threatened to disfigure her, and violently sexually assaulted her with a TV remote. The lawsuit also alleges she was sexually assaulted and offered hush money to say it was consensual. Combs has not publicly responded to the accusations.
