Months after Wallace’s murder, Knight told ABC News he would “absolutely not” snitch if he knew Shakur’s murderer. Theory: Marion “Suge” Knight and the LAPD Were InvolvedĪnother widely reported conspiracy theory, first spread by former LAPD detective Russell Poole, claimed Knight recruited corrupt LAPD authorities to kill Wallace as an act of retaliation for the death of his protégée Shakur.
In late 1997, Combs teamed up with Wallace’s widow, singer Faith Evans, and R&B group 112 to record the Grammy-winning song “I’ll Be Missing You” in memory of the late rapper. Kading alleged that Knight retaliated by hiring a member of the Bloods to kill Wallace for $13,000.Ĭombs and Knight have both vehemently denied claims about their involvement. Kading claimed Combs - the mastermind behind Bad Boy Records, Wallace’s record label - paid a Crips gang member $1 million to kill Shakur and his manager, Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight. Retired Los Angeles Police Department detective Greg Kading, who led a special task force investigating Wallace’s and Shakur’s murders, alleged that Sean “Diddy” Combs was involved in Shakur’s death in his 2011 book Murder Rap: The Untold Story of the Biggie Smalls & Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations by the Detective Who Solved Both Cases and its accompanying 2015 documentary. '90s Pop Stars, Then and Now Read article As we remember Wallace’s short but triumphant life, here are four unproven conspiracy theories about what might have happened on that fateful night 20 years ago: Many fans wondered if the rappers’ murders were linked because of their embroilment in the East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry, a conspiracy that still prevails today. Almost immediately after the shooting occurred, reports pointed out the eerie similarities and the short time frame between Wallace’s and Shakur’s deaths. Two decades later, Wallace’s murder remains unsolved. Wallace was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to undergo emergency surgery, but soon after, he was pronounced dead at the age of 24.
The driver of the Impala, an unidentified black male dressed in a suit and bow tie, rolled down his window and fired a 9 mm pistol at Wallace, wounding him with four bullets. The Brooklyn native had just left a Soul Train Music Awards afterparty on March 9, 1997, when a Chevrolet Impala pulled up beside his green GMC Suburban SUV at a red light. Last year the Fader put out a pretty comprehensive Biggie tour, which you can find here.Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time Read article
James Place in the neighboring Clinton Hill (though as Bed-Stuy Patch points out, that area was considered Bed-Stuy at that time). While Biggie publicly stated he was from Bed-Stuy, he actually lived at 226 St. This took place at Bedford Avenue near Quincy Street-if you visit today, you'll basically be right in front of Do Or Dine. Now let's revisit that amazing video showing Biggie freestyling on the streets of Bed-Stuy when he was 17.
Did we mention a “shrine” to Tupac Shakur was also found in his home? Many believe this may have been an LAPD cover up, as it would have ended in convicting one of their own. Most evidence pointed to former LAPD cop David Mack, who was later working for Suge Knight, and was one of the only people in possession of the "very rare Gecko 9mm armor-piercing ammunition" that killed Biggie. His 1997 murder remains unsolved, but last January the LAPD announced they were actively pursuing leads in his slaying, which was followed by the FBI releasing a 359-page file (released under the Freedom of Information Act) that included all of their information on the case between 19, when it was first closed. when he was shot in his car-he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. Wallace had just left an after party for the 11th Annual Soul Train Music Awards at 12:30 a.m. Fifteen years ago today, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G., was shot and killed while visiting Los Angeles to promote his upcoming album and record a music video for "Hypnotize".