By: RJ Walker
Published: Mar. 18, 2008 - Los Angeles, CA

L.A. Times reporter Chuck Phillips asserts that Tupac Shakur, the legendary slain rapper, was correct in his insistence that Bad Boy Records head Sean "Diddy" Combs and lead artist Notorious B.I.G. had prior knowledge of his shooting in New York's quad studio in 1994. The shooting led directly to Tupac signing with Death Row Records and sparking the East Coast versus West Coast rap feud that culminated in the death of both Tupac and Notorious B.I.G.

The report asserts that Diddy and Biggie were not only present the night of the shooting but carried out to curry favors from Diddy himself, who was spurned in his attempts to attract Tupac to his record label. The label impresario and his biggest artist were apparently warned by James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond and James Sabatino not to leave the studio, which then saw Tupac attacked by three men. Phillips interviewed the three men that supposedly took part in the attack, all in prison on unrelated charges, about the attack, which saw one fully collaborate the version that Phillips had culled from F.B.I. reports, one cryptically agree to some statements and offering to produce the medallion stolen from Tupac the night of the shooting, and the last one refusing to comment.

Jimmy Henchman has always denied involvement in the shooting and refused to talk to the L.A. Times. Sean Combs also refused to comment to the L.A. Times for the story, but issued a public response. He insisted, "This story is beyond ridiculous and is completely false." Even more, he cited, "I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story."

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