Per the linked MSNBC article quoted below - “Hip Hop Probe” did anything ever come out as to a definitive reason they were targeted and killed?
Marketing. Or perhaps it is the rap version of the heroin overdose.
To answer your question: Yes they were both killed.
The answer to your question is that there really is no definitive answer yet.
There have been dozens (maybe hundreds) of reports, articles, television specials, documentaries, etc., that all tackle the question from their own angle, but there is no clear-cut answer as of right now.
Suge Knight and Puff Daddy were undoubtedly playing their superstars against each other - or at least not discouraging what was happening naturally - for the sake of promotion, but the whole feud is much, much deeper than that. You’ve got to remember that, although Tupac is commonly associated with California, he grew up in NYC, and knew Biggie for years. They were best friends at one point.
I don’t think this case will be solved anytime soon, and there’s a whole other slew of theories on why that is, as well . . .
[Chris Rock]“Tupac got shot on the Las Vegas strip after a TYSON FIGHT! More people saw Tupac get killed than saw the last episode of Seinfeld! But still…no witnesses, no leads.”
There are all sorts of conspiracy theories of why 2pac got killed
One is that 2pac wanted to leave Death Row records so Suge Knight got him killed. It does bring up the question that if it was a drive by and suge was in the same car as 2pac, how is it that he got away basically unscathed? And 2pac who always wore a bullet-proof vest wasn’t wearing it that night?
But the fact is I’ve seen (I believe) MGM surveillance tape where 2pac and his gang beat the hell out of a rival gang member, so it probably was gang retaliation.
And though I don’t know much about biggie, I’m sure it’d be safe to say that he was killed because of gang activity too.
But why is there so much violence surrounding this particular genre?
As far as I know, there are no counry-western, jazz, or blues artists being iced.
Wikipedia gives this a pretty good treatment
Well, I imagine this is just a drive-by insult to hip-hop, like happens so often whenever the subject is mentioned here, but I’ll attempt to answer you.
Firstly, rap is more popular than jazz, blues, and country-western* is today. That is to say that there are more high-profile rappers than there are Hank Williams Jr’s, Kenny Gs, or Kenny Wayne Shepards.
Secondly, there has been violence in other genres. Johnny Paycheck shot a man. Ledbelly may or may not have killed a man. I’m trying to find a cite that stabbings and shootings were prevalent at jazz and blues clubs in the first half of the 20th century, which is something I’ve heard more than once.
Thirdly, how violent is hip-hop?
- 50-cent got shot before he was famous. I think it’s safe to say this was unrelated.
- Scott LaRock’s murder is still unsolved. It may have been over an MC battle and may have been over a girl.
- Jam Master Jay’s murder is unsolved but almost definitely unrelated to music, considering he never battled anyone and hadn’t done anything mainstream in over 15 years at the time of his death.
- Tupac - unsolved, maybe related to his battle with Biggie.
- Biggie - unsolved, maybe related to his battle with Tupac.
So that’s 5 murders in 30 years of rap, 3 of which MIGHT be related to the fact that the victims were involved in rap. I think you’re buying into some kind of hype if you’re asking why this music is sooooo violent.
[sub]*Nitpickers: I realize that the music that is now referred to as “Country” is currently the most popular radio format in the US, but I would refer to that music as “pop” or “pop/country” and the previous poster specified “country-western”.[/sub]
I shot Biggie’s breakthrough video, entitled “This Juicy” for Sean “Puffy” Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment.
It appeared to me that this was a guy who was damned grateful to get into rap and out of selling drugs on the streets in Brooklyn where we shot the video. ( Flatbush? Fulton. Hmm. Methinks not Lafayette, but I’d have to look at a map ).
It was painful to hear of his death. So much death, his not of greater value than any other life, but because I’d met the fellow it touched me.
Hip hop has nothing on black metal when it comes to violence. Look what happend to Mayhem, for starters.
Holy cow!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
That´s unbelivable, they even used the picture of their dead, head-blasted-brains-dripping picture of their former singer as a cover art.
Those guys are mental.
Seriously? In what capacity? I hear my bullshit meter going off. o_O
Cartooniverse is professional video cameraman.
Hey, I’ve seen this face before . . .
Now, now. HG is a Guest. We shall treat him/her accordingly. Can’t expect guests to read up on everybody who posts into a thread.
I’m a professional Cameraman and Steadicam Operator. I spent two days shooting that video. The first day was in Brooklyn, on the corners where Biggie used to sell drugs. Amongst other very fun shots I got to do, I talked the crane operator into allowing me to do a “crane walk-off”, where I ride the crane down and as it his bottom, I step off and keep shooting. Lots of fun.
What can I tell you about bullshit? This is the Straight Dope. I don’t care to identify myself. However, I can tell you that Sean Combs Executive Produced and Directed. Igor Sunara was the Director of Photography and Lara Schwartz was the Producer of record.
The second day was spent way out on Long Island, at the home of an architect. The location was a poured cement walls home. All raw cement walls. Fascinating look. Extremely cool on the hot summer’s day, let me tell you. The pool had a kind of weird pedestal thing you could climb up on, and some did while I shot people in and around the pool. For all of the shennanigans that go with a music video, I must say that when it came time to do the walking-by-the-pool shots and I was in danger of being splashed heavily by the “background extras” ( read: friends of Puffy and Biggie’s, and Bad Boy Entertainment folks ), Puffy got them all quiet and informed them that I had a bit over $ 175,000 worth of gear strapped to my body that he was financially responsible for, and nobody was to splash a drop towards me.
Went just fine after that. There are two shots that Puffy appears in. One, an interior at the architect’s home where Puffy, Igor and Biggie are sitting and I carry a shot where I draw a servant out of the kitchen as she carries champagne flutes to them. The other is outside in the pool. Not only does he appear, but his wife of the time and their small son appeared as well.
I also shot Mary J. Blige, Craig Mack and Sister Machine Gun videos for Mr. Combs’ company. I am sorry if your bullshit meter rang, but all I can tell you is that this is what I do for a living. -shrug- believe it or not.
Cartooniverse
( one further comment on the bullshit remark, which apparently stung more than I let on, delicate man that I am… )
One might question how I can name the names so easily after 10 years. Simple. Sean Combs is certainly a person and persona one does not forget. Igor and I just saw eachother a few months ago, he is still shooting. This video was Lara’s first as a line Producer and it made her. She’s a rocket and is still moving faster than the speed of sound.
I believe that 2Pac is still alive…but that’s just me. In any case, I wonder if there was indeed some kind of conspiracy linked to both killings. I guess we’ll never know, unless a smoking gun of some sort is found.