Josh Margolin

Before anyone realizes what has happened, Suge Knight in the driver's seat of the Beamer is injured. He actually would later say that he thought he was dead or going to be dead. And Tupac Shakur is injured very, very seriously, gravely, rushed to a hospital.

At that time, Tupac Shakur was as big a music act and entertainer as there is. We're talking about Frank Sinatra. For that generation, that's what we're talking about. He was only 25. He had already started appearing in films. He was all over culture. He actually, according to people who know rap music, and by the way, I am not one of those people who know rap music. On the record.

At that time, Tupac Shakur was as big a music act and entertainer as there is. We're talking about Frank Sinatra. For that generation, that's what we're talking about. He was only 25. He had already started appearing in films. He was all over culture. He actually, according to people who know rap music, and by the way, I am not one of those people who know rap music. On the record.

But according to people who know rap music, he was in the process of of changing the genre, which rap was only coming into its own at that point in the mid-90s. Think about it. It really had only developed in the inner cities and was below the surface through the 80s and then the early 90s. Tupac was larger than life.

But according to people who know rap music, he was in the process of of changing the genre, which rap was only coming into its own at that point in the mid-90s. Think about it. It really had only developed in the inner cities and was below the surface through the 80s and then the early 90s. Tupac was larger than life.

Well, that's the other thing. So you have Tupac is rising to this level of stardom and the experts were saying that he was about to launch into like super stardom, like Madonna-level stardom at that point. And at the same time, you have to go back in time to what's happening in the world of crime and street culture. And that's the stuff I do know.

Well, that's the other thing. So you have Tupac is rising to this level of stardom and the experts were saying that he was about to launch into like super stardom, like Madonna-level stardom at that point. And at the same time, you have to go back in time to what's happening in the world of crime and street culture. And that's the stuff I do know.

So we're talking about a situation where we have the explosion of the crack wars, the drug wars in the inner cities, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago. Simultaneously, the explosion of the gang wars. the battling between the Crips and the Bloods, the Red and the Blue.

So we're talking about a situation where we have the explosion of the crack wars, the drug wars in the inner cities, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago. Simultaneously, the explosion of the gang wars. the battling between the Crips and the Bloods, the Red and the Blue.

At the same time, you end up having groups of rap artists who are connected to East Coast record labels and West Coast record labels. And they are feuding. The record labels are feuding. the artists end up getting caught up in the feuding. And then you have the gangs that according to law enforcement, according to the experts, these gangs that are aligned with these individual record labels.

At the same time, you end up having groups of rap artists who are connected to East Coast record labels and West Coast record labels. And they are feuding. The record labels are feuding. the artists end up getting caught up in the feuding. And then you have the gangs that according to law enforcement, according to the experts, these gangs that are aligned with these individual record labels.

So the gangs are part of the feuding. Now, Very quickly, you're looking at me and you're saying, wow, that's actually a recipe for violence. And the answer is yes. A lot of money, legitimate money in the music industry. Then there's illegal money floating around through the drugs that are being peddled by the gangs. Then you have the artists.

So the gangs are part of the feuding. Now, Very quickly, you're looking at me and you're saying, wow, that's actually a recipe for violence. And the answer is yes. A lot of money, legitimate money in the music industry. Then there's illegal money floating around through the drugs that are being peddled by the gangs. Then you have the artists.

In the midst of this really, really toxic situation, really dangerous situation, With a lot of guns floating around, Tupac Shakur is gunned down off Las Vegas Boulevard. Tupac is shot point blank. How did the investigation proceed after that? Right after Tupac is gunned down, the investigation starts and it's aggressive. There's just no question about it.

In the midst of this really, really toxic situation, really dangerous situation, With a lot of guns floating around, Tupac Shakur is gunned down off Las Vegas Boulevard. Tupac is shot point blank. How did the investigation proceed after that? Right after Tupac is gunned down, the investigation starts and it's aggressive. There's just no question about it.

It's not a broad daylight homicide because it's nighttime, but it's basically a public homicide of a high profile celebrity. The cops are all over it. You really have two key witnesses here, including Suge Knight, who lived through the attack and was in the driver's seat.

It's not a broad daylight homicide because it's nighttime, but it's basically a public homicide of a high profile celebrity. The cops are all over it. You really have two key witnesses here, including Suge Knight, who lived through the attack and was in the driver's seat.

it very quickly though becomes obvious to law enforcement that they're going to get no cooperation from anybody that has direct involvement because now we're talking about people who are connected to gangs There's the code of the streets. We don't talk to the cops. We don't snitch.

it very quickly though becomes obvious to law enforcement that they're going to get no cooperation from anybody that has direct involvement because now we're talking about people who are connected to gangs There's the code of the streets. We don't talk to the cops. We don't snitch.

In fact, later on, Brad, Suge Knight sat down with ABC News and he was asked about the crimes and homicides and all these various things that he knows about. And he was very, very clear that he doesn't get paid to solve homicides. So what happens next? So you have Tupac has gone down in Vegas. Then a few months later, you have the notorious BIG, Biggie Smalls, who's gone down in Los Angeles.