Tupac Murder Investigation Vegas Raid Ends In Police Face-Off
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 25: American rapper, songwriter, and actor (1971-1996) Tupac Shakur poses for a portrait during the 1994 Source Awards on April 25, 1994 at the Paramount Theatre in New York, New York.
Tupac Shakur’s murder investigation continues, and the raid in Las Vegas Monday night (July 17) ended in a police face-off. According to video footage obtained by TMZ, a home was raided in connection to Tupac’s murder nearly 30 years ago. In the video, the Vegas Metro Police Department went to nearby Henderson, NV. It was around 10 p.m. when police asked for the people inside the home to come out with their hands up.
The house is owned by Paula Clemons, who’s married to a former Crip named Keefe D. Keefe D., whose full name is Keefe Davis, claimed that his nephew, Orlando Anderson, was the one who pulled the trigger that ultimately killed Tupac on the Vegas Strip in 1996. Keefe D. said that he was in the car with him at the time of the murder. Marion “Suge” Knight, head of Death Row Records, was in the car with Tupac the night he was killed. They were leaving a boxing match at the MGM Grand in a black BMW.
A woman and a man appear to leave the home in the video. An officer requested that the woman drop her cigarettes. It’s unclear who these people were as they have not been identified, nor has it been reported that they were detained or arrested.
Police were at the home for two hours conducting a search. According to ABC News, police seized electronics such as computers and hard drives. They also took magazine articles and photos from the 1990s of individuals who could be connected to the care directory or indirectly. They also seized copies of Davis’ 2019 book Compton Street Legend, in which he discusses 2Pac’s murder.
No arrests have ever been made in connection to the rapper’s death. Las Vegas police have said that witnesses refused to cooperate with law enforcement which led to the case never being solved. Nevada does not have a statute of limitations for prosecuting homicide cases.
5 Documentaries on Hip-Hop Artists To Stream Now
Hip-Hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. While the genre is one of the youngest, it is not short on its impact on the culture.
The genre originated in the early ’70s in New York in African-American communities in the Bronx. There are several aspects to hip-hop in regard to music making, such as rap, djing, and freestyling. Those created other avenues in the art form, such as breakdancing and graffiti art.
Hip-hop has been in the mainstream in ways that were never thought possible by its early adopters of the craft.
“When we started on this journey decades ago, we were often told, ‘No’. No, you won’t be able to leave New Jersey. No, if you rap, you can’t sing. No, singers can’t become actresses. No, actors can’t also produce,” Queen Latifah said to Entertainment Weekly in a statement as she is set to become the first female rap artist to be celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors.
“To now be recognized amongst so many multi-hyphenates feels unbelievable, not for just me and my team, but for our community. The work the Kennedy Center does is immeasurable so I’m beyond grateful for this recognition.”
Throughout this year, hip-hop has been celebrated in performances by some of the greats. At the 2023 BET Awards, there were performances by MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, The Sugarhill Gang, D-Nice, Warren G, Yo-Yo, Trick Daddy, Trina, Uncle Luke, Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray — also known as “Def Squad,” and more highlighted rap on Culture’s Biggest Night.
Earlier this year, Questlove curated a hip-hop tribute at the 2023 Grammy Awards where Missy Elliott, Run DMC, Salt n Pepa, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, Nelly, GloRilla, Lil Baby, and more took to the stage.
If you have been a fan since the beginning or you’ve just begun listening, you’ll learn more from these projects. Take a look at five documentaries on these hip-hop artists:
Autumn Hawkins is the National Hip-Hop and R&B writer for Beasley Media, currently residing in New Jersey. Prior to working at Beasley Media, she was in broadcast news as an entertainment producer. When she's not impatiently waiting for Beyoncé to drop new music, she is reading, shopping, or planning a vacation.
