Investigations into the shocking murders of hip-hop stars Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls was shelved prematurely, according to a retired LAPD detective who said he knows who is responsible.
His new book "Murder Rap" points the finger at hip-hop mogul Suge Knight as responsible for ordering the hit on Christopher Wallace, better known as Biggie Smalls.
"This is the definitive account," said author and retired LAPD detective Greg Kading. "I think that right now is the time when this should be looked at to promote prosecution"
Kading retired in 2010 to write the book.
"At the time, I realized these cases were both shelved, and there was no proactive effort to solve them," Kading said.
Escalating feuds between east and west coast hip-hop labels culminated in the deaths of two of the rap world’s biggest stars.
The person responsible for Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Las Vegas murder was obvious, Kading said. Fault lay with the individual caught on tape fighting with Shakur, an artist on Knight’s Death Row Records in Los Angeles.
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But finding the party at fault for the death of Biggie Smalls, on New York label Bad Boy Records, six months later was more difficult, Kading said.
In his new book, he alleges the 24-year-old rapper and songwriter was killed in retaliation for Shakur’s death, and Knight, then-CEO Death Row Records, ordered it done.
Kading said he wrote the piece for the men’s mothers, families and fans, and proceeds from the book will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.
