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Diddy Blasts LA Times Story

Sean "Diddy" Combs has already denied all of the allegations set forth in a Los Angeles Times story yesterday, namely that he—along with the Notorious B.I.G., Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond and a New York promoter—knew that Tupac Shakur would be attacked at New York's Quad Recording Studios on November 30, 1994.

"This story is a lie," Diddy said in a statement. "It is beyond ridiculous and is completely false. Neither Biggie nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during or after it happened. It is a complete lie to suggest that there was any involvement by Biggie or myself. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story."

Rosemond went after the credibility of writer Chuck Phillips in a separate statement, telling MTV News, "In the past 14 years, I have not even been questioned by law enforcement with regard to the assault of Tupac Shakur, let alone brought up on charges. Chuck Philips, the writer who in the past has falsely claimed that [Biggie] was in Las Vegas when Tupac was murdered and that Biggie supplied the gun that killed Tupac—only to be proven wrong, as Biggie was in New Jersey recuperating from a car accident. [The Times] has reached a new low by employing fourth-hand information from desperate jailhouse informants along with ancient FBI reports to create this fabrication.

He added, "I simply ask for all rap fans and fans of Tupac to analyze this fiction for what it is, along with Philips' motives behind it. I am baffled as to why the Times would print this on its Web site, when a simple and fair investigation would reveal that the allegations are false. I am currently consulting with my attorneys about my legal rights regarding this libelous piece of garbage." The shooting at Quad Studios has long been considered the breaking point in Shakur and Biggie's relationship—the one that eventually led to both of their deaths in the late '90s.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
03.18.08