S. Samuel
The author of FBI War on Tupac Shakur & Black Leaders recently gave an interview explaining his belief that the United States government was involved in the 1996 fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur.
According to author John Potash, Pac was a target due to his strong influence as a black leader.
“Being that he had the top selling CD’s in the world and was starring in major motion pictures, which made him a rap and film star,” Potash reasoned as motivation to target Pac. “He was also engaged to the daughter of Quincy Jones, a well-established and respected person in the entertainment business, which increased his popularity. He had very close relationships with his extended Black Panther Party family, who acted as his mentors…A high level police detective named Russell Poole got himself assigned to the murder investigation of Biggie, during his investigation he stumbled across the fact that Death Row Records employed many officers who were considered agents. Poole also found typical intelligence operations such as trafficking drugs, guns and laundering money taking place at Death Row Records…Of course [the government killed Tupac.] They orchestrated his assassination.” (All Hip Hop)
Potash’s book, currently available on Amazon, is based on 12 years of research.
The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders contains a wealth of names, dates and events detailing the use of COINTELPRO style tactics by the FBI against a generation of political rap artists. Based on 12 years of research and includes over 900 endnotes. Sources include over 100 interviews, FOIA-released CIA and FBI documents, court transcripts, and many mainstream media outlets. (Amazon)
A film based on the life of Tupac is reportedly being worked on.
“It looks like we’re doing Tupac Shakur’s movie next in September, that’s what I’ve been starting up and working on now,” filmmaker Antoine Fuqua said in a May 2010 interview. “I’ve been working on that for a while with Morgan Creek and Jim Robinson. I just got the greenlight from him and we’re going in September. I’ve just started to prep that.” Fuqua added that he is hoping to find an unknown actor to portray the iconic hip-hop star, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996. “That’s the goal, I want to discover someone new,” he explained. “I want to discover a lot of new people if I can. Obviously I’m going to have to put some people in it that you know, just because actors have different skills. I want to go to the streets and find him anywhere he might be in the world.” (Digital Spy)
Pac recently had his song “Dear Mama” preserved in the Library of Congress.
The rapper’s 1994 song “Dear Mama,” about a mother struggling with poverty and addiction, was selected for the 2009 National Recording Registry for its cultural significance, alongside works by Willie Nelson, Little Richard, Patti Smith and R.E.M.. Tupac is the third rapper to be included, following Grandmaster Flashand Public Enemy. (Washington Post)
Check out some past footage of John Potash below:
