The night of September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas, remains etched in the annals of music history as one of its most tragic and enduring mysteries. Tupac Shakur, a lyrical titan and cultural icon, was gunned down, succumbing to his wounds days later. For nearly three decades, theories and rumors have swirled, but a recent cascade of new evidence, including shocking confessions and previously undisclosed police findings, is now shattering the long-held silence, profoundly reshaping our understanding of what truly transpired. Furthermore, these revelations have reignited fervent debates, bringing the tantalizing possibility of Tupac’s survival back into the public consciousness.

At the heart of these fresh revelations is Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a self-proclaimed gang member whose recent arrest and indictment have provided the most concrete breakthroughs in the case yet. Keffe D’s candid interviews, particularly one with DJ Vlad, have been scrutinized by investigators. In these discussions, he literally detailed the moments leading up to the shooting, describing how he, along with his nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson and two friends, pursued Tupac and Suge Knight. He recounted the white Cadillac pulling alongside Suge’s black BMW at the intersection of East Flamingo Boulevard and Koval Lane, the back window rolling down, and the subsequent hail of bullets that struck Tupac multiple times.

What makes Keffe D’s statements so damning is his alleged confession to police more than a decade ago, which, though initially unusable against him, outlined the crime as retaliation for Tupac’s earlier assault on Orlando Anderson at the MGM Grand casino. Surveillance cameras reportedly recorded Tupac’s anger over Anderson stealing his necklace years prior in Compton, leading to the physical altercation. This intricate web of gang rivalry, personal vendettas, and escalating violence provides a chilling backdrop to the fateful night.

Beyond the immediate events of September 7, 1996, the new evidence casts a wider net, drawing in other prominent figures from the hip-hop world. Sean “Diddy” Combs, a towering presence in the industry, has found himself facing renewed scrutiny. Evidence allegedly uncovered by police from November 18, 1995, suggests an earlier attempt on Tupac’s life, reportedly orchestrated by Diddy. The motive? A perceived slight involving Tupac being photographed with Sarah Chapman, Diddy’s then-baby mama, whom Diddy had often described as his “dream girl.” This prior incident, according to some claims, would have been Diddy’s “first attempt” to “get Tupac.” While Diddy has historically dismissed such accusations, Keffe D’s testimony, reportedly mentioning Diddy 77 times in a new legal filing, asserts that “everything was Diddy’s wish,” implying his central role in the tragic events.

Former LAPD cop Greg Kading’s claims further entwine Diddy in the narrative, suggesting that Diddy allegedly had Tupac “dealt with” for $1 million. This allegation fuels a long-standing theory that Suge Knight, in turn, retaliated by arranging the killing of Notorious B.I.G., escalating the infamous East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry into a deadly cycle.

The video also resurrects an old, awkward “Breakfast Club” interview with Diddy, where Tupac’s name was brought up. Diddy’s evasive responses—”We don’t talk about things that are nonsense. We don’t even entertain nonsense, my brother”—are now viewed through a different lens, intensifying public suspicion. The reaction from industry peers has been swift and often pointed. 50 Cent, while on stage, publicly called out Diddy, satirically suggesting he spoke “crazy” because “maybe I said it to my brother because he got Tupac,” highlighting the deep-seated rumors that have permeated hip-hop culture for years.

Adding another layer of intrigue, the evidence file delves into the actions of Snoop Dogg, a figure intricately linked to Tupac and the West Coast scene. Detective Russell Poole, a central figure in past investigations, suspected Suge Knight of orchestrating Tupac’s death to prevent his exit from Death Row Records, then framing rival Crips—a connection that, if true, could implicate Snoop Dogg, given his prominent Crip affiliation. Most shockingly, it’s revealed that Snoop Dogg was allegedly supposed to be in the BMW with Tupac on the night of the shooting. Snoop himself confirmed a last-minute change of plans, stating, “I didn’t give him no advice… we wasn’t seeing eye to eye… when they got to Vegas, they went their way, I went back… that’s why I wasn’t in the car with them.” This sudden alteration of plans, coupled with an altercation between Snoop, Tupac, and Suge just days prior, makes Snoop’s story uncannily believable.

Snoop recounted a “misunderstanding” stemming from an interview where he expressed admiration for Puffy and Biggie’s music. This infuriated Tupac and Suge, leading to an uncomfortable flight back to LA where Snoop felt compelled to sleep “under a blanket with [a] in the fork” for protection. This narrative suggests deep internal strife within Death Row, possibly giving Snoop a forewarning or instinct to avoid the fateful encounter. He even claimed that two days before Tupac passed, he felt Tupac “hated” him, a drastic shift from being “best of friends” just a week prior. These details, combined with the new evidence, paint a clearer picture of the volatile environment surrounding Tupac’s final days.

However, the most mind-bending aspect of these “new” files is the re-emergence of the theory that Tupac Shakur is, in fact, still alive. This subsection of the evidence file revives the “Tupac is alive in Cuba” theory, which gained traction after a 2010 interview with rapper Tre. Tre, a good friend of Tupac’s, was unwittingly recorded saying, “Last time I saw him, he was in Cuba.” This snippet, captured after a cameraman forgot to stop recording, was followed just two weeks later by a video released on a news website, allegedly showing Tupac “chilling” in a parking lot in Cuba.

This long-standing theory now gains fresh impetus from unexpected sources. Suge Knight, in interviews spanning two decades, has repeatedly hinted at Tupac’s survival. In one particularly convincing interview, he claimed, “When I left that hospital, me and Tupac were laughing and joking. I don’t see how someone can turn from doing so well to doing bad.” He reiterated this in a 2008 interview, stating Tupac was “conscious on the way to the hospital… conscious in AMLS… conscious after… after they did the surgery.” This directly contradicts police records noting Tupac was in a “very deep sleep” upon arrival, creating a significant discrepancy.

The consequences of such pronouncements have been severe. Two weeks after Suge Knight’s 2008 interview, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a nightclub, strongly believing it was due to his public statements about Tupac. A decade later, his son, Suge Jr., made a similar mistake. In 2018, Suge Jr. took to Instagram, proclaiming Tupac was alive and living in Malaysia. He followed this with a chilling text message from an unknown sender: “You have said too much, it’s now time for you to go.” Panicked, Suge Jr. posted more photos of Tupac alongside modern celebrities like 50 Cent and Beyoncé, with the caption, “He never left us, but they’ll be after me soon.” While some dismissed it as a publicity stunt, others, considering his father’s insights, found it profoundly unsettling.

These new revelations, spanning confessions, police findings, and even renewed speculation about Tupac’s survival, underscore the enduring fascination and deep complexities surrounding his death. The narrative is no longer confined to simple revenge or East Coast-West Coast beef; it’s a tapestry woven with alleged orchestrations, unforeseen circumstances, and persistent whispers of an iconic figure’s enduring presence. As the legal system moves forward with Keffe D’s indictment, the world watches, eager for definitive answers to a mystery that has captivated generations, while also grappling with the tantalizing possibility that the legend of Tupac Shakur might be far from over.