B.I.G Death.
In March 1997, Biggie traveled to California to promote his upcoming album and record a music video for its lead single, "Hypnotize". Life After Death was scheduled for release on March 25, 1997. On March 8, 1997, he presented an award at the 11th Annual Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles and was booed by some of the audience.[24] After the ceremony, Biggie attended an after party hosted by Vibe magazine and Qwest Records at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.[24] Other guests included Faith Evans, Combs and members of the Bloods and Crips gangs.[9]
On March 9, 1997, at 12:30 a.m., Biggie left with his entourage in two GMC Suburbans to return to his hotel after an announcement was made that the party would finish early. Biggie traveled in the front passenger seat alongside his associates, Damion "D-Rock" Butler, Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease and driver, Gregory "G-Money" Young. Combs traveled in the other vehicle with three bodyguards. The two trucks were trailed by a Chevrolet Blazer carrying Bad Boy's director of security.[9]
By 12:45 a.m. the streets were crowded with people leaving the event. Biggie's truck stopped at a red light 50 yards from the museum. While waiting for the light to change, a white Toyota Land Cruiser made a U-turn and cut in-between Biggie's vehicle and the Chevrolet Blazer behind. Simultaneously, a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up alongside Biggie's truck. The driver of the Impala (an African-American male neatly dressed in a blue suit and bow tie) rolled down his window, drew a 9mm blue-steel pistol and shot numerous rounds into the GMC Suburban; four bullets hit Biggie in the chest.[9]
Biggie was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by his entourage but was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.
Composite sketch of the murderer drawn a day after the slaying. A reportedly less accurate sketch was released by the LAPD to the media two weeks later.[31]
Biggie's murder remains unsolved and there are many theories as to the identities and motives of the murderers. In the month of his death, The Los Angeles Times reported that the Southside Compton Crips may have killed Biggie in retaliation for Bad Boy not paying them money owed for security services provided in the West Coast.[32] In the same month, MTV News published that witnes
ses had told the Associated Press they were afraid to speak to the police.[12]
In 2002, Randall Sullivan released LAbyrinth, a book compiling information regarding the murders of Biggie and Shakur based on evidence provided by retired Los Angeles Police Department detective, Russell Poole.[9][33] Sullivan accused Marion "Suge" Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records and an alleged Bloods affiliate, of conspiring with David Mack, a LAPD officer and alleged Death Row security employee, to kill Biggie and make Shakur and his deaths seem as a result of a fictitious bi-coastal rap rivalry.[34][35] Sullivan believed that one of Mack's associates, Amir Muhammed (also known as Harry Billups), was the hitman based on evidence provided by an informant, which has since been discredited, and due to his close resemblance of the facial composite.[35][34] Director Nick Broomfield released an investigative documentary, Biggie & Tupac (2002), based mainly around the evidence used in the book.[33]
An article published in Rolling Stone by Sullivan in December 2005, accused the LAPD of not fully investigating links with Death Row Records based on evidence from Poole. Sullivan claimed Combs "failed to fully cooperate with the investigation" and according to Poole, encouraged Bad Boy staff to do the same.[9] The accuracy of the article was later refuted in a letter by the Assistant Managing Editor of the LA Times accusing Sullivan of using "shoddy tactics". Sullivan, in response, quoted the lead attorney of the Wallace estate calling the newspaper "a co-conspirator in the cover-up".[36]
On March 9, 1997, at 12:30 a.m., Biggie left with his entourage in two GMC Suburbans to return to his hotel after an announcement was made that the party would finish early. Biggie traveled in the front passenger seat alongside his associates, Damion "D-Rock" Butler, Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease and driver, Gregory "G-Money" Young. Combs traveled in the other vehicle with three bodyguards. The two trucks were trailed by a Chevrolet Blazer carrying Bad Boy's director of security.[9]
By 12:45 a.m. the streets were crowded with people leaving the event. Biggie's truck stopped at a red light 50 yards from the museum. While waiting for the light to change, a white Toyota Land Cruiser made a U-turn and cut in-between Biggie's vehicle and the Chevrolet Blazer behind. Simultaneously, a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up alongside Biggie's truck. The driver of the Impala (an African-American male neatly dressed in a blue suit and bow tie) rolled down his window, drew a 9mm blue-steel pistol and shot numerous rounds into the GMC Suburban; four bullets hit Biggie in the chest.[9]
Biggie was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by his entourage but was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.
Composite sketch of the murderer drawn a day after the slaying. A reportedly less accurate sketch was released by the LAPD to the media two weeks later.[31]
Biggie's murder remains unsolved and there are many theories as to the identities and motives of the murderers. In the month of his death, The Los Angeles Times reported that the Southside Compton Crips may have killed Biggie in retaliation for Bad Boy not paying them money owed for security services provided in the West Coast.[32] In the same month, MTV News published that witnes
ses had told the Associated Press they were afraid to speak to the police.[12]In 2002, Randall Sullivan released LAbyrinth, a book compiling information regarding the murders of Biggie and Shakur based on evidence provided by retired Los Angeles Police Department detective, Russell Poole.[9][33] Sullivan accused Marion "Suge" Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records and an alleged Bloods affiliate, of conspiring with David Mack, a LAPD officer and alleged Death Row security employee, to kill Biggie and make Shakur and his deaths seem as a result of a fictitious bi-coastal rap rivalry.[34][35] Sullivan believed that one of Mack's associates, Amir Muhammed (also known as Harry Billups), was the hitman based on evidence provided by an informant, which has since been discredited, and due to his close resemblance of the facial composite.[35][34] Director Nick Broomfield released an investigative documentary, Biggie & Tupac (2002), based mainly around the evidence used in the book.[33]
An article published in Rolling Stone by Sullivan in December 2005, accused the LAPD of not fully investigating links with Death Row Records based on evidence from Poole. Sullivan claimed Combs "failed to fully cooperate with the investigation" and according to Poole, encouraged Bad Boy staff to do the same.[9] The accuracy of the article was later refuted in a letter by the Assistant Managing Editor of the LA Times accusing Sullivan of using "shoddy tactics". Sullivan, in response, quoted the lead attorney of the Wallace estate calling the newspaper "a co-conspirator in the cover-up".[36]
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