Among other things, the March 17 article and related Times publications reported that newly discovered information supported Shakur's claims that associates of music executive Sean "Diddy" Combs orchestrated an attack in which Shakur was injured at the Quad Recording Studios in New York on Nov. 30, 1994.



The information, which came from the purported FBI reports and other sources, said that James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, a talent manager; Jacques "Haitian Jack" Agnant, a figure on the New York hip-hop scene; and James Sabatino, purportedly one of Combs' associates, arranged the assault on Shakur because they were angry that he had rejected overtures to sign with Combs' Bad Boy Records.



The Times now believes that Sabatino fabricated the FBI reports and concocted his role in the assault as well as his supposed relationships with Combs, Rosemond and Agnant.



Consequently, The Times specifically retracts all statements in the article, and in its related publications, that state or suggest in any way that Rosemond, Agnant and Sabatino orchestrated or played any role in the assault on Shakur or that they lured him into an ambush at the Quad studios.



To the extent these publications could be interpreted as creating the impression that Combs was involved in arranging the attack, The Times wishes to correct that misimpression, which was neither stated in the article nor intended.



The Times also reported that Sabatino told Combs in advance that Shakur was going to be attacked. The Times now believes that Sabatino had no involvement in the attack and that he never spoke to Combs about it. Any statements or implications suggesting that Combs was given advance knowledge of the assault on Shakur, or played any role in it, are specifically retracted.



In addition, The Times was mistaken in reporting that Rosemond has served prison time for drug dealing and was convicted in 1996 of drug offenses. The Times specifically retracts those statements.

While there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace, one hopes that this is the last time the Times or Phillips will claim to have the answers.

The Times retracts Tupac Shakur story [LA Times]

I always just hung out with Pac and smoked and chilled. He always used to give young n*gg*s advice to just work hard and never give up on your dreams...I seen Pac the day before they left. Suge bought Snoop, Pac, and Dr. Dre Rolls Royces. I think they all caravanned. The last thing Pac said was, "Aright, little homey, we out." A day later I found out he got shot.



...I was with Big two days before he died. I smoked two or three blunts with Big. We watched a Lil Kim video. He talked to me about some real sh*t.

Ray J was somehow able to keep this Switzerland-like status between the feuding coasts despite witnessing the very infidelity than intensified the beef between the two legends. "We walked in one day and Faith was sitting on Pac's lap while Pac was writing a verse...I was like, 'What the f*ck? I know I'm not? Is that? It can't?' Three weeks later, 'Hit 'Em Up' came out."

How did the young J get the chance to roll these cats? "They know I didn't grow up in the suburbs. Brandy and myself stayed in Carson. That's two minutes away from Compton. Everybody on the West Coast — from Suge to Snoop to Michael Conception — know my movement. They know how I lived. That's why we can all bond like that. We didn't become successful until [Brandy] was 16 or 17."

Which would have made him 14 or 15.

Exclusive: Ray J Q&A [Rhapsody]

The chapter excerpted on the blog also catalogs the making of Tupac's classic single "I Get Around," which upon subsequent re-examination was probably an admission of a proclivity for orgies that may or may not have occurred in Burger King bathrooms. Not only does the post reveal that Tupac wrote Shock's lyrics for "I Get Around," it includes an explanation of the phrase, "I'm Shock G, the one who put the satin on your panties." Though much of the focus of the still in-progress book appears to be on Tupac, here's hoping that Shock devotes at least a few chapters to such burning questions as: how close the group came to inventing "Sex Packets"; "how to properly get stupid and shoot an arrow like cupid"; "how to doowhatchalike while still finding time to be career-driven"; "the best ways to shimmy, shimmy cocoa pop"; and, of course, "how to not let being skinny stop you from getting busy."

Producing a Young Genius; (excerpt: The 'I Get Around' Story) [SHOCKG MySpace blog]
2Pac "I Get Around" [YouTube]

^* This was also slated to be the title of my first solo album. Damn you, Canseco!

BTdubs, does anyone out there have a copy of the August 1994 Spin? Phillips profiled Death Row impresario Suge Knight in it, and I'd be keen to give it a glance. Not to be a conspiracy nut, but anyone who saw Biggie & Tupac has to wonder why a reporter who tends to portray Knight as a victim ("People familiar with the situation say Knight tried to control the rival Bloods factions with money and gifts. But his largess often provoked resentment.") is so gung-ho about proving that Diddy (Diddy!) is a murderous mastermind.

The Times apologizes over article on rapper [LA Times]

FBI records obtained recently by The Times say that a confidential informant told authorities in 2002 that [James] Rosemond and [James] Sabatino "set up the rapper Tupac Shakur to get shot at Quad Studios." The informant said Sabatino had told him that Shakur "had to be dealt with."

The records — summaries of FBI interviews with the informant conducted in July and December 2002 — provide details of how Shakur was lured to the studio and ambushed. Others with knowledge of the incident corroborated the informant's account in interviews with The Times and gave additional details.

According to this information, Rosemond and Sabatino, infuriated by what they saw as Shakur's insolent behavior, enticed him to the Quad by offering him $7,000 to provide a vocal track for a rap recording.

Three assailants — reputedly friends of Rosemond — were lying in wait. They were on orders to beat Shakur but not kill him and to make the incident look like a robbery, the sources said. They were told they could keep whatever jewelry or other valuables they could steal from Shakur and his entourage.

A member of Shakur's posse cooperated with the rapper's enemies, relaying their offer of a $7,000 payment and keeping them informed of his whereabouts on the night of the assault, according to the informant and the other sources.

The scheduled beating only turned into a gun battle when Pac himself produced a firearm when cornered by his attackers; the Times has refused to name the three men involved "because they have not been charged," though it does note that all three are "serving time in federal penitentiaries for unrelated crimes." (The newspaper also doesn't directly link Diddy/Bad Boy to the planned attack, though this MTV News headline certainly suggests that author Chuck Phillips feels the mogul was at least aware it was going down.) Sabatino and Mr. Combs have both refused to comment; Rosemond continues to dismiss claims of his involvement.

An Attack On Tupac Shakur Launched A Hip-Hop War [LA Times]

During the early morning hours of Saturday October 20, vandals defaced the building and tied a noose around the neck of the Bronze statue of Tupac that sits in the Center's Peace Garden. At around 2:00 a.m. Monday morning, the statue was once again defaced when fliers bearing "garbled rants" about 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina were plastered all over it. The fliers were also said to contain vague threats directed at certain rappers and record companies.

'Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur, claims that "our spirits have already forgiven the perpetrators," displaying a lot more charitability to these assholes than is probably warranted. One suspect has already been nabbed, but no word yet on any other arrests.

Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts Vandalized, Noose Tied Around 'Pac Statue [XXL]

The tribute-video well seems to have run dry this week (send tips! please!), but I've got a few miscellaneous oddities haunting my bookmarks, so I figured I'd go unorthodox and set two videos about completely different subjects against each other. The result is something of a Frankenstein's monster of fandom, modern gothic literature, dogs, cats, and Russian lipstick lesbians. Next week I hope to return to single-subject coherence, but for now the sheer novelty of this combination will have to do.

Song: "All About Us" by t.A.T.u.
Concept: Interview with the Vampire as gothic adaptation of Finding t.A.T.u..
What better song for vaguely creepy man-child Vampire love than an industrial pop tune from Russia's most famous, yet vaguely creepy, fake lesbian duo? Unlike many featured tribute videos, this one kind of makes sense: melodramatic pop goth movie paired with tone-appropriate song. But I'm starting to think that anything involving the disturbingly infectious music of t.A.T.u. is going to seem sort of odd, or even unseemly, simply by virtue of their general weirdness. In any case, the editing is mercifully quick-paced, and the dark cobblestone alleys and candlelit coffin rooms look like the sets for a t.A.T.u. time-travel movie in which the girls pose seductively at different locations all across 19th-century Europe. Basically the look of the movie—overwrought costume design, bad hair, and all—matches the feel of a t.A.T.u. song, making the video a coherent, if somewhat bizarre, experience.
Best music-to-image sync-up moment: There isn't really a standout moment in this one. The opening sequence of cuts between Brad Pitt dramatically walking down a street and Kirsten Dunst twirling set to the song's percussive intro is pretty dramatic, though.
Silliest music-to-image sync-up moment: Again, nothing particularly stands out since it's sort of a disappointingly tasteful video. Pitt's ugly Fabio hair is pretty silly, though.

Song: "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne
Concept: Homeward Bound as transition from pop-punk image to Kelly Clarkson phase.
Homeward Bound: best live-action animal-centric kids movie ever. "Keep Holding On": Avril's most painfully generic, yet inexplicably epic single. A good combination? Maybe. In theory this video should be pretty shameful—especially for someone like me, who has seen Homeward Bound upwards of two hundred times (because I was six when it came out, not because I'm a big Sally Field fan). Avril's offensive foray into string-heavy ballads probably shouldn't be used in association with anything, especially not a beloved children's movie, but for some reason it really works here. Maybe it's the bland "never give up" message of the movie that makes it so apropos for Avril's equally banal perseverance ballad, or maybe it's just that putting the song in context of animal friendship/teamwork makes it ten times more appealing than it actually is. Whatever the reason, this video is admirably—and unexpectedly—effective.
Best music-to-image sync-up moment: Full disclosure: I'm almost annoyingly fond of cats and dogs, so most of this video seemed awesome to me. To name a few: Shadow jumps in the river to rescue Sassy as Avril sings "So far away, I wish you were here. Before it's too late, this could all disappear" at 1:05; Shadow, Chance, and Sassy reunite by running towards each other in a large valley during the swelling chorus of the song; Shadow's tragic accident during the solemn bridge of the song, and subsequent triumph during the chorus, starting at 2:36.
Silliest music-to-image sync-up moment : None. 100% heart-warming 100% of the time.

Verdict Both of these wayward tributes are worthy competitors, but the Homeward Bound video more triumphantly employs its bland pop song, making it the winner of this week's unusual match-up.

Bonus: This Edward Scissorhands/Tupac tribute cannot go without mention:

And don't forget the contest I announced last week!

"The Dear Mama story is long overdue...I'm just so blessed to be in a position to produce this movie and make sure Afeni and 'Pac is proud when its done, this movie will offer hope and be an inspiration to the millions of people who will see it," said Young Noble. "This incredible lady defended herself in court while pregnant with 2Pac during a bomb conspiracy trial facing 352 years and was acquitted of 156 counts against her and 20 other members of the Black Panther Party! I felt that the world needs to know where 2Pac got his mind, heart, spirit and courage so I called Afeni with the idea. She was excited and gave me her blessing."

The film is still in the casting-and-whatnot stages (so please feel free to offer your Tupac/Afeni suggestions in the comments box), but they're already talking up the a star-studded soundtrack, if only to fufill this year's industry-mandated requirements for posthumous Tupac-related CDs.

HollyHood Filmz To Produce Dear Mama: The Life Story Of Afeni Shakur [XXL]

(No, we don't get what they're trying to say, either. But they sure did give Tupac a nicely nipped-in waistline!)

Tupac Rocks Biggie For MTV [Complex News]

Now on display at Madame Tussaud's London. Cringe all you want, but do you have how many mold artisans they had to outsource just to get the "Thug Life" tattoo correct?


Madam Tussaud in London unveiled the Tupac Shukar statue today [Juicy News, via Oh No They Didn't]