The Killing of Tupac Shakur

by Cathy Scott

On September 6, 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting a few blocks from the fabled Las Vegas Strip. The Killing of Tupac Shakur digs deep into the events leading up to, and following, the headline-grabbing murder. This in-depth chronicle focuses on Tupac’s double life as an entertainment superstar and a convict, spotlighting his meteoric rise to the top of the world of hip-hop in the context of the dangerous economics of renegade record labels. It examines all the possible motives for Tupac’s murder—the gang connection, the rap wars, the high-level conspiracies—and exposes the failed police investigation of the crime, which remains unsolved. This book is now in its second edition, having been fully revised and expanded. It also contains the only photo of Tupac's autopsy in print.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Music, Biography, Crime

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

Cathy Scott, a Los Angeles Times bestselling author, investigative veteran journalist and blogger for Psychology Today, has written twelve books. Her work has appeared in New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Las Vegas Sun. Best known for penning The Killing of Tupac Shakur and Murder of a Mafia Daughter, she taught journalism for five years at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her latest books are The Millionaire’s Wife and Freeway Rick Ross: The Untold Autobiography, which won a best non-fiction award in 2014. Recent TV appearances include The Dr. Oz Show, Dateline NBC, the Today Show, Vanity Fair’s crime series. She lives in a renovated miner's cabin in the mountains of San Diego County with her three rescued dogs.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains only about 10% of the information of Greg Kading's Murder Rap. He was one of the investigators on the Biggie Smalls homicide case. Even though that murder only intersects somewhat with Tupac's murder his book was way more comprehensive, thorough and informative.

The Cathy Scott book has nothing wrong with it, it's just superficial by comparison. I recommend the Kading book for anyone interested in either case - the level of detail and insight is without measure. Greg Kading also appears refreshingly motivated - to actually solve a real life 'whodunnit' would still be nice in these apathetic and cynical times. At least Kading went through the motions and tried to bring us some real answers.

[Santos Enriquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about The kiiling Of Tupac Shakur it beings in the Los Vegs Navsede were he was go to the club but the a balck car come then shot tupac about 5-13 tims and he live at 7 days before the shot the last time he would be see at Mike Tyous fight where was wach the fight bfore the day the he dint went to go the fight but Knight Suge tould him to go but he wife tould were hime bullet pofer vist but they only qustions i have do Knight Suge killed tupan because suge own tuopac about 7 milled doolers but you should read about tupac the gartest rapped in all time but he do ohtrs thing

[J.J. Sewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this book is dated and some of the information in here is based off of events leading up to 2002, however, I decided to give it a read. I never read the first edition. The problem I have with this book is that a lot of the information was repeated throughout the book...felt like I was going reading the same chapters over and over again. Also, I didn't want to hear about Suge knight's history and the Crips and Bloods, history, the origins of rap and hip hop, etc....I just wanted to read about the investigation, motives, suspects, the events that took place that night and so forth. Cathy Scott included a lot of material that should have been left out of this book: she didn't stick to the subject. Overall, I still enjoyed reading it: memory lane.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have a little bit of that thug life within.

[Paigeys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I'm reading this now after there has finally been an arrest. Seeing the connection to that person and one of the main suspects from the get go all the pieces of the puzzle seem to be coming together and justice may prevail. I would have given the book full marks had a couple of the chapters not gone off subject.

[Isaiah Harrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Killing of Tupac Shakur by Cathy Scott is a biography about a rap artist, poet, convict, and movie star Tupac Shakur who was shot near the Las Vegas Strip. He was 25 at the time of his death. The book starts about how he was killed and the things that led up to his death. The book also talks about the east coast vs. west coast war that could of led Tupac Shakur to his death. Tupac was on top of the world when he died. It was shocking and heart-breaking to hear that Tupac Shakur was gunned down on September 7, 1996 and later died September 13, 1996.

There are a few things I liked about the book. I like how the author elaborated on the important things and summed things up. For an example, Cathy Scott brings up the fact that maybe the fight that Tupac had before him and Suge Knight got into the car, could be a reason why he was gunned down. Another reason why I enjoy the book because Cathy Scott brings up how popular Tupac was. He was a movie star, poet, and a rap artist. Something that I wanted to see more is other rap artists opinion on the situation. In an interview, Biggie was saying how he would never wish death upon any human being. Overall I liked the book anyway.

Overall, this is a great book. I would highly recommend this to people who like hip-hop and want to know who was popular back then. Hip-hop would be so much different if Tupac was alive. This book is something you can read over and over again to make sure you understand the whole book. Its interesting and it doesn't require pure knowledge that you needed to know before you read the book. The Killing of Tupac really is a great book.

[Doris Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every. Time. I. See. This. Picture. My. Heart. Skips. A. Beat. Why. Because. This. Is. A. Sad. Picture. And. Sad. Ending. All. He. Want. Just. To. Sing. From. What. I. Have. Read. And. Seen. He. Was. Not. A. Bad. Man. He. Just. Caught. Up. In. The. Mix. Also. Keeping. Company. With. The. Wrong. So. Call. Friends. Did. I. Say. Genius. They. Was. Just. Hateing. The. Haters. Wanted. What. He. Had. A. Great. Mind. What. A. Terrible. Lost. He. Was. Taken. Out. Over. For. The. Wrong. Reason. Why. Did. It. Had. To. Be. Over. A. North. South. East. West. Coast. Love. This. Book. Doris.

[Dashawn]

This book is about when tupac really died and exactly how he died. it basically says how tupac went out with a couple o ffriends to see a fight in las vegas when after they knew that werent wearing there bullet proof vest. well yeah from there you would have to read the book. but i like it because it is one of those type of books that is a real life story, and it being about a ffamous person makes it even better.

[Aundreas Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about when tupac really died and exactly how he died. it basically says how tupac went out with a couple of friends to see a fight in las vegas when after they knew that werent wearing there bullet proof vest. well yeah from there you would have to read the book. but i like it because it is one of those type of books that is a real life story, and it being about a famous person makes it even better.

[Carlofan · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Quick and easy read in a journalistic fashion.

[Joey]

because he was the sickest artist ever

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was unimpressed with the lack of information that wasn't already general knowledge. There was a lot of repetative filler throughout the book.

[Robbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Purchased years ago when I was a teenager and a fan of rap music, I believe this is the second time of reading the novel however I didn’t remember much, if anything upon picking it up again.

A lot of what Cathy Scott writes about is merely anecdotal or hearsay, although there are plenty factual points strewn throughout my 182 page edition, and I gather there have been further editions printed since the original, which is the edition I possess so perhaps the author has further pieces of information in the latter editions.

Did I learn much reading this book? No. A quite Google search of Tupac Shakur would provide as much detail as this novel does.

Overall I feel it is worth a read for any fan of Tupac, or 90s rap music in general. Cathy Scott does a grand job of detailing the rise of Tupac, his subsequent legal issues and ‘beef’ with East Coast star Biggie Smalls culminating in his murder in Las Vegas in September ‘96.

Also included are potential suspects, information on Suge Knight (CEO of Death Row records, Tupac’s record label), mention of motives and the police investigation into the murder.

Didn’t take me long to read although I didn’t retain much information, perhaps because either the novel is uninspiring or I’m just not that interested in the subject anymore now I’m approaching 30. 2 stars.

’Tupac began taking target practice at shooting rangers and working out with weights. His success continued to soar.’ Tupac was BASED.

[Ashleigh Hoare · Rating 1 out of 5]

• this book offers no opinion on who was responsible for Tupac's murder, or what the motives was
• Scott offers up three theories:
1. gang beef: Death Row were linked to the Bloods and Bad Boy to the Crips but this doesn't make any sense as neither Pac nor Biggie were gang members and neither gang had a stake in or was profiting off their music
2. East Coast - West Coast beef and a struggle to "control" the rap industry. Again makes no sense because both labels were making so much money regardless of the competition and had acts other than Biggie and Pac
3. an organised crime conspiracy where shadowy music executives plotted the murders because each rapper was worth more dead than alive
• the author also mentions that following Tupac's murder came Biggie's, then another four rappers and more than a dozen witnesses to either crime but she doesn't offer an opinion as to whether these murders are connected or just instances of random violence
• this book is very pro-Suge which is interesting because Police have fingered him in both murders

I read Labyrinth by Randall Sullivan earlier in the year and that was a much better book about the murders which looked into how Police corruption and links to both record labels obstructed the course of justice. This book just goes nowhere, no opinions (apart from how great Suge is), no theories. Wouldn't recommend.

[Kerry Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never wanted to read this book when it originally came out... Because shes notorious for leaking the autopsy picture... and back then i thought the picture was fake.. and I thought i knew everything about Pac at the time.. but its refreshing reading this.. alot of my beliefs has changed since 2002.. and with all the info that has came out over the years this book has gotten most of it right... she talks about everything... from 2pac.. to biggie.. to the murder of Yaki Kadafi..... even how much money Suge spent in vegas on a credit card..... very informative read if you just want to resharpen your 2pac history

[Chloe Hollis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this book was written years ago and after watching documentaries and movies based on Tupac’s death I still don’t know how his killers and Biggies killers were never caught. After reading this, it kind of gives the assumption that the police were either behind it or they have covered up who did it. With all this information and facts out there how can they not know who did it?! Seems a bit dodgy.
Feels like I just read over 200 pages only to discover no one knows who really killed Tupac or why.

[GeneralTHC · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-stars

Not nearly as comprehensive as I would have liked, and often way off topic, but a decent read nonetheless.

I came away from this book primarily thinking Tupac Shakur must have lived one of the strangest lives of poverty and privilege ever. An absolute mega-contradiction in almost every way conceivable.

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Killing of Tupac Shakur was a great read by Cathy Scott. This is a very raw account of the murders of Tupac and Biggie Smalls. This book had a lot of new information about both murders and what may have led to the murders. This was a great read.

[Troy Buffington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling look into the life and death of a man whom also happened to be a rapper. I’m not a fan of rap but you don’t have to be to enjoy this book.

[Sweetheart Cocaine Parks Mypacifanur tuhaelsonlee Cjackshakjun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tupac Shakur moved to East coast , did not die, lives in Hillcrest heights Maryland, of camp springs estates.

[C.Michelle Jones-Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly a must read

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative. Interesting.

[Corey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this book but I couldn’t. I thought it would go in depth but it’s the same story we’ve all heard for years on his death!!

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gdyby chronologia wydarzeń była zachowana, styl mniej chaotyczny i korekta zrobiona poprawnie czytałoby się znacznie przyjemniej

[Rhina M. Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a mystery that may never be resolved. I thought this read was well researched even after the third edition. I'm not a big hip hop/rap fan but I thought Tupac was artist, poet, a phenomenal rapper, and gifted with prophecy. He is a legend in his own right . Rip.

[Andrew Leede · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, not a bad read. Intriguing and ambitious. The author does a good job of outlining both the circumstantial and cultural factors surrounding Tupac's death. The exploration of rap culture and the backgrounds of key players in the incident coupled nicely with the investigative dig into the murder itself.

Prose felt disjointed at times. While an unfair expectation, I was hoping for a definitive stance on what happened that night in Vegas. Just like the criminal investigation, however, her research feels inconclusive.

[Sirena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading the book by Greg Kading at the same time and this book reads like a high school term paper in comparison. Mr. Kading was a police officer so he knows how to be thorough. This book read disjointedly and there was alot of repeated information. Also, I'm not interested in what "witnesses" had to say unless it's relevant to the story. Opinions don't matter in a case like this, facts do. I believe the author worked hard and perhaps there was not as much information available when she first started researching and writing the book.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: poet, movie star and revolutionary, Tupac Amaru Shakur epitomized gangsta rap. His murder rocked music. Here's the story.

[Kriminal24]

this book is really messed up cuz it talks all about what happen to him n how he died

[Mia]

read me one book baby