Diddy Didn't Shoot Tupac...or Diddy?

Though the mystery has never been solved, many have attached Sean "Diddy" Combs and Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls/The Notorious B.I.G.) to the 1994 attack and 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur -- sparking an East Coast/West Coast rap war, leading to Biggie's 1997 murder and escalating the "no snitching" policy into law. The accusation even came from Tupac himself after the attack in 1994.

Enter LA Times writer Chuck Phillips, who has been on the beat for quite some time, and continues to be a thorn in the sides of Combs & Co. His latest look at the now 14 year old attack (and 12 year old unsolved murder) contains new information which, in part, backs up "Shakur's insistence that associates of rap impresario Sean 'Diddy' Combs were behind the [1994] assault. Their alleged motives: to punish Shakur for disrespecting them and rejecting their business overtures and, not incidentally, to curry favor with Combs."

The associates are two New York hip-hop figures: James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond and James Sabatino. The latter is in jail for an unrelated crime, and the former is the CEO of Czar Entertainment; he has never been questioned in the murder case even though an FBI informant pegged him as being involved. Rosemond says he'll be talking to his lawyer about the libelous LA Times article.

As for Diddy, he's speaking out against the allegations as well, saying that neither he nor Biggie "had any knowledge of any attack before, during or after it happened," and is "shocked the story was published." He alleges the story, which is based off of FBI records and informant statements, "is a lie. It is beyond ridiculous and completely false."

The movie currently titled Notorious (due out in January 2009) will likely have a slant favoring Combs and Biggie. Casting has just been completed and Brooklyn rapper Gravy will play B.I.G. Surprisingly Combs will not play himself -- Derek Luke will take on that role, while Anthony Mackie will play Tupac Shakur. Filming has already begun in New York.