The hip-hop world was rocked by a shocking audio clip that leaked online, allegedly featuring the voice of the late Biggie Smalls, also known as The Notorious B.I.G., dissing his former friend and rival Tupac Shakur after he was shot at Quad Studios in 1994.
The audio clip allegedly reveals Biggie Smalls disrespecting Tupac, while talking about the Quad Studio shooting with his friends. In the audio, Biggie Smalls says:
“I was upstairs at Quad. We in the back chilling, then you know we hear Tupac got shot. He said that I set him up. Man that s*** crazy. I don’t know what he was trying to hide, or he was scared. I don’t know what was going on in that n***** head, but I want an apology”.
He continues, “Especially when I found out what really went down. That he shot himself. That he ain’t really got shot in the head. He got pistol whipped. You know what I’m saying? I’m hearing all this, and I’m like ‘damn’. I think the n* was just getting a little bit too happy with his situation, trying to make movies. Everything was a movie to him”.
The audio clip has reignited conspiracy theories about Biggie Smalls and P Diddy being behind the Quad Studios shooting, and Tupac’s death later on.
What happened at Quad Studios on November 30, 1994?
Quad Studios is a recording studio located in Manhattan, New York City. On the night of November 30, 1994, Tupac Shakur was invited to record a verse for a song by rapper Little Shawn. As he was about to enter the studio, he heard some familiar voices from several stories above. They were Lil Cease and members of Biggie’s affiliate rap group, Junior Mafia. They were excited to see him and Lil Cease ran down to the lobby to meet him.
But instead of a friendly reunion, Tupac was confronted by three armed men in the lobby. They proceeded to rob and shoot him multiple times, leading to severe injuries, including one that grazed his skull. Tupac later claimed that he saw Biggie and Puff Daddy in the studio after the shooting, and accused them of setting him up.
Biggie and Puff Daddy denied any involvement in the shooting and expressed their shock and sympathy for Tupac. They also claimed that they were recording in another room upstairs and did not know what was happening until after it was over.
Who Was Behind the Quad Studios Shooting?
The identity and motive of the shooters have never been conclusively established. Some theories suggest that they were hired by rival record label executives or drug dealers who had beef with Tupac. Others suggest that they were associates of Haitian Jack, a notorious figure in the hip-hop scene who had a falling out with Tupac over a sexual assault case.
Tupac himself believed that Biggie and Puff Daddy were behind the shooting, or at least knew about it beforehand. He expressed his anger and resentment in several songs, such as “Hit ‘Em Up” and “Against All Odds”, where he dissed them and their associates. He also aligned himself with Death Row Records, a West Coast label that had an ongoing feud with Bad Boy Records, Biggie and Puff Daddy’s label on the East Coast.
How did the shooting affect Tupac and Biggie’s relationship?
The shooting marked the end of Tupac and Biggie’s friendship, and ignited one of the most notorious rivalries in hip-hop history. The two artists had once been close friends, their bond rooted in their shared passion for hip-hop. Both artists hailed from backgrounds rife with struggle and hardship, which they funneled into their music, earning acclaim from fans and critics alike.
However, after the shooting Tupac felt betrayed by Biggie and accused him of being jealous of his success and fame. He also blamed him for spreading false rumors about him in the industry. Biggie tried to reach out to Tupac and clear his name, but Tupac refused to listen or forgive him. He also taunted him by claiming that he had slept with his wife, Faith Evans.
The rivalry between Tupac and Biggie escalated into a violent conflict between their respective labels, fans, and regions. The media dubbed it as the East Coast-West Coast war and fueled it with sensationalized coverage and speculation. The war claimed several lives, including those of Tupac and Biggie themselves.
Tupac was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He died six days later at the age of 25. Biggie was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. He died shortly after at the age of 24.
Their murders have remained unsolved to this day, and their legacy has been immortalized in hip-hop culture and beyond.
The Impact of the Leaked Audio Clip
The leaked audio clip, if proven to be authentic, could shed new light on the events that led to the demise of Tupac and Biggie. It could also confirm or debunk some of the conspiracy theories that have circulated for decades. It could also spark new debates and controversies among fans, critics, and historians.
The audio clip serves as a reminder of the tragic loss of two of the greatest rappers of all time, who were taken away too soon by senseless violence. It also serves as a reminder of the power and responsibility of hip-hop as a form of art, expression, and activism.
