The hip-hop world is reeling from a bombshell revelation: FBI agents cracking open encrypted hard drives seized during raids on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ properties have unearthed digital trails allegedly linking Snoop Dogg directly to the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur. Sources close to the investigation describe the files as a “treasure trove” of incriminating communications, payments, and backchannel dealings that shatter Snoop’s long-standing image as the laid-back West Coast legend. As whispers of federal warrants and potential indictments swirl, insiders claim the 52-year-old rapper—fresh off a wholesome pivot to family-friendly ventures—is scrambling to evade the fallout, with rumors of a private jet on standby and heightened security at his California estates.

The drama ignited in the wake of Diddy’s September 2024 federal indictment on charges of racketeering, 𝑠e𝑥 trafficking, and transportation for prostitution, stemming from his infamous “freak-off” parties. Raids on his Los Angeles and Miami mansions yielded not just drugs, firearms, baby oil, and bondage gear, but also gigabytes of heavily encrypted data hidden on hard drives and flash drives. Federal forensics teams, sifting through layers of security, reportedly uncovered a web of connections tying Diddy to Duane “Keefe D” Davis—the Southside Crips associate charged in 2023 with Shakur’s murder—and, shockingly, to Snoop as a key collaborator in the plot.

Three insiders familiar with the decrypted files told outlets that the evidence includes emails, wire transfer logs, and recordings from the summer of 1996, when East Coast-West Coast rivalries boiled over. Prosecutors allege Diddy offered up to $1 million to anyone who could “handle” Shakur and Suge Knight, with Snoop positioned as his “right hand” in coordinating with Crips affiliates like Keefe D. Transaction records reportedly show “consulting fees” funneled through shell companies to entities tied to the Crips, with Snoop’s name appearing on several transfers—flagged not as routine business, but as potential hush money or operational funding in the days before Shakur’s fatal Las Vegas drive-by.

The allegations hit like a gut punch for fans, painting Snoop not as a neutral survivor of the ’90s beefs, but as an active player who betrayed his Death Row comrade. Once inseparable collaborators on tracks like “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,” Snoop and Shakur’s bond fractured in the weeks before the shooting. A now-infamous radio interview where Snoop voiced support for Diddy and The Notorious B.I.G. enraged Shakur, leading to heated confrontations and Snoop’s exclusion from Shakur’s inner circle—including a snub from joining the fateful MGM Grand trip. Snoop later recounted arming himself with knives on a flight, fearing retaliation, and admitted in interviews that Death Row viewed him as a “traitor.”

Compounding the shock, a surprise witness in Diddy’s ongoing trial—Courtney Burgess, a former associate—testified in August 2025 that Snoop appeared on Diddy’s alleged 𝑠e𝑥 tapes and labeled him a “double-agent” jealous of Shakur’s stardom. Burgess claimed Snoop and Diddy plotted Shakur’s hit, with their children even vacationing together to mask the alliance. This testimony has shifted scrutiny from Diddy alone, prompting the FBI to seek warrants for Snoop’s properties in Diamond Bar and the Pacific Palisades.

Suge Knight, serving 28 years for a 2015 hit-and-run, has long accused Snoop of treachery, but the feud has escalated from prison podcasts. Knight claims Snoop tried to bail out Keefe D to silence him and even bragged about funding Shakur’s elimination. In a recent interview, Knight fumed: “Snoop destroyed Death Row’s credibility… If you have Death Row, you destroyed it.” He alleges Snoop’s 2022 purchase of the label’s catalog was a “final insult,” burying evidence of its darkest secrets.

Speculation runs wild: Did Snoop cut a secret deal with feds, trading Knight dirt for immunity? Insiders point to Snoop’s uncharacteristic silence since the leaks, contrasted with frantic legal maneuvers and overseas calls. One former Death Row roadie claims Snoop has cooperated since 2024, feeding just enough intel to deflect blame. Social media erupts with fan anguish—”I don’t know who to trust anymore”—as forums dissect old interviews for clues, like Snoop’s post-shooting distance from Shakur.

Snoop’s camp denies involvement, calling the claims “baseless rumors,” but the rapper’s wholesome reinvention—cooking with Martha Stewart, NFL commentary, children’s books—now feels like camouflage for a storm he saw brewing. As Diddy’s trial barrels toward closing arguments in late 2025, with prosecutors dropping lesser charges like kidnapping to focus on racketeering, the Shakur links threaten to ensnare more icons. Dr. Dre and Jay-Z, silent amid the chaos, face Knight’s barbs for not speaking out.