Black History

Still Unsolved: The Cold Cases of Biggie, Tupac and Jam Master Jay

NNPA NEWSWIRE — As 2019 begins, the senseless murder of some of Hip-Hop’s biggest and most talented stars remains in the cold case files. “It’s a shame that we lost talented artists such as Tupac, Biggie and JMJ,” said Hip Hop activist and artist Sean XLG Mitchell.

Published

7 years ago

January 18, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Little did Tupac Shakur know, as he left a heavyweight boxing match in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996, that his life was about to end.

With Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight at the wheel and Shakur in the passenger seat, gunmen pulled up and pumped several bullets into Shakur who later died at University Medical Center, Las Vegas Valley.

He was 25.

On March 8, 1997, Shakur’s so-called East Coast rival and fellow Hip-Hop superstar, Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, presented an award at the Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles.

An afterparty was reportedly shutdown at about 12:30 a.m. because of overcrowding, forcing Wallace to leave with friends, including Bad Boy Records Founder Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Approximately 15 minutes later, as Wallace and the others traveled down a Los Angeles street, a black Chevy Impala pulled alongside the “Hypnotize” rapper’s vehicle and fired several bullets – four of them striking Wallace — who died a short time later at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

He was 24.

On Oct. 30, 2002, Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell sat in his Jamaica, Queens, recording studio in New York listening to new music.

An unknown assailant entered the building at about 7:30 p.m. and shot and killed Mizell, 37, who, along with his group Run-DMC, transcended Hip-Hop and paved the way for the commercial success of all Hip-Hop acts.

As 2019 begins, the senseless murder of some of Hip-Hop’s biggest and most talented stars remains in the cold case files. “It’s a shame that we lost talented artists such as Tupac, Biggie and JMJ,” said Hip Hop activist and artist Sean XLG Mitchell.

“I believe arrests haven’t been made on any case because of the dynamics involved in terms of the criminal elements: Possibly drugs, gang ties, and the ‘no snitching’ mantra in the Black community,” Mitchell said.

Last year, a cable television series titled “Unsolved” depicted the murders of Shakur and Wallace.

The three-part series, which aired on USA and Netflix and connected Shakur’s murder to an alleged gang war between the Bloods and the South Side Crips, was based on an LAPD task force investigation headed by Detective Greg Kading, who was initially assigned to work on Wallace’s case.

Kading, whose investigation ultimately took him to Las Vegas where he became involved in the Shakur murder probe, concluded that Orlando Anderson was Shakur’s murderer.

According to the series and numerous reports, the now former detective claimed in the series that Anderson’s uncle, Duane “Keffe D” Davis, revealed that Anderson and two other men – DeAndre Smith and Terrence Brown – were in the car together when Shakur was shot.

After Anderson was beaten up earlier that night, they went looking for Shakur at the 662 Club in Vegas. Keffe D said they found him on the strip and pulled up alongside the car, which was being driven by Suge Knight.

“All the chicks was like, ‘Tupac’, and he was like, ‘hey’ like a celebrity, like he was in a parade,” Keffe D said in an interview with BET’s Death Row Chronicles. “If he wouldn’t even have been out the window, we would have never have seen him.”

He would not go so far as to reveal who pulled the trigger but said it came from the backseat, narrowing it down to Anderson and Smith.

Anderson, who always denied that he was the murderer, died himself just two years after Shakur. No one has ever been charged in the murder. However, “Unsolved” creator Kyle Long has called for Keffe D’s arrest.

“He went live on television and confessed to being an accessory to murder and the Las Vegas PD, as far as I know, is doing nothing about it,” Long told The Wrap last year. “And I just think it’s outrageous. I just don’t understand it. It makes me upset.”

Long also spoke to Vulture and said, “What has happened since we made the show, which is fascinating to me, is that Keffe D went on a documentary called the Death Row Chronicles and confessed again.

“He doesn’t have immunity in that confession. He tried to get cute and says, ‘Oh, I handed the gun into the back seat, but I don’t know who pulled the trigger.’ You watch it, and it’s like, he just confessed without immunity to being an accessory to murder. They should go arrest him.”

That hasn’t happened.

Meanwhile, in 2017, New York City police detectives acknowledged that their investigation into the 2002 slaying of Jam Master Jay had gone cold.

“It’s not resolved to the legal eye, but the street always talks,” Jeremy “JL” Lam, a friend of Jam Master Jay’s family, told the Associated Press (AP).

Family members, however, reportedly were less optimistic.

“We know it’s anniversary, but we don’t like to talk about it much anymore,” Jam Master Jay’s older sister, Bonita Jones, said from their mother’s home in North Carolina.

A cousin, Ryan Thompson, believes the potential witnesses may never come forward because they “could go to jail as accomplices.” According to some reports, the 37-year-old Jam Master Jay hugged one of the men before gunfire erupted.

One round missed him but a second, fired from point-blank range, entered the left side of his head.

The men vanished.

Police said there were at least four other people in the studio at the time, but none provided enough details to produce fruitful leads. Thompson said a security camera in the studio was broken.

Prosecutors later identified a career criminal serving time for armed robbery as a suspect, but he denied involvement and was never charged, according to the AP.

Meanwhile, family, friends, fans and activists like Mitchell still hope for answers in the murders of Shakur, Wallace and Mizell.

“I believe there’s evidence that can’t be corroborated because of the number of people involved, which makes it dicey or risky to pursue any leads that are not going to result in criminal charges,” said Mitchell, the author of several books including “Hiphophooray: Celebrating 30 Years of Rap Music,” and “The Roof is on Fire: 101 Greatest Moments in Hip-Hop.”

“And you also have the face of racism involved too — that’s often overlooked — which is essentially the lives of black men don’t seem to have the same value as the lives of others, so why waste your time? Does it matter? Absolutely, I believe the family members of each victim deserve justice and closure and the only way to get it is with a conviction.”

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Arts and Culture

IN MEMORIAM: Oakland Dance Legend Reginald Ray-Savage, 67

Savage lived his life as tribute to the teachers who had shared their wisdom on art and life with him. With a palpably genuine enthusiasm and desire to bring out the best in people, and pass the torch to the next generation, he poured into his students, as his teachers and mentors had into him. His infectious energy, love of life, and generosity of spirit inspired countless souls, both inside and outside the dance studio.

Published

2 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Reginald Ray-Savage brought the old-school teaching techniques he learned in the Katherine Dunham Dance Company to the youth at the Oakland School for the Arts in 2003. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Reginald Ray-Savage – dancer, choreographer, and beloved teacher, mentor, and inspiration to many – passed away on May 17. The Oakland School for the Arts dance instructor was 67.

Born Reginald Ray, Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sept. 5, 1958, he formally adopted the name ‘Savage,’ to honor the great Archie Savage, his mentor at Katherine Dunham’s Performing Arts Training Center where his dance training journey began in East St. Louis, Illinois.

He soon started dancing professionally with Katherine Dunham Dance Company, making dance a way of life. His grit, tenacity, and notorious work ethic brought him scholarships to train at multiple prestigious dance institutions, including The Ailey School (NYC) and Ruth Page School of Dance (Chicago), under the direction of acclaimed ballet instructor Larry Long and Dolores Lipinski-Long.

He danced with several companies including Joel Hall Dance Company, Ruth Page Ballet Chicago, Lyric Opera, Chicago City Ballet, American Festival Ballet, and touring productions of “Music Man” and “A Chorus Line”.

In 1989, Savage moved to Oakland where he started teaching seven days a week, amassing a devoted following that was attracted to his no-nonsense, impassioned, and effective old-school teaching style.

In 1992, at the insistence of his committed core of students, he founded Savage Jazz Dance Company (SJDC). Over a span of 30 years, Savage produced more than 100 original works, and tour SJDC nationally and internationally, performing at Casa del Jazz in Rome to a packed house and rave reviews—the first dance company to receive such an invitation.

Savage built SJDC into one of the Bay Area’s most respected dance companies, creating a signature style known for its combination of disciplined training, blended with rich artistic musical expression, and raw energy.

In 2003, Savage joined the Oakland School for the Arts as chair of the School of Dance. Over the next two decades, he created, built, and maintained a strong dance program, recognized, and respected by other dance institutions for forging well-trained and resilient dancers and human beings.

The depth of Savage’s tough love and care, and the skill of his teaching and mentoring are reflected in the careers of his students who have gone on to dance with the San Francisco Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Janet Jackson, Ariana Grande, and companies across the globe.

Mark Kitaoka, a photographer hired by Savage in 2016, posted a living eulogy on the dance instructor.

“When I see the self-pride he builds in his students I am constantly impressed that people like Savage still exist in our ‘meme’ society,” Kitaoka wrote. “The kids he mentors are fiercely loyal to one another and I’m certain his methods teach each of those kids to put aside social status, race and gender and is replaced by solid loyalty for other souls.

“What Savage contributes to our world cannot be completely summed up in a few meager paragraphs but can be seen in the countless lives of those he has touched. Because of him, our world, and the world of the future is both a richer and better place.

Reginald Ray-Savage will forever be missed, remembered, and lovingly quoted. He is survived by his beloved wife, Alison Hurley, his sister, Sonia, and his brothers, Pierre, and Andre. May his inextinguishable spirit and impact live on in all the lives he touched.

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Activism

NCBW-OBAC Champions Black Women Entrepreneurs at Business en Blaque Expo

Aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and financial professionals gathered for a day of education, networking, and community engagement. Participants attended workshops and panel discussions covering Business Literacy 101, wealth-building strategies, and entrepreneurship fundamentals.

Published

2 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NCBW OBAC President Shari Wooldridge, moderator Jennifer Hammock, Eva Allen of Full Belly Bakery, Samantha Wise of Tip Top Shape, Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI, Michelle McQueen, owner of Town Fare and Lucy Blue, at the "Business en Blaque” Entrepreneurship Workshop and Small Business Expo at Oakland's Executive Inn & Suites. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Oakland Bay Area Chapter (NCBW-OBAC) strengthened its commitment to economic empowerment through its 2026 Sisternomics initiative, offering free financial literacy and entrepreneurship resources aimed at advancing financial independence among Black women.

As part of the initiative, the “Business en Blaque” Entrepreneurship Workshop and Small Business Expo was held Saturday, May 23, at the Executive Inn & Suites in Oakland.

Aligned with the national theme “Resilient. Resourceful. Ready.,” the event highlighted NCBW-OBAC’s ongoing efforts to close economic gaps and expand opportunities for Black women.

One featured session, moderated by Jennifer Hammock, included panelists Eva Allen of Full Belly Bakery, Samantha Wise of Tip Top Shape, Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI, and Michelle McQueen, owner of Town Fare and Lucy Blue. Panelists shared candid insights on their business journeys, including both successes and challenges.

McQueen and Blue emphasized the importance of maintaining clear financial records. “It’s important to know where you stand financially so you can make adjustments when necessary,” she said.

Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to streamline operations and save time. She also stressed the importance of consistency in marketing. “Just put it out there. We’ve got to get over ourselves,” she said, noting that pre-scheduling social media posts can improve efficiency.

Wise echoed that sentiment, highlighting the value of consistent engagement. “I post two to three times a day because people want to be engaged, and your post doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said. She also shared that her faith continues to guide her work and purpose.

Allen spoke to the role of passion and community in entrepreneurship. “Baking is my passion, and it’s great to build community,” she said.

In addition to educational sessions, the Small Business Expo showcased local Black-owned businesses, creating a platform for visibility and support. The event fostered meaningful connections among attendees, speakers, and vendors.

Anita Russell of Working Solutions provided guidance on accessing capital, encouraging entrepreneurs to be prepared and intentional. “Do your homework, know your ‘why,’ and do not marginalize each other,” she said.