Daily Pulse

Philips Scoop Lacks Punch

Investigative journalist Chuck Philips proclaimed he was still hot on the case of who killed Tupac, and said he would tweet an exclusive 1,200-word news scoop – 140 characters at a time via Twitter – on the anniversary of the rapper’s death.

Trouble was, the award-winning former Los Angeles Times journalist’s “scoop” turned out to be bit of a snooze. 

The article reflected on the August passing of “true hip-hop dignitary,” Eric “Von Zip” Martin and his relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs. 
 
Zip, Philips explains, was the godfather of the Notorious B.I.G.’s son, a music aficionado, a club owner and co-executive producer on records with Czar Entertainment chief Jimmy Henchman and Blackground boss Barry Hankerson.
 
He was also pretty tight with Combs, who made an appearance and said a few words to pay tribute to his “uncle” during Zip’s funeral. 
 
Zip reportedly introduced Combs to the Compton Southside Crips back in the day, working out a deal “for the gang to guard Bad Boy whenever they traveled West.” 
 
Philips noted the gang came to the rescue when “bad blood broke out between Bad Boy Entertainment and Death Row Records, where Suge Knight employed Compton Blood gang members as bodyguards.”
 
Of course, the gangs’ efforts to protect the labels’ stars proved fruitless. In September 1996, Death Row’s Tupac was shot during a drive-by about a block away from the Las Vegas Strip. Six months later, Bad Boy’s Biggie was gunned down during a drive-by in Los Angeles.
 
Then came the interesting, and potentially scoopworthy, part of Philips’ story. 
 
“Zip was at both crime scenes,” he wrote. “With Foxy Brown at the MGM, when Pac got lit up. With Keyshawn Johnson on Fairfax Avenue, before Big wound up in the morgue.
 
“These are facts you won’t find on Sean Combs’ Wikipedia Page. Zip is mentioned nowhere. And he’s not the only omission. The almost Forbes billionaire photo-shops out every undesirable who helped pave his way to fame and fortune – no matter how important a role they played.”
 
Philips never connected the dots as to why Zip was at both crime scenes, merely stating Zip’s secrets would “die with him.”
 
Combs’ connections to Zip will apparently remain under wraps as well. Philips noted he sent Combs a dozen questions regarding “Zip and their long-standing relationship.” A spokeswoman told Philips Combs was not available for comment.
 
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