Money B offers theory on shooter in Tupac Shakur murder trial

Jury selection has begun in the murder trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, who is charged with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. Ronald “Money B” Brooks, a longtime friend of Shakur and former member of Digital Underground, appeared on the “Jesse Weber Live” program to discuss the case and his own view of who fired the fatal shot.

Brooks said he believes the person who fired the deadly round is no longer alive. He noted that Orlando Anderson, Keffe D’s nephew, has long been identified as a suspect, though Brooks said he has no direct knowledge of the shooting. He added that other individuals and possibly agencies may have played a role in Shakur’s death and in allowing the shooter to evade capture.

Prosecutors allege that Davis did not fire the weapon himself but organized the drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas Strip as retaliation for a fight involving his nephew. Davis has entered a not-guilty plea, and his defense team argues that prior statements made to police, in a documentary and in his memoir were exaggerated for financial gain and publicity.

Brooks recalled that Digital Underground helped launch Shakur’s career in the early 1990s, first as a roadie and backup dancer before he began rapping. He described Shakur as highly driven, compassionate and motivated to question authority and support his community. Brooks said Shakur’s continued life would likely have led to further activism.

Addressing the often-cited East Coast-West Coast rivalry theory, Brooks rejected the notion that a rap feud caused the murder. He said media coverage turned a personal dispute between two individuals into a manufactured rivalry, describing it as “contrived” and “promoted,” and suggested that narrative contributed to the circumstances surrounding Shakur’s death.