Fresh revelations have emerged from former Death Row Records CEO, Suge Knight, shedding light on the unusual events that followed the death of rap icon Tupac Shakur including a bizarre ritual involving the late rapper’s ashes.

In a phone interview from prison with People magazine, Knight disclosed that Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, had her son cremated almost immediately after his passing. According to Knight, he personally spent over $1 million in cash to fulfill Afeni’s request and ensure the cremation was carried out without delay.

But the most shocking detail came when Knight described what happened afterward.

“A bag with his ashes was passed around. His homies rolled him up. They smoked him,” Knight said. “It was symbolic a way to keep a part of him with them.”

Knight claimed he was one of the few who didn’t participate:

“I was so happy to say I was on probation I couldn’t smoke. I told his mother, ‘Moms, I’d love to, but if I hit that, I’ll get in trouble.’ I was probably the only one who didn’t hit him.”

The startling revelation adds a new layer to the mythos surrounding Tupac’s legacy, which has continued to captivate fans worldwide nearly three decades after his death.

Suge Knight Recalls the Night Tupac Was Shot

Knight also recounted the tragic events of September 7, 1996, the night Tupac was shot. The two had just left a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas when gunmen pulled up alongside their vehicle and opened fire. Tupac, seated in the passenger seat, was struck four times, while Knight sustained a grazing bullet wound to the head.

Despite his injuries, Knight said he managed to drive the car—even with two blown-out tires—and later helped free Tupac from his seat.

“I was bleeding everywhere, but I had to go over there, take the seat belt off him,” he said.

Tupac was rushed to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, where he underwent multiple surgeries, including the removal of one lung. He died six days later, on September 13, 1996, at the age of 25.

Decades Later, an Arrest

Tupac’s murder remained unsolved for over 25 years until Las Vegas police arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis in September 2023. A former gang leader who previously admitted to being at the scene of the shooting, Davis has pleaded not guilty and is currently awaiting trial, scheduled for February 2026.