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2Pac Murder Suspect Trial Delayed

2Pac’s murder suspect, Duane Keith Davis (known as Keefe D), will have to wait to see his day in court as the trial has been pushed back. According to ABC13,…

Tupac Shakur wearing a red shirt and red hat sitting down.

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 25: American rapper, songwriter, and actor (1971-1996) Tupac Shakur poses for a portrait during the 1994 Source Awards on April 25, 1994 at the Paramount Theatre in New York, New York.

(Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images)

2Pac's murder suspect, Duane Keith Davis (known as Keefe D), will have to wait to see his day in court as the trial has been pushed back. According to ABC13, Keefe D's new attorney, Carl "E.G." Arnold, asked to delay the trial so that he would have more time to go over the discovery. His new trial date has been moved to November 4 from its original June 3 date.

Davis is accused of orchestrating the September 7, 1996, shooting that killed Shakur. He was arrested on September 29. According to police, he is the only suspect in the case who is still alive. The prosecution is not seeking a death penalty on Davis, per CNN.

Arnold is confident in Keefe D's chances in court.

"The state has to provide evidence of a gun, of a car, and, most importantly, whether Mr. Davis was even in Las Vegas at the time," Arnold said.

According to Arnold, his client is "upbeat that he can possibly get out of here real soon." Keefe D's bail is set for $750,000 and he would have to pay 10% of it to make bail. If he's able to make bail then he could serve house arrest until trial and will have to wear an ankle monitor."

Over the years, Davis has admitted that he was in the convertible during the shooting. He confessed his involvement in his 2019 tell-all memoir, Compton Street Legend. In a BET interview, he claimed that his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, was the one who pulled the trigger from the backseat of the vehicle. The shooting erupted after a casino brawl in which Shakur, Anderson, and others were involved.

While Tupac was only 25 at the time of his death, his impact on hip-hop culture spans several generations. In his lifetime, he released two albums: 1995’s Me Against the World and 1996’s All Eyez on Me. After his death, he had three posthumous releases: 1996’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, 2001’s Until the End of Time and 2004’s Loyal to the Game. All of his albums debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Hip-Hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. While the genre is one of the youngest, its impact has been massive. The genre originated in the early '70s in New York in African-American communities in the Bronx. Hip-hop starts with the music: rapping, DJing, and freestyling. But those elements led to others, including breakdancing and graffiti art.

Hip-hop has been in the mainstream in ways that its founders never would have dreamed.

"When we started on this journey decades ago, we were often told, 'No.' No, you won't be able to leave New Jersey. No, if you rap, you can't sing. No, singers can't become actresses. No, actors can't also produce," Queen Latifah said to Entertainment Weekly in a statement as she is set to become the first female rap artist to be celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors.

"To now be recognized amongst so many multi-hyphenates feels unbelievable, not for just me and my team, but for our community. I'm beyond grateful for this recognition."

Throughout this year, hip-hop has been celebrated in performances by some of the greats. At the 2023 BET Awards, there were performances by MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, The Sugarhill Gang, D-Nice, Warren G, Yo-Yo, Trick Daddy, Trina, Uncle Luke, Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray -- also known as "Def Squad," and more highlighted rap on Culture's Biggest Night.

Earlier this year, Questlove curated a hip-hop tribute at the 2023 Grammy Awards where Missy Elliott, Run DMC, Salt n Pepa, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, Nelly, GloRilla, Lil Baby, and more took to the stage. That led to a summer tour featuring the Roots and LL Cool J where they were joined by different hip-hop legends at each stop on the tour.

If you have been a fan since the beginning or you've just begun listening, you'll learn more from these projects. Take a look at five documentaries on these hip-hop artists:

Biggie and Tupac (2002)

Biggie and Tupac is a full-length documentary on the lives and tragedies of the hip-hop icons, both of whom were taken from us far too soon. Besides footage of Biggie and Tupac, you will also see appearances from Snoop Dogg, Lil Cease, and more. You can stream Biggie and Tupac on Amazon Prime Video.

Fade to Black (2004)

Jay-Z is one of the best rappers ever. The New York native's 2004 documentary Fade to Black shows fans how he got started. At the center of this film is Jay-Z's sold-out Madison Square Garden concert in 2003... which, at the time, were supposed to be his final shows. There are appearances from his wife Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and more. It took about 15 years for this documentary to be available to stream and it is worth the wait. You can stream Fade To Black on Tidal or Amazon Prime.

Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (2022)

Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy takes us back to where it all began for Kanye West: the Southside of Chicago. Kanye West's artistry has impacted hip-hop like no other, as his diverse skills in producing and designing put him in a league of his own. You can stream Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Netflix.

Nas: Time Is Illmatic (2014)

Nas: Time Is Illmatic takes a deep dive into Nas' iconic debut album Illmatic. In the New York native's documentary you will also hear accounts from Alicia Keys, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell. You can stream Nas: Time Is Illmatic on Peacock.

Eminem: Count Me In (2023)

Eminem has had quite a career in hip-hop and this documentary takes a look at many of his accolades. In 2022 he performed at the Super Bowl alongside Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent. He was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year for his contributions to hip-hop. You can stream Eminem: Count Me In on Amazon Prime Video.

Autumn Hawkins is the National Hip-Hop and R&B writer for Beasley Media, currently residing in New Jersey. Prior to working at Beasley Media, she was in broadcast news as an entertainment producer. When she's not impatiently waiting for Beyoncé to drop new music, she is reading, shopping, or planning a vacation.