Suge Knight Paid $1.2 Million to Have Tupac Shakur Cremated Before Relatives 'Rolled Him Up' and Smoked His Ashes

Tupac Shakur's friend and collaborator Suge Knight revealed the wild way in which the late artist was laid to rest.

The record executive, 61, was driving a black BMW on September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas when gunfire rang out, striking the beloved rapper four times in the passenger seat. After being treated for severe gunshot wounds, Shakur died on September 13, 1996.

Knight, who is currently serving a prison sentence for a 2015 hit-and-run, revealed that after the 25-year-old died, his mother wanted him cremated.

Knight told TMZ that he got in touch with a funeral home, but the employee was busy for the next several days — however, Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur, wanted it done immediately.

Rather than patiently waiting for an opening, Suge showed up on the man's doorstep with two bags of cash. One held $200,000 and the other $1 million.

At first, Suge offered him the lesser of the two bags, but the man refused to cremate Tupac that same night. When Suge offered the man both bags, totaling $1.2 million, he agreed to do so right then and there.

Later that evening, Suge alleged that Afeni gathered Tupac's loved ones in a Las Vegas hotel room to celebrate his life the best way she knew how.

"A bag with his ashes was passed around," he told People in 2025. "His homies rolled him up. They smoked him."

Suge confessed he was the only person in the circle of celebration that declined to roll his recently departed friend into a joint with his drug of choice.

"I was so happy to say I was on probation — I couldn’t smoke," he confessed. "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."

Suge referred to the celebration as "symbolic," noting he agreed it was the best way to honor his friend's legacy.

"You gotta understand, that’s what made sense," he recalled. "It was symbolic. It’s like… you keep part of him."

Almost 30 years later, the man who has been accused of being responsible for Tupac's death will finally face a trial. Duane "Keefe D" Davis allegedly gave the Crips the go-ahead to shoot at Tupac and Suge years ago in retaliation for a fight.

The 63-year-old was arrested in 2023 after years of seemingly admitting his role in Tupac's death on multiple occasions. He was charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

Classifying his previous admissions as lies, Duane pleaded not guilty. The trial began on Monday, August 17.

Despite being one of the only living witnesses, Suge has refused to take the stand.

"This trial has nothing to do with me and if somebody brings me there, it's gonna hurt whoever brings me there," he told ABC News. "I promise you that."