TRAGIC rapper Tupac Shakur knew the hitman who shot him but his brutal murder remains a mystery because cops never wanted to solve it, a new documentary claims.

The two-hour TV probe features interviews with those that saw the star on his hospital deathbed after he was shot in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas in 1996.

9 Tupac confessed he knew his killer while on his hospital deathbed Credit: Getty Images

9 The bullet-riddled car the tragic star was travelling in at the time of the hit Credit: Getty Images

9 DJ Mister Cee was one of the last friends to see Tupac alive Credit: Getty - Contributor

They include close friends and rappers Danny Boy, Yo-Yo, DJ Mister Cee and the star's early manager Leila Steinberg.

The trailer for Snapped: Notorious, obtained by TMZ, paints a vivid picture of Tupac's last breaths on his deathbed in a Las Vegas hospital.

And it tells how he nodded when asked if he knew who shot him.

The documentary - to be aired on Oxygen on September 10 - also reportedly claims cops dragged their heels during the investigation.

The first cop to arrive at the scene of the shooting has previously told how the rapper infamously refused to help them as he lay bleeding in the car.

Sergeant Chris Carroll said: “He went from fighting to ‘I can’t do it.’ And when he made that transition, he looked at me, and he’s looking right in my eyes. And that’s when I looked at him and said one more time, ‘Who shot you?’

“He looked at me and he took a breath to get the words out, and he opened his mouth, and I thought I was actually going to get some cooperation.

"And then the words came out: ‘F*** you.’

“After that, he started gurgling and slipping out of consciousness. At that point, an ambulance showed up, and he went into unconsciousness."

He died in hospital six days later.

9 Rapper Yo-Yo - Yolanda Whitaker - is one of those to appear in the documentary Credit: Getty - Contributor

9 The 'prison confession' seems to solve the murder

9 Suge Knight and Tupac were together when the attack happened Credit: Rex Features

Earlier this year The Sun online revealed how the director of another film which claims to have solved the murder mystery says LA cops 'hindered' his long-running battle for justice.

RJ Bond says some of the homicide detectives responsible for tracking down the rap star's cold-blooded killers had hidden agendas and seemed to have no interest in finding those really responsible.

Bond had tracked down a confession letter said to have been written by one of the men responsible for opening fire on Tupac's Cadillac in 1996.

The US documentary maker and author claims the document names the killers and clears rap mogul Suge Knight of any involvement in the drive-by shooting.

The letter - provided to the Sun Online by Bond - is said to have been written by one of the gunmen who opened fire on Tupac's car in Las Vegas.

In the unverified letter he tells how he was "told to take night out" - a reference to Death Row Records boss Knight.

But Bond says the police have shown no interest in the letter because they have "a convenient" suspect they believe was responsible.

"They still pump out the theory Orlando Anderson was the killer of Tupac but to be honest that is just very convenient for them," he said.

Anderson, the man cops consider to be the prime suspect in the murder of Tupac, was himself shot dead in Compton following a gun battle in 1998.

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Police say the 23-year-old was gunned down moments after arriving at a Compton car wash, in the wake of what they are calling a previous monetary dispute.

Anderson was beaten by Shakur and Knight in the Las Vegas MGM Grand in September 1996 - just before the shooting.

Ever since then, law enforcement officials, gang informants and even members of the Shakur family have named Anderson as the prime suspect, but Anderson always fiercely denied the claims.

No official charges were ever brought against him.

Bond added: "The public want to believe the Anderson theory because it's nice to go to sleep thinking the bad guys are bad guys and those looking after you aren't a bunch of goons.

"It's always been a tricky process dealing with the LAPD and we have uncovered plenty of evidence of police corruption over the years. Everything we have found while looking into these killings has been in spite of the LAPD, not with their help."

Bond - who is responsible for the Tupac Assassination documentary series - claims: "The story behind the confession letter is very simple.

9 RJ Bond is a well-known film maker and director Credit: Reuters

9 Biggie Smalls and Tupac were both gunned down too young Credit: Getty Images

"It was given to a Fox reporter who was very keen on the story.

"A big TV interview was set up but he was a no show and the letter was then given to Russell Poole (a former LAPD cop) and it was put in a file and not looked at for a long time.

"When I saw it, the name of Reginald Wright Jnr (Death Row security chief) just leaps out of the page. It reads he gave Tupac's location. My jaw just hit the floor when I read that."

RJ Bond is currently working on his third documentary covering the notorious murder called Tupac Assassination III: Battle for Compton.

A transcription of the alleged prison confession There was a major problem with demo stilling (stealing). 2 song’s that 2 pac came out with were written by XXXX XXXXX. XXXX XXXXX was a up and coming rap singer. He gave 4 demos to 2 pac to look over because he met 2pac at the Bonaventure hotel (Los Angeles). 2 pac promised that he would look over the demo’s XXXX XXXXX never heard from 2 pac and 3 months later after 2pac received the demos the song brendas got a baby was released. Brendas got a baby was written by XXXX XXXXX. XXXX XXXXX let that slide, But he continued to go to different recording studios. Finally in 94 XXXX XXXX started making money. And he was sponsored mostly by sh night.What night did not know was that XXXX XXXX found out that he was being sold to XXXXX. There was a meeting in Reno. And XXXX XXXX and 2 pac had dispute about song’s that were taken. XXXX XXXX was beaten down by 2 pac soldier’s. as days whent by there was meetings with ICG – gear gang – gost town –front street -52 –A try hoovers – and south park. A bounty was put on 2pac and night. Mr. Writh Jr. gave info were 2 pac was going to be. There was 6 different baracade’s that no matter what would have happened no one would of made it out. I was the shooter that was told to take night out. XXXX XXXXX was the one that took 2 pac out. As for gun that was used, will bedropped off at the security booth at fox 11. Please do not have stop or talk to one of droppin off the gun.



"This letter is a bit like the Rosetta Stone - it makes a lot of other things make sense," Bond told the Sun Online.

"This new documentary is important for all those those involved in the killings but in particular the victims and witnesses like Yafeu Fula, the Outlawz rapper who was shot after the Tupac killing.

"The night of the Tupac shooting he was nearest to the Cadillac and gave a statement to Las Vegas cops of the driver of the shooters' car.

"When we saw a picture of Danny he matched the description of the driver. I mean, what are the chances?"

9 The letter seems to clear Knight of any involvement Credit: AP:Associated Press

Wright Jr has long denied he had anything to do with the shooting of Tupac.

In 2015, he responded to the claims by pointing out that several people that had linked him to Tupac’s murder had died in the past decade.

They include the late rapper’s ex-bodyguards Michael Moore and Frank Alexander.

"I believe in karma," he said.

"All these people are dropping dead. I keep telling people God don't like ugly. I hope people learn a lesson from this."