British comedian Romesh Ranganathan, who initially won recognition through his comedic wit, is now coming into his own as the successor to Louis Theroux. Drawing from the unassuming fieldwork approach typical of Theroux’s documentaries, Ranganathan embarks on a captivating journey in the inaugural episode of The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan (Sunday, 9pm on BBC Two). The focus of this episode is the still-unsolved murder of the legendary rapper, Tupac Shaker, in 1996.
Ranganathan, a lifelong fan of the rap scene, has expressed his resolution to challenge the overall negative and harmful misconceptions associated with hip-hop, specifically those that paint it as inherently nihilistic and sexist. Ranganathan acknowledges Tupac’s flawed character, referencing the rapper’s problematic lyrics and his sentencing for sexual assault. However, he counters these issues by seeing Tupac as a hip-hop artist that derived motivation from empathy rather than animosity.
However, given the extensive exploration and analysis already available about Tupac’s tragic end in Las Vegas amidst an escalating quarrel between his recording label, Death Row, and rival Bad Boy Records owned by P Diddy, it begs the question whether a satirical, middle-aged British comedian can contribute fresh insights to the narrative.
Ranganathan is the first to express doubts. An amusing moment in this engaging film sees his producer trying to persuade him to express certainty about solving the mystery surrounding Tupac’s death on camera, a task Ranganathan doesn’t feel equipped for. Despite this, the show remains entertaining, especially when he and criminal psychologist Julia Shaw venture to the U.S. to engage with key individuals from Tupac’s life.
One individual that was not interviewed is Suge Knight, the former NFL defensive end who transitioned into a iconic figure in hip-hop and founder of Death Row. Knight is currently serving a 28-year prison term for voluntary manslaughter following a rage-filled incident in 2015 where he ran over his friend. Instead, the interview is conducted with Danny Boy, a contemporary of Tupac Shakur from Death Row. He perceives Shakur as a phenomenal talent of his era. According to him, there was no beating Shakur in songwriting and rapping; he equates Tupac to Picasso in creating an illustrative piece of what the song ought to depict.
Following Tupac’s journey the night he was shot in Las Vegas – where Knight was also present – the pair heads to Los Angeles. Ranganathan explores Compton, the celebrated suburb known as the cradle of gangsta rap, in the company of ex-Death Row Records employee, Big Mike. The latter shares his theory with the comedian, suggesting that Tupac was murdered by Orlando Anderson, a minor drug dealer who was a fan of Tupac and held a grudge when he was spurned for an autograph.
Ranganathan is unconvinced by Big Mike’s assertions. However, these allegations about Anderson seem to gain credibility from former Los Angeles police detective, Greg Kading, who shares a recording where Keith Davis, Anderson’s drug-dealing uncle, alleges that his nephew was indeed the shooter. After several months, Davis finds himself under arrest for his suspected involvement in Tupac’s death. He was with Anderson in Las Vegas the same night Tupac was killed in 1996. Davis currently awaits trial after denying the charges of first-degree murder.
Reflecting on this tragic tale back in London, Ranganathan offers a philosophical perspective. While Tupac was a complex and conflicted individual, by associating with Suge Knight, he ventured into dangerous territory. Ranganathan observes that such choices often lead to harmful consequences, a reality Tupac learned the hard way.