James ‘Jimmy Henchman’ Rosemond has released a statement denying controversial accusations published on the LA Times Online yesterday.

Chuck Phillips of the LA Times claims to have access to FBI records showing that Rosemond, a top New York hip-hop promoter, "set up the rapper Tupac Shakur to get shot at Quad Studios," in November 1994.

The Times article suggests that Rosemond lured Tupac to Quad Studios with the promise of $7000 as payment for a vocal recording.

He was then ambushed by three ‘"friends of Rosemond," who were under orders to beat the rapper and make the incident look like robbery, according to the article.

In an official response received by Gigwise, Rosemond has refuted the accusations as a “libelous piece of garbage.”

“I am baffled as to why the LA Times would print this,” he says, after asking all Tupac fans to “analyse this fiction for what it is.”

Rosemond has been described as “one of the most respected and feared players in hip-hop,” in American music magazine, Vibe.

His response follows a statement by P Diddy yesterday in which the rapper said the suggestion of his involvement in the attack was “a complete lie.”

(by Hazel Sheffield)