Tupac Estate Accuses Daz Dillinger of Withholding $1 Million Archive
The estate of Tupac Shakur has accused producer and rapper Daz Dillinger of keeping valuable recordings, handwritten lyrics and other materials belonging to the late hip-hop icon. The estate claims the archive could exceed $1 million in value.
The dispute stems from a separate disagreement over royalties. Dillinger previously demanded payment from Amaru Entertainment, which manages Tupac’s estate. The estate says it sent Dillinger a $91,445.27 payment following his 2024 demand. However, Amaru now argues that Dillinger knew he did not have a right to some or all of that money.
The estate also claims Dillinger kept at least one original Tupac master recording, approximately 40 studio reels and handwritten lyrics that Tupac created. Amaru says the materials belong to the estate and alleges that Dillinger sold some of the items to other people.
The accusations add another chapter to a long musical relationship between Dillinger and Tupac. Dillinger produced several songs for Tupac’s 1996 album All Eyez on Me, including “Ambitionz Az a Ridah” and “I Ain’t Mad at Cha.” He also contributed to “Got My Mind Made Up.”
Dillinger’s royalty dispute involves more than a dozen Tupac songs. He has asked the estate to provide detailed information about the songs’ earnings and determine whether he deserves additional royalties.
Amaru has challenged those claims and says previous agreements involving Death Row Records affected Dillinger’s rights to the payments. The estate argues that Dillinger’s relationship with Death Row determined how the label handled compensation for his work on Tupac’s music.
The estate has asked for a jury trial as the legal dispute moves forward. The case could ultimately determine who owns the recordings, lyrics and other materials at the center of the controversy.
