Mutah Beale, the former Outlawz rapper and close friend of Tupac Shakur, says he was surprised by Monday’s conviction of Duane “Keffe D” Davis for the 1996 murder of Shakur.
“To be honest, it was like a 50-50 with me when it came to how it would turn out,” Beale tells The National. “It just seemed to me that this guy was going to walk free, so to hear the guilty verdict really was unexpected.”
Davis, the only person charged in connection with Shakur’s killing, was found guilty of first-degree murder over the shooting in Las Vegas. Shakur, 25, died six days later.
Beale, formerly known as Napoleon, was a member of the Outlawz, Shakur’s rap collective, and regarded as one of his close confidants. Shakur took him under his wing when he was still an emerging artist and gave him the name Napoleon, after Napoleon Bonaparte, in keeping with the Outlawz’s use of historical and political monikers. He went on to record and perform with Shakur during the final years of the rapper’s career.
Following Shakur’s death, Beale converted to Islam in 2002 and retired from music. He moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2010, first working as a youth mentor before becoming an entrepreneur and restaurateur. He is now co-owner of barbecue restaurant Smokey Beards, which recently opened a branch in Fort Worth, Texas, and also acts as a consultant for companies looking to establish themselves in the kingdom.
While welcoming the verdict, Beale says his faith gave him a sense of certainty throughout the long wait for justice. Davis discussed his presence at the scene of Shakur’s murder in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, remarks that later drew renewed scrutiny to the case.
“I have seen this guy talk about Tupac in ways that hurt me, and he did it in a way where he seemed like he was revelling in it,” Beale says. “But alhamdulillah, as a Muslim, my faith gave me that certainty that no matter what, everyone gets what they deserve. If it’s not in this life, it’s in the next life.”
He remains in contact with members of Shakur’s family and reached out following the verdict.
“I’m not a spokesperson for the family, but I can imagine that it’s more of a comfort for them, and it’s a long time coming. Unfortunately, his late mother wasn’t around to witness this, but the family wanted justice. They wanted to know who was responsible for the murder of their son, and they wanted them to be brought to justice.
“My words can’t really express what they’re going through,” he says. “I can only imagine.”
Having moved away from the hedonistic world of the music industry, Beale tells The National that he has not listened to music since converting to Islam. He nevertheless remains a fervent supporter of Shakur’s legacy, which he says extends beyond a catalogue that includes inspirational songs such as Dear Mama and Changes, as well as more confrontational tracks such as Hit ’Em Up.
“You know, this is something I had to explain the other day when someone asked why I was still speaking about Shakur after becoming Muslim,” he says.
“I had to explain to him, ‘First of all, there’s nothing in our religion that teaches us to forget about those who are good to us.’”
“Tupac is an individual who, from the time I met him, made my life better because he helped me and helped my family,” he says.
“He changed, by God’s permission, the trajectory of my life. I was on the street corner getting involved in things I shouldn’t have with my brothers. Then I got involved with Tupac, and he took me away from that life. So you would never forget the good a person has done for you, no matter what the religion is.”
Another misunderstanding Beale wants to clear up is why he moved to Saudi Arabia.
“It’s funny when I see people say, ‘Oh, he ran away to Saudi Arabia because he’s running from someone.’ That’s the total opposite,” he says.
“What I ran away from was the lifestyle that America can give you. I came here to live in Saudi Arabia because I wanted not only to better myself, but to live in a safe environment with my kids and my family. It’s a blessing that I don’t have to look over my shoulder. My kids can be outside at night, and I don’t have to worry about a drive-by shooting.”
He is reminded of the benefits of that decision when he talks to his children, one of whom is enrolled at the American University of Sharjah.
“I got kicked out of 10th grade,” he says. “To see my kids get a great education is amazing. You only get that push, as a parent, when you live in this part of the world because the importance of education is really shown to you.”
Beale has little nostalgia for 1990s Los Angeles, a pivotal period in hip-hop when he and Shakur came of age.
“It was a very horrible time. There was a lot of violence, and because there was no social media, a lot of things weren’t being documented.
“But, you know, I don’t look at it like I wasted parts of my life. Everything leads to something else. I left music, embraced Islam and built a life in Saudi Arabia with my family.
“If I probably didn’t experience what I experienced, who knows? I probably wouldn’t appreciate Islam the way I appreciate it. Perhaps if I didn’t go through that darkness, I wouldn’t really appreciate what light is.”
