Ex–Corrections Officer Reveals Tupac Compared Death Row Contract to a "Devil's Deal" in 1995

A former corrections officer has come forward with new details about Tupac Shakur's state of mind while serving in 1995, recalling how the rapper compared his contract with Death Row Records to a "deal with the devil."

Michael Christopher, a former Clinton Correctional Facility employee wrote about the encounter in his book Tupac Behind Bars. Speaking to "The Art of Dialogue," he said Shakur was energized the day Suge Knight and attorney David Kenner came to the prison to seal a deal that posted the rapper's $1.4 million bail.

Christopher's statement in which he remembered approaching his desk. He said, "He showed me the contract because he was pretty proud of it. And he goes, 'Do you know what this is?' And I'm like, 'No.' And he's like, 'I just signed a contract with Death Row, and that's Suge Knight, and blah, blah, blah. I'm going to get the money for my bail.'"

Christopher said he congratulated him but also voiced caution. He noted that he offered a warning, adding, "Just be careful because you might have sold your soul to the devil."

According to Christopher, Shakur immediately made reference to the legend of blues artist Robert Johnson. "Oh, you mean like Robert Johnson, right? At the crossroads?" he said, recalling Shakur's response. Christopher said he confirmed the comparison.

Christopher added that Shakur expressed no hesitation. He said the rapper told him, "I don't care if I signed a soul with the devil. As long as the devil can get me out of here, I don't care who I sign with."

AllHipHop reported that Christopher believed the moment resonated with Shakur, and he even later received a signed photo from the rapper bearing the message, "See you at the crossroads."

The officer said he knew why Shakur regarded the contract as a way out. In a straightforward opening sentence, he referred back to their previous conversations. He said, "I knew that being in prison had financially strained him somewhat. He had told me he was going through a lot of money."

Christopher's memoir is less a regular biography than a day-to-day account of Shakur's time in prison, discussing how he interacted with staff and inmates while trying to navigate both legal pressure and fame.

Shakur was released in late 1995 under Death Row and was killed less than a year later in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, a case that remains a central topic in hip-hop history.

Meanwhile, People reported Suge Knight's claim that Tupac begged him to "kill me" after being shot in 1996, adding a new layer to the long-debated circumstances surrounding the rapper's death. The murder case against Duane "Keefe D" Davis continues as his legal team seeks more time to review new testimony.

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Tupac Shakur