Sean "Diddy" Combs has labelled as a "lie" claims that he knew in advance that the rapper Tupac Shakur would be ambushed by two of his associates at a New York recording studio in 1994.

A report in The Los Angeles Times linked two of Combs's former associates to the attack, which left Shakur suffering from five gunshot wounds, and suggested that Mr Combs knew that the shooting would be carried out.

The LA Times article cited an unnamed source who said that he was questioned during a federal investigation into the shooting at the Quad recording studios.

Combs’s associates – James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, a talent manager, and James Sabatino, a promoter – helped to plan the attack, the source told the FBI and the newspaper.

The 1994 shooting triggered the celebrated feud between East and West Coast rappers that led to the killings of Shakur in September 1996 and the Notorious BIG in March the following year.

The LA Times said its story was based on FBI records, interviews with people at the scene of the 1994 shooting and statements to the FBI by an informant. None of the sources were named.

The story says that associates, hoping to curry favour with Combs – who was overseeing BIG’s career at the time – lured Shakur to the studio because of his disrespect toward them.

However, in a statement, Combs described the story as "beyond ridiculous". "The story is a lie. It is beyond ridiculous and completely false. Neither [the Notorious BIG] nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during or after it happened. I am shocked that The Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story," he said.

One of the men accused, Rosemond, described the story as a "libellous piece of garbage." "In the past 14 years, I have not even been questioned by law enforcement with regard to the assault of Tupac Shakur, let alone brought up on charges," he said.

"Chuck Philips, the writer ... has reached a new low by employing fourth-hand information from desperate jailhouse informants along with ancient FBI reports to create this fabrication. I simply ask for all rap fans and fans of Tupac to analyse this fiction for what it is."

Combs, who began his career as a rapper, now runs a business empire that spans records, restaurants, fashion and fragrances.

Last year, Forbes magazine estimated his income at £11.5 million ($23 million), and he recently starred in a Broadway and television production of the play A Raisin in the Sun.

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