Decades after his death, people can’t seem to let Biggie rest. Even now, the curiosity surrounding the feud between Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur continues to grow. Amidst numerous new accounts from family, friends, and industry insiders, a shocking claim has emerged. Some may find it surprising, and others may see it as attention seeking. The new claim comes from Lance “Un” Rivera, who had a close association with Biggie Smalls and worked as an executive for Undeas Recordings. According to Rivera, Biggie had a very strong reaction to Tupac’s “Hit ‘Em Up.” Given the source, it’s important to take it with a grain of salt, but it is an interesting assertion nonetheless.
“I was in the room when he heard Faith and 2Pac,” Rivera said. “He cried like a baby!” This was said in an interview in 2017, but the former record exec reiterated it in a more recent interview. He went on to talk about why Tupac dropped the diss track in the first place. “The real reason was the fact that Biggie was huge. Pac went to jail, he did whatever he did so now Biggie has staked claim to the King of Hip Hop. ‘I’m the target now, I’m the king.’ So now everybody else is like, ‘Okay, I got to get back.’” Even now, Biggie’s legendary status in the industry can’t be forgotten or understated. That much is evident not only through the reverance he gets but also the attempts to cash in on his name and image.
Read More: Biggie Smalls Net Worth 2023: What Is The Legend Worth?
Biggie’s Newest Posthumous Collaboration
Biggie’s image is front and center once again in a new collaboration between his estate and the clothing brand Silly Humans. Last year, a special edition of a Deadpool comic featuring The Notorious B.I.G. was released. Now the New York rapper and the Marvel character have joined forces again. Silly Humans’ official Instagram page recently provided a sneak peek of their upcoming collection. This collection includes a hoodie reminiscent of the cover of the Deadpool variant comic featuring Biggie. Ryan Reynolds, who portrays the red-suited anti-hero in the movies, appears in the teaser video by Silly Humans. Although no specific release date has been announced, it is expected to happen soon. Well, that is if teasers shared on Biggie’s Instagram page and by Reynolds himself are any indication.
Despite his untimely death in 1997, Biggie continues to have a significant presence in pop culture, with ongoing endeavors aimed at commemorating his influential career. However, controversies have arisen regarding the use of Biggie’s vocals. Timbaland faced backlash when he shared a video utilizing AI-generated vocals of the late rapper for a new track. Nevertheless, Timbaland clarified that his actions were part of a broader initiative. In an interview with Forbes magazine, he disclosed his plans to “commercialize artificial intelligence software” to revolutionize the music production process. The producer’s latest venture is an AI-inspired voice filter software. With this, Timbaland aims to introduce a novel approach to music creation. It will minimize costs and maximizes revenue, positioning the producer as a pioneer in this field. What do you think? Sound off in the comment section to let us know!