On the otherwise politically centered PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David, former Roc-A-Fella Records CEO Dame Dash claimed that the late Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy, then known as Puff Daddy, were emulating him and Jigga in the mid 90s, which led to friction between the two factions.
“Big was the only person I used to smoke with. I didn’t smoke before at all; we used to drink. Supposedly, Jay and Big went to school together but Jay didn’t know him,” Dash said.
“Because we were getting the money and popping the bottles and all that, in that moment, we had always felt that Biggie and Puffy were copying us. They’d see us in the club and it seemed like the next day, a record would be made.”
“That lifestyle of [a] hustler, that was us. That was them copying us, for sure. So we kinda had problems. I was run up [on] sometimes. I was confrontational with Biggie and them at first, but we finally got cool.”
On this day in 1997, Brooklyn native and Hip Hop legend Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in LA. 27 years ago
Wallace left Puff Daddy’s Vibe Magazine party in a GMC SuburbanS.U.V.V that stopped at a red light at Wilshire Boulevard and South Fairfax. While stopped a Chevrolet ImpalaS.S.S pulled up beside him and his entourage. According to witnesses, a black male dressed in a blue suit and bow tie rolled down his window and shot Biggie four times and he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
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After years of investigations and conspiracy theories as to who killed Biggie and why, no one has been brought to justice to answer for Wallace’s death. Former LAPD Detective Russell Poole fought vigorously, even sometimes against his own peers, to get to the bottom of his untimely death. Poole died from a heart attack on August 19, 2015 while discussing the Tupac Shakur and Wallace cases at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The legacy B.I.G.. left behind is officially embedded in Hip Hop culture two decades later and will continue to influence the community as his family and friends share his story.
Jermaine Dupri made a surprise appearance during Janet Jackson’s set on her Together Again Tour, sparking rumors of the former couple getting back together again. Dupri shut those rumors down when mentioned among other famous couples, but footage of the two lounging together in an undisclosed location may keep those rumors afloat.
In the footage below, Jackson and Dupri were seen chilling together, with Dupri enjoying a hookah while Jackson sat cozily close to him going through her phone, while the duo bobbed their heads to The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa”.
On September 13, 1994, Notorious B.I.G., alongside producers Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, Poke of the Trackmasters, and none other than “Puffy” (as Diddy was called then) as the executive producer, released the Hip Hop masterpiece known as Ready To Die.
As Big’s debut album, this highly anticipated release shows the lyrical prowess of the Bed-Stuy big man, and besides Method Man’s assistance on the epic “The What?” track, Mr. Wallace made it happen all by himself. Other than Nas’ Illmatic, no other solo emcee accomplished that feat during that era on the East Coast. Recognized as “The King Of New York” and as seen on a vintage 1995 Source Magazine cover, Big’s legacy was etched in stone with this LP.
Timeless classics from that four and a half mic-er include the DJ Premier produced “Unbelievable,” the back and forth storytelling adventures of “Warning” and “Gimme The Loot,” and the eerie title track itself were just a few of the highlights of this legendary project. That’s not to forget the mainstream success of singles such as “One More Chance,” the Brooklynplayalistic sound of “Big Poppa,” and of course the hood inspirational, Mtume-based “Juicy.”
We only had the chance to get one more album(prophetically named Life After Death) out of one of the game’s greatest lyricists before he was prematurely killed in Los Angeles in 1997. Still, this album will always remind us that B.I.G. was “Ready to Die” because his talent was and will always be larger than life.
Salute to Big (RIP), Premier, Easy, Poke, Lord Finesse, Diddy, Lil’ Kim, and the entire Wallace family for this classic masterpiece!
On this date in 1995, the hometown crew of Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls, which was composed of Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Nino Brown, Chico Del Vec, Kleptomaniac, Capone, Bugsy and Trife and Larceny of The Snakes, who called themselves Junior Mafia, dropped their first album entitled Conspiracy Theory on the Undeas/Atlantic imprint.
With Biggie being one of the first East Coast artists to put his homies on from his Bed-Stuy block, Conspiracy Theory served up a suffix of hits featuring the “King Of NY,” which helped to further catapult his stardom, but introduce an entire crew of microphone astute Brooklyn kids that launched an entire movement of their own. JM also introduced a female emcee from BK that would forever change the landscape of Hip-Hop for women; Lil’ Kim.
Some of the sure shot singles from this monumental project include “Player’s Anthem” featuring Notorious B.I.G. and Lil’ Kim, “I Need You Tonight” featuring Biggie’s then-wife Faith Evans and of course the anthemic “Get Money”.
Salute to Junior Mafia, Lil’ Cease, Lil’ Kim, “Un” Rivera and the entire Junior Mafia squad for dropping this eternal Hip-Hop classic!
In previous rumors about the relationship between the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, it was suspected that the Brooklyn favorite was to be recruited into ‘Pac’s “Thug Life” conglomerate and Tupac’s brother Mopreme confirmed it in a conversation with AllHipHop.
When speaking of the relationship between the two, the elder Shakur said, “Before things fell apart, Pac was a uniter. We knew we were from New York. We knew we were from the East Coast. And Pac liked to work with the best talent around. So, there was a period, there was a time when we was all cool.” He went on to say, “There was a time when Pac wanted Biggie to be part of the East Coast faction of Thug Life ‘cause we was kicking it with each other anyway. Pac wasn’t just a hater just to be hating. He liked [Biggie].”
Terror Squad general Fat Joe has wowed fans and critics alike with his never-mentioned-before stories involving the likes of 50 Cent, Mike Tyson, the late Big Pun, and of course, The Notorious B.I.G. As some continue to call cap on Joe’s most recent claims that he was working on a joint album with the late B.I.G. before he was killed in 1997, Joey Crack doubles down on all of his statements as truth and says he has a host of reputable and known people to back him up.
In one of his most recent interviews, Fat Joe says that there were five songs that he and Biggie recorded together, but after the death of B.I.G. and ‘Pac, it was decided that it was best not to release the tracks. He adds that he’s kept a lot of brewing beef from boiling over, and artists such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Common, and Busta Rhymes can attest to his savvy skills of squashing beef.
A new documentary about the Notorious B.I.G. — told through the lens of his son who was just five months old when the illustrious rapper died — is in the works.
Hollywood Reporter reports that Time Studios is producing Understanding Christopher Wallace, which promises “an intimate look at the untold life story of one of the greatest rappers to ever live … from the perspective of the son who never knew him.”
Notorious B.I.G., born Christopher Wallace in New York City, was shot to death in March 1997. C.J. Wallace, the rapper’s son with Grammy-winning R&B singer Faith Evans, was born in Oct. 1996.
“Over the past few years, I realized my personal journey is connected to understanding who Christopher George Latore Wallace was outside of his big rap persona,” C.J. Wallace said in a statement. “I am on a journey to fully understand the world he lived in and the massive impact he had on American and Black history and by doing so, I can ensure that I honor his hopes and dreams while I build and create my own legacy for future generations of Wallaces.”
Time Studios say the documentary “is a dual narrative that navigates between the lives of both Christopher Jr. and Sr. – from the 2020’s back to the 1980’s – exploring concepts of identity, legacy, and fatherhood. As C. J. chases a deeper understanding of his own destiny, his quest uncovers a more holistic portrait of his dad than the world has ever known.”
Evans, Lil Kim, Jadakiss, Lil Cease and others participate and speak with C.J. Wallace in the doc.
“The Notorious B.I.G. had such an immense impact on not only music, but also on popular culture as a whole. But this film is about so much more than that,” Loren Hammonds, head of documentary at Time Studios, said in a statement. “It’s about fatherhood, loss, and love. It’s incredibly special to be able to let audiences learn about the man behind the myth through C.J.’s eyes, and we’re very proud to play a part in carrying on Christopher Wallace’s inimitable legacy.”
“THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE” showcases the original photo of The Notorious B.I.G., captured and selected for publication by Barron Claiborne in 1997. Archived for 26 years, this piece is a cutout from the original contact sheet, making it the only one of its kind ever created. Released by the artist in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, it presents a rare opportunity for true fans of The Notorious B.I.G., music collectors, and art enthusiasts to acquire one of the crown jewels of Hip-Hop history.
Originally syndicated by Corbis in 1997, this medium format contact sheet is sized at 6×7 centimeters and displays the film information along its borders. It is labeled on the front and signed by the artist on the back. Notably, during the labeling process, Corbis unintentionally marked the year as 1995, which adds a unique and special element to the piece. The auction winner will receive the physical artwork and will also gain ownership of its digital counterpart on the blockchain, ensuring provenance. As an exceptional bonus, the auction includes a one-on-one video call with the artist, to learn more about the historical moment when the portrait of Christopher Wallace, just three days before his passing, was taken.
“THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE” is the masterpiece of The King of New York (KONY) Collection, along with five other selected works, which are all directly available on Barron Claiborne’s own website.
Barron Claiborne
Barron Claiborne is a New York based self-taught photographer and cinematographer originally from Boston, who works primarily in 4×5 and 8×10 large format photography.
He is renowned for his distinctive style and contributions to American culture. In 1997, he made history when he created one of the most iconic images in Hip Hop – The Notorious B.I.G. as The King of New York (KONY) with a tilted crown. The use of the Crown for the photo shoot was symbolic, to portray Biggie as “a big noble King.”
Barron’s work has been published in numerous publications including; The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Paper and Interview magazines. He has also been featured in Encyclopedia Britannica, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was twice nominated for the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Magazine Photography. Some of Barron’s photographs are in permanent collections around the world including The Polaroid Museum Cambridge, The Brooklyn Museum and The Houston Museum of Fine Arts. He documented poverty in America for The New Yorker, traveling from Mississippi through Appalachia, to the Rust belt. His work has taken him all over the world, from portraying boy soldiers in Sierra Leone, Guru’s in India to capturing beauty in Paris.
Born on this date in 1974, Bedford-Stuyvesant native Lil’ Kim has certainly paved the way for female rappers to gain traction in a highly male-dominated world of hip-hop. Making her name, sound, and style notorious (no pun intended) in her appearance on Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s debut album, Conspiracy.
Backed by hardcore lyrics filled with provocative and liberating content, Kim’s attitude and determination broke down gender barriers (which female rappers currently still face) that excelled her respect in the game.
Kim’s resume includes many Hip Hop greats, timeless tracks, fashion moments, and jaw-dropping lyrics. As the musical heiress of the Notorious B.I.G. legacy, Kim has continued to rep the memory of “the greatest rapper of all time”, even naming her sophomore 2000 release Notorious K.I.M.
Morphing from a femcee from Bed Stuy into the iconic figure she is today is a trail that has only been traced by the likes of Cardi B, Megan The Stallion and today’s entire female rap roster. They all have to salute the Queen B.
The Source Magazine sends a supreme born day shout to the Queen on her Birthday!!
