1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:06,297 --> 00:00:08,800 [man] I've got this camera pointed toward this door 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:08,883 --> 00:00:11,511 -because something about to happen. -[people chuckle] 5 00:00:11,594 --> 00:00:15,306 I can't really speak on it, but, there you go, baby. It's startin'. 6 00:00:15,390 --> 00:00:16,516 Know what I mean? 7 00:00:16,599 --> 00:00:17,559 It's startin'. 8 00:00:17,642 --> 00:00:20,478 Alright, already. You hear the clippers going on, though? 9 00:00:20,979 --> 00:00:21,896 Do you hear that? 10 00:00:21,980 --> 00:00:22,814 [people chuckle] 11 00:00:22,897 --> 00:00:24,983 You see my boy, Biggie? 12 00:00:25,066 --> 00:00:27,444 My boy get three hairs, he get nervous. 13 00:00:27,527 --> 00:00:28,778 He don't fuck around. 14 00:00:29,195 --> 00:00:33,074 Yeah, I can't be, you know, looking like, you know, I'm 21 and shit, you know. 15 00:00:33,241 --> 00:00:35,910 -[man] True. -Gotta, y'know, keep that 18 feel. 16 00:00:35,994 --> 00:00:38,288 -Y'know? -[man] That 18 feel. No diggity. 17 00:00:41,916 --> 00:00:44,544 -Let's get that jump popping. -The jump. Yeah. 18 00:00:46,421 --> 00:00:48,381 -Atlanta's been selling out. -I know. 19 00:00:48,465 --> 00:00:50,258 Passes on, please. 20 00:00:50,341 --> 00:00:51,259 Still. 21 00:00:51,342 --> 00:00:53,511 [sings] ♪ This is how we do it ♪ 22 00:00:53,595 --> 00:00:55,597 [crowd chatter] 23 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:56,639 Yo! 24 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,352 [man] It's hard when you grow up with somebody that ends up successful, 25 00:01:01,436 --> 00:01:03,730 'cause you will never look at them like that. 26 00:01:03,813 --> 00:01:07,025 I'd be looking at people: "Y'all doing all of this for Chris?" 27 00:01:08,526 --> 00:01:10,361 [Big] Where the honeys gettin' money 28 00:01:10,445 --> 00:01:12,197 playin' niggas like dummies though? 29 00:01:12,655 --> 00:01:17,494 [man] Throw your hands in the air! Everybody throw your hands in the air! 30 00:01:17,577 --> 00:01:20,330 Put your mothafuckin' hands in the air! 31 00:01:20,413 --> 00:01:24,084 Come on! Let me hear you say, "Ho!" 32 00:01:24,167 --> 00:01:25,418 -Come on! -[audience] Ho! 33 00:01:25,502 --> 00:01:27,128 -Say, "Ho!" -Come on! 34 00:01:27,253 --> 00:01:29,798 -[audience] Ho! -Now all the ladies say, "Oww!" 35 00:01:31,007 --> 00:01:33,176 -Oh yeah, check it out. -Check it out! 36 00:01:33,259 --> 00:01:35,678 ♪ To all the ladies in the place With style and grace ♪ 37 00:01:35,762 --> 00:01:39,224 ♪ Allow me to lace These lyrical douches in your bushes ♪ 38 00:01:39,307 --> 00:01:41,851 ♪ Who rock grooves and make moves With all the mamis? ♪ 39 00:01:41,935 --> 00:01:44,646 ♪ The back of the club, sippin' Moët Is where you'll find me ♪ 40 00:01:44,729 --> 00:01:47,774 ♪ The back of the club, mackin' hoes My crew's behind me ♪ 41 00:01:48,233 --> 00:01:50,652 [D Roc] They say a picture say a thousand words. 42 00:01:50,735 --> 00:01:53,154 I was like, "Well, fuck, what would a video do?" 43 00:01:53,238 --> 00:01:54,072 Reppin', dog? 44 00:01:54,155 --> 00:01:55,949 -D Roc got it on screen. -Got the limo. 45 00:01:56,032 --> 00:01:56,866 [D Roc] Aw, bruh! 46 00:01:57,492 --> 00:02:00,161 Whatever it is we were doing, I would be recording it. 47 00:02:00,245 --> 00:02:02,789 -We're on our way to another show. -Aw, bruh! 48 00:02:03,957 --> 00:02:04,833 Boo! 49 00:02:04,916 --> 00:02:07,585 ♪ C-notes by the layers True fuckin' players ♪ 50 00:02:07,836 --> 00:02:11,339 ♪ Jump in the Rover and come over Tell your friends jump in the GS3 ♪ 51 00:02:11,422 --> 00:02:13,591 ♪ I got the chronic by the tree ♪ 52 00:02:13,675 --> 00:02:15,677 ♪ I love it when you call me Big Poppa ♪ 53 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,471 ♪ Throw your hands in the air If you're a true player ♪ 54 00:02:18,805 --> 00:02:20,932 ♪ I love it when you call me Big Poppa ♪ 55 00:02:21,015 --> 00:02:24,310 ♪ To the honeys gettin' money Playin' niggas like dummies ♪ 56 00:02:24,394 --> 00:02:27,522 Chris Wallace is a conscious person. He knows what is going on. 57 00:02:27,605 --> 00:02:30,984 Notorious B.I.G., he really didn't give a fuck. 58 00:02:32,944 --> 00:02:33,778 [D Roc laughs] 59 00:02:33,862 --> 00:02:36,364 I don't really listen to too much, like, hip-hop. 60 00:02:36,447 --> 00:02:40,451 I usually like listening to slow songs, like slow old songs. Like The Stylistics. 61 00:02:40,535 --> 00:02:41,744 -[DJ] Right. -Dramatics. 62 00:02:42,412 --> 00:02:45,373 [D Roc] Niggas looking good tonight. I see how it is. 63 00:02:46,541 --> 00:02:48,418 -Cash Money clique right there. -Woo! 64 00:02:48,501 --> 00:02:51,254 [D Roc] Hit that note for me we've been hitting all day. 65 00:02:51,337 --> 00:02:53,965 ♪ Every time I close my eyes ♪ 66 00:02:54,048 --> 00:02:55,091 [D Roc] What? 67 00:02:55,175 --> 00:02:57,844 ♪ I wake up feeling so horny! ♪ 68 00:02:57,927 --> 00:02:59,929 Woo! 69 00:03:00,221 --> 00:03:04,309 A hidden secret is that Biggie was really like a R&B writer. 70 00:03:04,934 --> 00:03:07,937 He was like a R&B singer. So that's why you get the melodies. 71 00:03:08,730 --> 00:03:10,815 It was rare that he would be rapping. 72 00:03:10,899 --> 00:03:13,902 He would always be singing somebody's songs. 73 00:03:15,445 --> 00:03:16,946 As a hip-hop historian, 74 00:03:17,030 --> 00:03:21,034 being born in a time when hip-hop was invented, 75 00:03:21,117 --> 00:03:24,287 you always were able to hear some remnants 76 00:03:24,370 --> 00:03:26,039 of previous rap artists. 77 00:03:26,122 --> 00:03:27,207 This guy, 78 00:03:27,290 --> 00:03:29,542 I don't know where he came from 79 00:03:29,626 --> 00:03:32,253 with his cadence, with his rhythms, 80 00:03:32,337 --> 00:03:34,464 with his sound, with his approach, 81 00:03:34,547 --> 00:03:35,757 with his confidence. 82 00:03:36,841 --> 00:03:39,510 You have no origins for what planet, 83 00:03:39,594 --> 00:03:42,013 what rap planet, this guy came from. 84 00:03:42,096 --> 00:03:44,724 [D Roc] Come on, watch your back, baby boy. 85 00:03:44,807 --> 00:03:48,061 We both really didn't have no fathers. We both was the only child. 86 00:03:48,144 --> 00:03:50,772 No pictures. Poppa having a party and shit. 87 00:03:50,855 --> 00:03:53,858 -No other pictures, yo. -[D Roc] We bonded little bit more. 88 00:03:53,942 --> 00:03:58,071 When you're the only child, you tend to gravitate toward your friends closer. 89 00:03:58,821 --> 00:04:04,285 [woman] I really believe Damion was very, very close to him. 90 00:04:05,286 --> 00:04:07,705 He was the one who called me and told me. 91 00:04:08,873 --> 00:04:12,168 It was five o'clock that morning the phone rang. 92 00:04:12,252 --> 00:04:13,670 I picked up the phone. 93 00:04:14,587 --> 00:04:15,421 "Hello?" 94 00:04:16,506 --> 00:04:17,382 And… 95 00:04:18,549 --> 00:04:20,009 All I could hear was Damion. 96 00:04:20,093 --> 00:04:23,596 He couldn't even come out with the words. I just heard him crying. 97 00:04:24,430 --> 00:04:26,099 And I knew… 98 00:04:27,725 --> 00:04:29,811 it was my son. 99 00:04:32,146 --> 00:04:33,690 [solemn violin music playing] 100 00:04:34,274 --> 00:04:35,566 [helicopter patrol] Over. 101 00:04:36,109 --> 00:04:37,360 At the block, over. 102 00:04:53,459 --> 00:04:56,546 [P. Diddy] I never knew that you could feel so sad 103 00:04:56,629 --> 00:04:59,424 or feel so hurt, or feel so empty. 104 00:05:00,091 --> 00:05:01,968 Felt like everybody wanted to give up. 105 00:05:02,051 --> 00:05:04,220 [helicopter patrol] And they're on FDR. 106 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:06,931 Headed to the south side. 107 00:05:08,683 --> 00:05:09,851 Towards the Brooklyn… 108 00:05:13,604 --> 00:05:15,189 They're heading to the on-ramp. 109 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:17,859 Towards the Brooklyn Bridge. 110 00:05:17,942 --> 00:05:19,152 Going towards Brooklyn. 111 00:05:25,575 --> 00:05:27,577 Two-seven-four over the Brooklyn Bridge. 112 00:05:28,494 --> 00:05:30,621 Maintaining position on the south side. 113 00:05:31,164 --> 00:05:34,083 [P. Diddy] And then, we came over that bridge in Brooklyn… 114 00:05:35,877 --> 00:05:37,628 [patrol] Downtown Brooklyn. 115 00:05:38,129 --> 00:05:39,380 Across from Tillary. 116 00:05:41,507 --> 00:05:43,634 [cheering, indistinct shouting] 117 00:05:49,849 --> 00:05:52,560 Nobody was crying. They were all celebrating. 118 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,440 Their memories of Biggie was like the joy, was the dancing, 119 00:05:57,523 --> 00:06:01,152 of seeing somebody that came from their neighborhood make it. 120 00:06:09,827 --> 00:06:12,163 And it just gave us a little lift. 121 00:06:12,246 --> 00:06:13,998 Biggie Smalls was a king! 122 00:06:17,210 --> 00:06:19,545 [P. Diddy] And this story doesn't have to have 123 00:06:21,214 --> 00:06:22,673 a tragic ending. 124 00:06:35,144 --> 00:06:36,229 Alright, boom. 125 00:06:36,729 --> 00:06:38,815 Today we in Detroit. You know what I mean? 126 00:06:38,898 --> 00:06:42,026 We got a couple shows, so this is the beginning of the tape, 127 00:06:42,110 --> 00:06:45,238 so motherfuckas know where the fuck we at. July 14th, baby. 128 00:06:45,321 --> 00:06:47,031 [D Roc] Where we at, y'all? 129 00:06:47,115 --> 00:06:48,574 -Where we at? -We in Detroit! 130 00:06:48,658 --> 00:06:51,619 -Detroit, baby! -[D Roc] We in Detroit on another mission. 131 00:06:51,702 --> 00:06:54,163 -Detroit, baby! -[D Roc] I would grab the cameras. 132 00:06:54,247 --> 00:06:56,290 Big be like, "Got tapes?" before we leave the crib. 133 00:07:04,507 --> 00:07:06,634 Then, it started being a part of our life. 134 00:07:06,717 --> 00:07:10,346 Like, I would just pop one in, and our whole day. 135 00:07:12,014 --> 00:07:13,641 It was like a visual diary. 136 00:07:14,559 --> 00:07:17,311 Back in 1995, that was a lot. 137 00:07:17,395 --> 00:07:19,522 This was a kid straight up the block, now, 138 00:07:19,605 --> 00:07:21,357 he's the hottest thing smoking now. 139 00:07:21,441 --> 00:07:23,526 [cheering, indistinct shouting] 140 00:07:25,445 --> 00:07:26,863 I might sign an autograph. 141 00:07:28,030 --> 00:07:30,700 [car honking] 142 00:07:32,577 --> 00:07:35,997 Biggie blew up, like, you know, like, overnight. 143 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,458 We gonna show them who the fuck is in the house. 144 00:07:38,541 --> 00:07:40,168 You in the house, Biggie! 145 00:07:40,251 --> 00:07:42,795 We gonna show them who the fuck is in the house. 146 00:07:42,879 --> 00:07:46,632 [P. Diddy] It was during a time where Dre and Snoop and them, 147 00:07:46,716 --> 00:07:49,635 they were just really… They were knocking it out the park. 148 00:07:49,719 --> 00:07:53,431 So they were really inspiring and motivating us to step up our game. 149 00:07:54,974 --> 00:07:58,686 As New York, as the home of hip-hop, 150 00:07:58,769 --> 00:08:00,563 we felt like we had a savior. 151 00:08:01,189 --> 00:08:03,649 You couldn't tell me that he wasn't 152 00:08:03,733 --> 00:08:05,401 the greatest rapper of all time. 153 00:08:05,485 --> 00:08:07,737 I was saying shit like that when he was alive, 154 00:08:07,820 --> 00:08:09,906 that he was the greatest rapper. 155 00:08:09,989 --> 00:08:11,908 [awards presenter] And the winner is… 156 00:08:12,992 --> 00:08:14,952 Baby, baby! 157 00:08:15,036 --> 00:08:16,120 B.I.G.! 158 00:08:17,497 --> 00:08:18,915 And the winner is… 159 00:08:18,998 --> 00:08:20,208 [laughs] 160 00:08:20,291 --> 00:08:21,375 Notorious Big! 161 00:08:21,459 --> 00:08:22,418 -B.I.G.! -Bah! 162 00:08:23,085 --> 00:08:25,087 Straight up Brooklyn in the house! 163 00:08:25,838 --> 00:08:27,423 The award for album of the year 164 00:08:27,507 --> 00:08:30,218 is The Notorious B.I.Gizzy! 165 00:08:30,301 --> 00:08:31,344 Ready to Die. 166 00:08:33,554 --> 00:08:35,932 [P. Diddy] He went in deep, and on that Ready to Die album, 167 00:08:36,098 --> 00:08:38,851 none of that was done for no money, for no glory. 168 00:08:38,935 --> 00:08:40,603 That was from out of his heart. 169 00:08:40,686 --> 00:08:44,649 Yo, I want to give mad love to my daughter, to my moms. 170 00:08:45,441 --> 00:08:46,859 We did it, Brooklyn! 171 00:08:48,611 --> 00:08:50,947 When Ready to Die came out, 172 00:08:51,030 --> 00:08:53,699 one of my friend bought the album. 173 00:08:53,783 --> 00:08:57,286 Then she told me, "Oh my God, I listened to the album, 174 00:08:57,370 --> 00:09:00,039 and so much profanity is on it!" 175 00:09:00,122 --> 00:09:02,583 I said, "Really? Profanity?" 176 00:09:02,667 --> 00:09:05,753 My moms don't really know what a rapper, 177 00:09:05,836 --> 00:09:09,048 like a platinum-selling rapper, she don't know what they make. 178 00:09:09,674 --> 00:09:13,761 She don't know that I be doing shows for near $10,000, four shows a week. 179 00:09:14,762 --> 00:09:18,391 She just think that I'm over here just doing little thousand dollar shows 180 00:09:18,474 --> 00:09:20,101 at little night clubs and shit. 181 00:09:20,184 --> 00:09:22,937 -[Lil' Cease laughing] -She don't know what's going on. 182 00:09:23,521 --> 00:09:25,648 [D Roc] Hold up. Oh shit! What up, Poppa? 183 00:09:25,731 --> 00:09:29,235 You know Marley takes it miles to come see me. You know what I mean? 184 00:09:29,318 --> 00:09:31,362 Stacks and stacks. 185 00:09:31,445 --> 00:09:32,905 What? Stacks and stacks? 186 00:09:32,989 --> 00:09:34,991 [rapping] 187 00:09:52,008 --> 00:09:55,511 Yeah! Check it out! 188 00:09:59,599 --> 00:10:02,602 "One of my friend bought your album, and they told me 189 00:10:02,685 --> 00:10:05,688 it is reeking with profanity." 190 00:10:05,771 --> 00:10:07,106 "Christopher, is it true?" 191 00:10:07,189 --> 00:10:10,234 "Ma, what are you doing listening to my music? 192 00:10:10,318 --> 00:10:12,445 You're not supposed to be listening! 193 00:10:12,528 --> 00:10:14,614 It's for nobody over 35 years old!" 194 00:10:14,697 --> 00:10:15,781 Uh-oh. 195 00:10:16,991 --> 00:10:19,452 I stayed the hell away from his music. 196 00:10:19,535 --> 00:10:22,663 I said, "You know what? He told me don't listen to it. 197 00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:25,791 I'm not gonna listen to it." 198 00:10:26,626 --> 00:10:29,712 Basically, she don't give a fuck about none of that shit. 199 00:10:30,212 --> 00:10:32,465 I ain't "Biggie." I'm her son, you know? 200 00:10:32,548 --> 00:10:33,924 That's how she look at it. 201 00:10:34,425 --> 00:10:37,637 I'm trying to get out of this house so she can get out my hair. 202 00:10:38,346 --> 00:10:42,141 His world, the rap world, and my world, 203 00:10:42,642 --> 00:10:44,268 we're completely opposite. 204 00:10:45,269 --> 00:10:48,606 If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be listening to rap music. 205 00:10:49,607 --> 00:10:51,817 I'm a country and western person. 206 00:10:52,526 --> 00:10:54,070 I'm a ballad person. 207 00:10:54,820 --> 00:10:56,822 ["Stand By Your Man" by Merlene Webber] 208 00:10:57,573 --> 00:11:01,118 ♪ Stand by your man ♪ 209 00:11:02,495 --> 00:11:05,831 ♪ He is the one to cling to ♪ 210 00:11:05,915 --> 00:11:08,668 And even back home in Jamaica, 211 00:11:08,751 --> 00:11:12,254 there's a certain time of the morning 212 00:11:12,338 --> 00:11:15,424 that, on the radio, you would hear country and western. 213 00:11:17,301 --> 00:11:19,845 I would save up money every year 214 00:11:19,929 --> 00:11:23,391 to take my son and myself to Jamaica. 215 00:11:24,225 --> 00:11:28,479 He loved Jamaica because they spoiled him rotten. 216 00:11:29,313 --> 00:11:31,816 [Gwendolyn] Once he placed his eyes on me, 217 00:11:32,525 --> 00:11:34,443 he run and hugged me. 218 00:11:34,527 --> 00:11:35,778 "Grandma!" 219 00:11:41,701 --> 00:11:43,661 I knew Chris would be special. 220 00:11:46,205 --> 00:11:48,708 He was loving, kind, genuine. 221 00:11:50,209 --> 00:11:53,295 [Voletta] He loved hanging out with his Uncle Dave 222 00:11:53,379 --> 00:11:56,173 because Dave was the musician, 223 00:11:56,757 --> 00:11:59,552 and he would take him to these joints 224 00:11:59,635 --> 00:12:01,637 where they played their music. 225 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:05,516 And he swore when he became famous 226 00:12:05,599 --> 00:12:08,144 his Dave was gonna be a part of his crew. 227 00:12:08,853 --> 00:12:11,230 ["Respect" by DeeJay Rell & Killa Ben plays] 228 00:12:11,313 --> 00:12:13,524 ♪ Watch this! Lawd… ♪ 229 00:12:13,607 --> 00:12:16,444 [song continues in background] 230 00:12:17,403 --> 00:12:18,779 We was bound together. 231 00:12:20,030 --> 00:12:23,117 And from the first time Biggie hear me start to sing, 232 00:12:24,535 --> 00:12:25,745 that was it. 233 00:12:26,328 --> 00:12:28,956 Many times we were out there, 234 00:12:29,039 --> 00:12:31,333 and he was rapping and I was singing. 235 00:12:31,417 --> 00:12:34,086 [Dave singing] ♪ Them coming to church Like some special guest ♪ 236 00:12:34,170 --> 00:12:38,048 ♪ You know, some skimpy clothes That expose their breasts ♪ 237 00:12:38,132 --> 00:12:40,968 ♪ They paths that come I preach out them hat ♪ 238 00:12:41,051 --> 00:12:44,054 ♪ I tell the woman Them clothes too sharp ♪ 239 00:12:44,138 --> 00:12:45,139 ♪ Them… ♪ 240 00:12:46,474 --> 00:12:48,601 ♪ What you don't know, you don't know ♪ 241 00:12:49,852 --> 00:12:52,104 ♪ What you don't know, you don't know ♪ 242 00:12:52,188 --> 00:12:54,190 ♪ What you don't know, you better get… ♪ 243 00:12:55,900 --> 00:12:58,778 I was born in Jamaica right here in the district. 244 00:12:59,862 --> 00:13:01,864 A few houses up on the hill. 245 00:13:03,908 --> 00:13:06,660 But I always daydream 246 00:13:07,369 --> 00:13:11,081 of being a filthy rich lady. 247 00:13:12,333 --> 00:13:15,419 A lady of great means with three children. 248 00:13:16,003 --> 00:13:18,714 I would have a beautiful home on a hill. 249 00:13:19,507 --> 00:13:22,760 I did not see that in the country for me. 250 00:13:23,260 --> 00:13:24,804 That was not my life. 251 00:13:25,805 --> 00:13:27,348 When I became a teenager, 252 00:13:27,431 --> 00:13:29,767 I migrated to the United States. 253 00:13:30,601 --> 00:13:32,102 I was saddened, 254 00:13:33,062 --> 00:13:34,313 but at the same time, 255 00:13:34,396 --> 00:13:37,316 "Okay, I'm going to the great United States of America." 256 00:13:38,234 --> 00:13:40,152 In New York and Brooklyn, 257 00:13:42,196 --> 00:13:46,325 school and work and taking care of your baby. 258 00:13:46,408 --> 00:13:47,910 [gentle piano music playing] 259 00:13:48,869 --> 00:13:51,872 But in Jamaica, it was just fun and sun time. 260 00:14:00,381 --> 00:14:03,175 [D Roc] I grew up on Gates between Bedford and Nostrand. 261 00:14:03,634 --> 00:14:07,429 Big grew up on Saint James between Fulton and Gates. 262 00:14:07,513 --> 00:14:10,641 It was about a eight block difference from where we grew up at. 263 00:14:10,724 --> 00:14:12,852 My moms was further into Bed-Stuy. 264 00:14:13,352 --> 00:14:15,145 You know, Big was kind of like 265 00:14:15,229 --> 00:14:17,314 borderline Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill. 266 00:14:18,232 --> 00:14:22,820 [man] A lot of people didn't view that as Clinton Hills in that time, 267 00:14:22,903 --> 00:14:26,031 especially for the dudes that was quote-unquote 268 00:14:26,115 --> 00:14:27,950 "running around in the streets." 269 00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:30,578 Clinton Hills ain't sound too good when you talkin' 270 00:14:30,661 --> 00:14:34,415 like, it don't got that same energy as, "Yo, I'm from the Stuy." 271 00:14:35,291 --> 00:14:38,961 We was from a tree-lined block, a nice-looking block, 272 00:14:39,545 --> 00:14:41,463 even though, you know, things went on. 273 00:14:41,547 --> 00:14:44,758 You know, people sold drugs, did drugs. 274 00:14:44,842 --> 00:14:46,468 People got robbed and all that 275 00:14:46,552 --> 00:14:50,180 but… it didn't look as bad as it was. 276 00:14:51,098 --> 00:14:53,475 I lived on Saint James between Gates and Greene. 277 00:14:54,393 --> 00:14:57,229 I met Big in front of his stoop. 278 00:14:58,564 --> 00:15:02,109 The only place that you could tell was bad 279 00:15:02,192 --> 00:15:04,320 was, like, when you hit Fulton Street. 280 00:15:04,403 --> 00:15:06,030 [police sirens wailing] 281 00:15:07,948 --> 00:15:10,117 It's like, I would turn the corner. 282 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,077 There'd be, like, 50, 60 dope fiends. 283 00:15:12,703 --> 00:15:15,122 That scared the shit out of me when I was little. 284 00:15:15,915 --> 00:15:17,249 Now, at the time, 285 00:15:17,333 --> 00:15:21,378 Big moms wasn't allowing him to hang on Fulton Street. 286 00:15:22,671 --> 00:15:24,715 We on the stoop. She right there. 287 00:15:24,798 --> 00:15:26,634 "Christopher, where are you going?" 288 00:15:26,717 --> 00:15:28,510 Most people did call him Big, 289 00:15:28,594 --> 00:15:29,762 other than his mom. 290 00:15:29,845 --> 00:15:33,557 Ms. Wallace always called him Christopher. [laughs] 291 00:15:33,641 --> 00:15:36,727 I never even heard her call him Chris. "Christopher." 292 00:15:39,271 --> 00:15:41,398 [Voletta] Christopher was a very smart kid. 293 00:15:42,316 --> 00:15:45,778 You know, he goes to, I mean, a Catholic school. 294 00:15:45,861 --> 00:15:47,863 [church bell tolls] 295 00:15:51,742 --> 00:15:53,744 [man] Chris was my first friend in life, 296 00:15:53,827 --> 00:15:56,747 from kindergarten all the way till he was killed. 297 00:15:58,374 --> 00:16:00,834 Growing up as children of immigrants, 298 00:16:00,918 --> 00:16:02,920 we, like, kind of were outsiders. 299 00:16:03,837 --> 00:16:06,131 Our mothers came from a struggle, but, 300 00:16:06,215 --> 00:16:07,925 even though we were living in, 301 00:16:08,008 --> 00:16:10,511 you know, low-income neighborhoods, 302 00:16:10,594 --> 00:16:12,680 they came with aspirations. 303 00:16:14,473 --> 00:16:16,809 Our friends would be a little bit more street, 304 00:16:16,892 --> 00:16:19,019 a little bit more street-savvy. 305 00:16:19,728 --> 00:16:22,272 This is where hip-hop came into our lives. 306 00:16:22,773 --> 00:16:25,192 ♪ C'mon Marley Marl Let's rock free state ♪ 307 00:16:27,319 --> 00:16:30,781 I grew up to that shit. When my moms got me a radio for Christmas, 308 00:16:30,864 --> 00:16:32,199 she got me a Fat Boys tape… 309 00:16:32,700 --> 00:16:34,326 ♪ Fat boys… ♪ 310 00:16:34,410 --> 00:16:36,870 …and a Run-DMC tape. That's all I had. 311 00:16:36,954 --> 00:16:38,872 -♪ Down to the ground ♪ -♪ Sucka MCs ♪ 312 00:16:38,956 --> 00:16:40,374 ♪ You sad-faced clowns ♪ 313 00:16:40,457 --> 00:16:44,044 [Hubert] That was the era of us staying in tune with everything hip-hop. 314 00:16:44,128 --> 00:16:46,422 And he was already writing since elementary. 315 00:16:46,505 --> 00:16:50,676 He had different rhyme books, and we would all link up and start doing routines. 316 00:16:50,759 --> 00:16:54,138 [Voletta] When I heard him in his room, I thought it was noise 317 00:16:54,221 --> 00:16:58,851 because I, like… [imitates percussion, sputtering sounds] 318 00:16:58,934 --> 00:17:02,146 "Oh my God, will you please cut it out? 319 00:17:02,688 --> 00:17:05,190 I'm trying to concentrate here." 320 00:17:05,274 --> 00:17:07,651 [D Roc] Look at Poppa, sippin' on a-- 321 00:17:07,735 --> 00:17:11,947 -We in Davenport, man. Iowa. -[D Roc] What you drinkin'? 322 00:17:12,031 --> 00:17:12,990 Vodka. 323 00:17:13,073 --> 00:17:14,783 [D Roc singing] ♪ Sure he rides ♪ 324 00:17:14,867 --> 00:17:16,869 As we were starting to do a lot of shows, 325 00:17:16,952 --> 00:17:19,413 to the point where Big would be like, "You know?" 326 00:17:19,496 --> 00:17:20,831 I became part of the show. 327 00:17:20,914 --> 00:17:23,625 Put your mothafuckin' hands in the air! Come on! 328 00:17:23,709 --> 00:17:26,295 Put your mothafuckin' hands in the air! 329 00:17:26,378 --> 00:17:28,088 Check it out! 330 00:17:28,172 --> 00:17:30,174 [rapping] 331 00:17:39,141 --> 00:17:40,476 He would be like, "Yo, 332 00:17:41,185 --> 00:17:43,937 each song that drop, tape the show. 333 00:17:44,021 --> 00:17:46,482 Tape the audience. I want to see the reaction, 334 00:17:46,565 --> 00:17:48,484 so when we double back and put our show together, 335 00:17:48,567 --> 00:17:51,236 I know what songs are stronger, where I get the most reaction." 336 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,739 Our shit was always the crowd. It never was us. 337 00:17:53,822 --> 00:17:55,908 We liked to see what the crowd was doin'. 338 00:17:55,991 --> 00:17:58,410 -Yo. -Yo, D Roc, come here, son. Before we-- 339 00:17:58,494 --> 00:18:00,537 We gotta get the crowd. Hype tonight. 340 00:18:00,621 --> 00:18:03,624 We can take this back to NY. We need everybody on camera 341 00:18:03,707 --> 00:18:05,876 so we can take this shit back to Brooklyn. 342 00:18:05,959 --> 00:18:07,711 Raise your hands. I wanna see them! 343 00:18:08,128 --> 00:18:09,880 -[crowd screaming, cheering] -Yeah! 344 00:18:10,631 --> 00:18:15,511 [D Roc] We've done shows in places that might hold 500 people. 345 00:18:16,011 --> 00:18:18,847 We've done shows in the illest places to biggest places, 346 00:18:18,931 --> 00:18:20,516 and it's always the same thing. 347 00:18:20,599 --> 00:18:22,559 [Big] All the way to the back. 348 00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:24,436 Mothafuckers blowin' shit up. 349 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:26,605 They were gonna go 100% every time. 350 00:18:26,688 --> 00:18:28,941 [DJ] What was your life like as a child? 351 00:18:29,024 --> 00:18:30,067 I was just… 352 00:18:30,150 --> 00:18:32,903 -[DJ] Were you shy? Were you outgoing? -No, still shy. 353 00:18:32,986 --> 00:18:34,905 -I'm a quiet dude, man. -[DJ] Are you? 354 00:18:34,988 --> 00:18:38,992 I kind of get the voice for certain things I want to say in my music. 355 00:18:39,076 --> 00:18:41,078 [Hubert] As shy as he could be, 356 00:18:41,161 --> 00:18:43,664 when he could work an angle, he would speak up. 357 00:18:44,248 --> 00:18:46,583 Donald Harrison was a young jazz artist 358 00:18:46,667 --> 00:18:49,336 when we were younger that happened live on the block. 359 00:18:49,419 --> 00:18:52,756 He would see Donald coming in with the beautiful ladies 360 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,091 and with the horn, 361 00:18:54,174 --> 00:18:56,635 and before I knew it, he'd say, "Yo, I met him." 362 00:19:03,016 --> 00:19:04,434 Sounds something like that. 363 00:19:05,769 --> 00:19:08,021 Yeah, I played with Art Blakey, 364 00:19:09,314 --> 00:19:12,401 Miles Davis, and Lena Horne. 365 00:19:12,484 --> 00:19:13,986 Clinton Hill, at that time, 366 00:19:14,069 --> 00:19:17,990 was becoming a place where a lot of musicians and artists 367 00:19:18,574 --> 00:19:20,325 were doing things in that neighborhood. 368 00:19:20,409 --> 00:19:22,286 So I figured I should be there too. 369 00:19:22,786 --> 00:19:25,873 [Big] A jazz musician used to live on my block on Saint James. 370 00:19:25,956 --> 00:19:27,291 This guy was real cool. 371 00:19:27,374 --> 00:19:29,751 I used to come by the house all the time. 372 00:19:32,004 --> 00:19:35,257 [Donald] I was being helped by older musicians, 373 00:19:35,340 --> 00:19:36,675 who were nurturing me. 374 00:19:37,342 --> 00:19:39,344 One of the things that they told me, 375 00:19:39,428 --> 00:19:42,764 which was in my heart anyway, was to pass it on. 376 00:19:44,433 --> 00:19:46,852 With Chris, I did a lot of different things, 377 00:19:46,935 --> 00:19:48,228 go to the movies, 378 00:19:49,146 --> 00:19:50,564 the Museum of Modern Art, 379 00:19:50,647 --> 00:19:53,066 explaining Picasso and all those guys 380 00:19:53,150 --> 00:19:56,612 and the difference between different eras of painting. 381 00:19:57,738 --> 00:19:59,072 He would be a sponge 382 00:19:59,156 --> 00:20:02,409 to just so much more that was outside of our scope 383 00:20:02,492 --> 00:20:04,036 as young kids. 384 00:20:04,953 --> 00:20:09,124 I was initially trying to groom Chris to be a jazz artist 385 00:20:09,208 --> 00:20:10,584 because he was so talented. 386 00:20:13,212 --> 00:20:15,297 One of the things that we worked on 387 00:20:15,380 --> 00:20:18,884 was putting what a snare drum did in bebop drumming 388 00:20:18,967 --> 00:20:21,553 into the rhythm of a rhyme. 389 00:20:22,221 --> 00:20:25,390 We listened to Max Roach with Clifford Brown. 390 00:20:26,975 --> 00:20:28,393 [mimics percussion] 391 00:20:28,518 --> 00:20:31,939 Max has a very melodic way of playing the drums. 392 00:20:32,522 --> 00:20:34,233 He makes the rhythm into a melody. 393 00:20:34,316 --> 00:20:36,318 [mimics percussion] 394 00:20:39,571 --> 00:20:41,782 So if you slow one of those ideas down, like… 395 00:20:41,865 --> 00:20:44,618 [mimics percussion] 396 00:20:45,202 --> 00:20:46,787 put some lyrics to that, 397 00:20:46,870 --> 00:20:51,291 you can hear that Notorious B.I.G. was accenting those notes 398 00:20:51,917 --> 00:20:58,882 and rhyming in a way that exudes all the finer qualities 399 00:20:58,966 --> 00:21:00,217 of a bebop drum solo. 400 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:01,343 It's incredible. 401 00:21:01,426 --> 00:21:03,971 ♪ I'd rather make a buck Drive a fat-ass truck ♪ 402 00:21:04,513 --> 00:21:06,598 ♪ Drag the nine two clips and run amuck ♪ 403 00:21:06,682 --> 00:21:08,767 ♪ Yes, flex after two or three Becks ♪ 404 00:21:08,850 --> 00:21:11,228 ♪ As I wreck shit What the fuck you expected? ♪ 405 00:21:11,311 --> 00:21:12,145 ♪ A fly guy? ♪ 406 00:21:12,229 --> 00:21:13,230 ♪ Well, fuck it ♪ 407 00:21:13,313 --> 00:21:16,275 ♪ I'm a high guy from Bed-Stuy Putting the swelling on your eye ♪ 408 00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:19,152 ♪ Your nose even When I choke me, you stop breathing ♪ 409 00:21:19,236 --> 00:21:20,737 ♪ The police come I'm leaving ♪ 410 00:21:20,821 --> 00:21:23,657 -Peace and love. Here we go. -[crowd] Yeah! 411 00:21:23,740 --> 00:21:27,786 I got my first turntable set by the time I hit junior high. 412 00:21:28,370 --> 00:21:31,039 Then we got to see him rhyming over the beats. 413 00:21:31,748 --> 00:21:33,750 [rapping] 414 00:21:42,884 --> 00:21:45,846 [Hubert] Every summer, Chris would come back from Jamaica, 415 00:21:47,014 --> 00:21:49,016 and Chris would bring back 416 00:21:49,099 --> 00:21:51,435 some Jamaican slang and music 417 00:21:51,518 --> 00:21:52,769 that we didn't listen to. 418 00:21:52,853 --> 00:21:55,605 Rock music, reggae, country. 419 00:21:56,148 --> 00:21:59,109 He said, "You know, I can't sleep without country music on." 420 00:21:59,192 --> 00:22:00,235 And we were shocked. 421 00:22:01,570 --> 00:22:03,739 Chris wanted to make our first recording. 422 00:22:03,822 --> 00:22:06,575 MC Cwest was his name at that time. 423 00:22:06,658 --> 00:22:09,911 And we found a studio downtown Brooklyn called Funky Slice, 424 00:22:10,454 --> 00:22:13,290 and we had to get permission from our parents, of course. 425 00:22:13,373 --> 00:22:15,542 We put together allowance money. 426 00:22:16,126 --> 00:22:18,670 And we're in Brooklyn today at Funky Slice Studios. 427 00:22:18,754 --> 00:22:20,964 We're gonna show you how to make a demo tape, 428 00:22:21,048 --> 00:22:24,676 how to do it, get that record out, get that deal going so you get paid. 429 00:22:25,635 --> 00:22:28,013 He made a song over the Toto "Africa" beat. 430 00:22:28,722 --> 00:22:31,099 So his skills was not only in lyrics, 431 00:22:31,683 --> 00:22:33,018 just vision for songs. 432 00:22:33,101 --> 00:22:36,021 ♪ I hear the drums echoing tonight ♪ 433 00:22:37,189 --> 00:22:39,191 [rapping over the Toto "Africa" beat] 434 00:22:53,038 --> 00:22:54,664 [Donald] People who transcend 435 00:22:54,748 --> 00:22:57,709 understand a lot of different things, 436 00:22:57,793 --> 00:22:59,169 not just one. 437 00:22:59,252 --> 00:23:01,588 You got to add something else into the equation 438 00:23:02,172 --> 00:23:03,548 for it to move forward. 439 00:23:04,549 --> 00:23:07,844 [Big] Every rapper made me wanna do it. Any nigga who got played on the radio. 440 00:23:07,928 --> 00:23:10,514 I didn't even know how much them niggas was making. 441 00:23:10,597 --> 00:23:13,767 I ain't know… All I knew was that Doug E. had a nice Linc 442 00:23:13,850 --> 00:23:15,394 and a nice little piece. 443 00:23:15,477 --> 00:23:18,230 Slick Rick was mad heavy. You know what I'm saying? 444 00:23:18,313 --> 00:23:19,815 Heav had a Montero. 445 00:23:19,898 --> 00:23:22,984 I just knew what the magazines and the videos showed me. 446 00:23:23,068 --> 00:23:26,154 That's all it was, though. That's all it was, was a dream. 447 00:23:26,780 --> 00:23:30,033 It wasn't ever nothing I thought that really was gonna take place. 448 00:23:30,117 --> 00:23:32,244 Your boy had to get right with the Coogies. 449 00:23:32,327 --> 00:23:33,161 [D Roc] All the time. 450 00:23:33,245 --> 00:23:35,539 Make sure the Rolie and everything is in full effect. 451 00:23:35,622 --> 00:23:37,249 The brim, Versaces, you know. 452 00:23:37,332 --> 00:23:38,917 -[D Roc] All good. -Gotta make it happen. 453 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,711 [D Roc] Got the camera. Can't forget the pinky ring. 454 00:23:41,795 --> 00:23:43,797 -Alright. -That's what I'm talking 'bout. 455 00:23:45,924 --> 00:23:47,843 [D Roc] Fuckin' ain't right, yo. Look. 456 00:23:47,926 --> 00:23:49,136 He had that on… 457 00:23:49,219 --> 00:23:51,304 -Fraud. -…since he got it. 458 00:23:51,388 --> 00:23:53,014 Since I got it! 459 00:23:53,807 --> 00:23:55,642 And I got it a while ago! 460 00:23:57,519 --> 00:23:59,813 I used to be amazed by the uniform Big used. 461 00:23:59,896 --> 00:24:01,773 I thought that was the ultimate shit. 462 00:24:01,857 --> 00:24:03,358 Then you can't be judged. 463 00:24:03,442 --> 00:24:06,111 There's no class. There's no nobody better than nobody 464 00:24:06,194 --> 00:24:07,946 if we all wearing the same thing. 465 00:24:08,029 --> 00:24:10,073 Where I went to school, it wasn't that. 466 00:24:10,740 --> 00:24:11,992 I used to be telling him, 467 00:24:12,075 --> 00:24:14,911 "I wish I didn't have to do the shit that I was doing." 468 00:24:16,204 --> 00:24:19,124 He used to be like, "Man, I just want to get out and about. 469 00:24:19,207 --> 00:24:20,750 Like, what y'all be doing?" 470 00:24:20,834 --> 00:24:23,837 I used to try to talk to him like, "I hear you, but I don't." 471 00:24:25,964 --> 00:24:27,632 [C Gutta] The '80s was like… 472 00:24:27,716 --> 00:24:30,677 Especially for a young Black kid, 473 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:34,639 it was easy to get lured into the streets. 474 00:24:34,723 --> 00:24:37,100 It wasn't a whole lot of jobs out there. 475 00:24:37,809 --> 00:24:40,270 When we got to Fulton Street, we see the hustlers. 476 00:24:41,062 --> 00:24:45,901 These is all dudes that was getting money. They had Jeeps, Benzes, 477 00:24:45,984 --> 00:24:48,236 jewelry, Gucci, Versa… 478 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,238 Like, they was wearing that back then. 479 00:24:51,698 --> 00:24:55,619 So now, if I want to get that, how I'mma get that? 480 00:25:01,458 --> 00:25:03,585 Eighty-eight summer started so crazy 481 00:25:03,668 --> 00:25:05,837 because we wasn't doing anything. 482 00:25:05,921 --> 00:25:08,131 I was robbing people, of course, 483 00:25:08,215 --> 00:25:11,468 you know, but as far as selling crack or not, 484 00:25:11,551 --> 00:25:13,553 none of us is doing it but Chic. 485 00:25:14,262 --> 00:25:15,347 It was me and Big, 486 00:25:15,430 --> 00:25:18,016 and we keep seeing Chic running around the corner. 487 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:21,394 I don't want to go deep into the day-- 488 00:25:21,478 --> 00:25:23,104 -Into that crack game! -[C Gutta] Well… 489 00:25:23,188 --> 00:25:24,981 -C'mon. You want me to go-- -[C Gutta] Well… 490 00:25:25,065 --> 00:25:26,900 -Look at us! -[C Gutta] This is-- 491 00:25:26,983 --> 00:25:28,735 -I'm calling cut-- -[C Gutta] No. 492 00:25:28,818 --> 00:25:30,320 -Talkin'-- -[C Gutta] Hold on. 493 00:25:32,072 --> 00:25:36,243 Growing up back then, man, if you wasn't into the hustling, 494 00:25:36,952 --> 00:25:40,038 good in sports, or going to school, you was a nobody. 495 00:25:41,248 --> 00:25:42,749 Them three things. 496 00:25:43,291 --> 00:25:45,502 And me and Chris hanging outside on the stoop 497 00:25:45,585 --> 00:25:48,046 'cause we was next-door neighbors. We was friends. 498 00:25:48,129 --> 00:25:49,839 Chris was a quiet dude. 499 00:25:49,923 --> 00:25:52,050 He'd never leave off his stoop for nothing. 500 00:25:52,133 --> 00:25:55,804 His mother used to watch him all the time. "Christopher, come eat." 501 00:25:55,887 --> 00:25:58,723 I'm 19. Big's 16. 502 00:25:58,807 --> 00:26:00,892 Most teenagers gonna get into something, 503 00:26:00,976 --> 00:26:03,353 because now you just trying to feel your oats. 504 00:26:03,436 --> 00:26:06,940 You trying to express your manhood and stuff like that. 505 00:26:07,023 --> 00:26:10,485 Chic was like, "Yo, it's like all I do is stand out there. 506 00:26:10,569 --> 00:26:12,070 They come. They come to me." 507 00:26:12,153 --> 00:26:15,156 I was like, "That's it? That's all you do is just stand out…" 508 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:17,367 'Cause like I said, we'd never sold drugs. 509 00:26:18,118 --> 00:26:20,078 He got to the hustling game through me. 510 00:26:20,161 --> 00:26:23,248 Now you say I'm the bad guy. Well, who do me? 511 00:26:25,584 --> 00:26:28,712 [C Gutta] I was getting an SSI check for my moms having cancer. 512 00:26:28,795 --> 00:26:31,214 Chic like, "Bro, you can get an ounce with that." 513 00:26:31,298 --> 00:26:33,049 So we go cop an ounce. 514 00:26:33,133 --> 00:26:35,218 [street noise] 515 00:26:35,302 --> 00:26:38,888 [dramatic violin music swells] 516 00:26:43,935 --> 00:26:46,688 We go to Chic room. Chic bag it up. 517 00:26:46,771 --> 00:26:50,275 This was the first time me and Big ever sold crack. 518 00:26:51,526 --> 00:26:56,781 Now, at that time, we was bagging up 16, 17 hundred in work off an ounce. 519 00:26:57,449 --> 00:27:01,202 And you don't even have the maturity enough to think it all the way through. 520 00:27:01,786 --> 00:27:03,455 Of course you would jump on that. 521 00:27:04,748 --> 00:27:06,625 [Big] I used to draw back in the day, 522 00:27:07,375 --> 00:27:09,336 back like in 4th, 5th grade. 523 00:27:09,419 --> 00:27:12,464 They was always like, "Take that talent that you have, 524 00:27:12,547 --> 00:27:15,675 think of something that you can do in the future, build on it." 525 00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:17,677 And I was like, well, I like to draw, 526 00:27:18,219 --> 00:27:22,390 so what could I do with drawing? Am I gonna be the one at the art dealer? 527 00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:24,476 I'm not gonna be that type of nigga. 528 00:27:24,559 --> 00:27:27,979 I was more like maybe I could do, like, big billboards and shit. 529 00:27:28,063 --> 00:27:29,898 Like commercial art, in commercials. 530 00:27:29,981 --> 00:27:33,026 -That's, like, so long ago though. -[D Roc] Mm-hmm. 531 00:27:33,109 --> 00:27:35,195 And then after I got introduced to crack? 532 00:27:36,237 --> 00:27:39,574 [Big chuckles] 533 00:27:40,075 --> 00:27:41,242 Commercial art? 534 00:27:43,870 --> 00:27:45,955 I go out here for 20 minutes, 535 00:27:46,623 --> 00:27:49,626 and get some paper, some real money, man. 536 00:27:50,669 --> 00:27:51,920 The parents didn't know. 537 00:27:52,003 --> 00:27:55,215 Some of the parents didn't know because we kept it, you know… 538 00:27:55,799 --> 00:27:57,926 Ms. Wallace worked every day, nine to five. 539 00:27:58,009 --> 00:28:00,887 She was a teacher, like. So she worked every day, so… 540 00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:04,099 Big basically had nine to five to do wrong. 541 00:28:05,058 --> 00:28:08,603 The corner we stood on was the train station she got out of. 542 00:28:08,687 --> 00:28:09,854 Like, we knew the time. 543 00:28:09,938 --> 00:28:13,775 Look down Fulton Street. Clock in Brooklyn. A clock on four sides. 544 00:28:13,858 --> 00:28:17,445 So you would know when she's getting off work. 545 00:28:17,529 --> 00:28:19,656 Like, we just basically just took it over. 546 00:28:19,739 --> 00:28:23,410 All the old niggas got locked or murdered, 547 00:28:23,493 --> 00:28:26,913 and they just started drifting off, and we just took over the ave. 548 00:28:26,996 --> 00:28:27,997 It was like… 549 00:28:28,790 --> 00:28:31,292 Sort of like… This is like hood celebrity status. 550 00:28:32,544 --> 00:28:33,753 We was like stars, man. 551 00:28:35,046 --> 00:28:37,382 [Lil' Cease] All the cool motherfuckers are on Fulton Street. 552 00:28:37,465 --> 00:28:39,300 Once you be there for a long time, 553 00:28:39,384 --> 00:28:41,219 we saw what they was doin', what was going on. 554 00:28:41,302 --> 00:28:43,680 "Shit, they hustlin'. They sellin' drugs, crack. 555 00:28:43,763 --> 00:28:45,265 Okay. This is what to do?" 556 00:28:47,183 --> 00:28:49,310 ♪ If I wasn't in the rap game ♪ 557 00:28:49,394 --> 00:28:52,230 ♪ I'd probably have a ki knee-deep in the crack game ♪ 558 00:28:52,313 --> 00:28:54,524 ♪ Because the streets is a short stop ♪ 559 00:28:54,607 --> 00:28:57,318 Biggie Smalls in the house getting plenty of dough. 560 00:28:57,402 --> 00:28:59,612 -Plenty dough, nigga! -Keep it real! 561 00:28:59,696 --> 00:29:01,614 Plenty dough! That's how we handle it. 562 00:29:01,698 --> 00:29:04,743 Then, we'd smoke weed, sit in front of the store for hours. 563 00:29:05,326 --> 00:29:07,120 We just liked being on the corner. 564 00:29:07,203 --> 00:29:08,913 How you gonna make yourself shine? 565 00:29:08,997 --> 00:29:10,874 It wasn't about you being a hustler. 566 00:29:10,999 --> 00:29:13,835 "I'm gonna go buy sneakers. I'm gonna buy me a chain." 567 00:29:13,918 --> 00:29:16,004 You wanted to stand for something. New York, was about, 568 00:29:16,087 --> 00:29:19,007 especially Brooklyn, you had to be fly. You had to be shit. 569 00:29:19,090 --> 00:29:21,134 That was our way of making our own money. 570 00:29:21,968 --> 00:29:24,220 [C Gutta] This is one of the things that we learned: 571 00:29:24,304 --> 00:29:27,265 it's like, everybody that's out here is not… 572 00:29:27,348 --> 00:29:29,768 Don't have the same amount of… 573 00:29:29,851 --> 00:29:33,188 [dramatic cello drones] 574 00:29:34,439 --> 00:29:35,648 Same amount of… 575 00:29:35,732 --> 00:29:36,816 How can I put it? 576 00:29:37,984 --> 00:29:38,943 Ruthlessness. 577 00:29:40,278 --> 00:29:41,905 This is when, really… 578 00:29:44,157 --> 00:29:45,533 …O comes in the picture. 579 00:29:46,367 --> 00:29:52,207 [D Roc] Olie was the original hustler. Like, Olie schooled everybody. 580 00:29:52,999 --> 00:29:54,042 [Big] My man "O." 581 00:29:54,584 --> 00:29:56,377 Like, we used to be hustling. 582 00:29:56,461 --> 00:30:00,548 All of us dropped out of school, 15, 14 years old. 583 00:30:00,632 --> 00:30:03,051 We were sitting on like six, seven grand a week. 584 00:30:03,134 --> 00:30:04,010 Just living. 585 00:30:04,886 --> 00:30:08,389 [Lil' Cease] Him and Big was like, you couldn't even separate them two. 586 00:30:08,473 --> 00:30:11,559 O was his boy. That was like his best friend. 587 00:30:13,436 --> 00:30:16,689 [Jasmine] So Olie, as everyone called him… I called him Roland. 588 00:30:16,773 --> 00:30:20,068 The very first time he sort of brought me over to that side, 589 00:30:20,151 --> 00:30:22,028 which was on Fulton and Saint James, 590 00:30:22,111 --> 00:30:25,573 that's when I started to like, "Wait a minute. What is going on here?" 591 00:30:25,657 --> 00:30:28,368 And I really… I kinda was oblivious to it to be honest. 592 00:30:28,451 --> 00:30:31,996 You know, but you're young. I was 14, 15 at the time. 593 00:30:34,249 --> 00:30:35,333 [C Gutta] Big's 17. 594 00:30:35,959 --> 00:30:37,168 O's 17. 595 00:30:38,127 --> 00:30:39,587 O got the Honda Accord. 596 00:30:40,964 --> 00:30:43,925 [Hubert] O had the Accord with the flip-up lights. 597 00:30:44,008 --> 00:30:45,969 And it was like a Bentley pulled up. 598 00:30:47,011 --> 00:30:50,181 [C Gutta] Just my man having the car, we was the shit. 599 00:30:50,265 --> 00:30:52,433 Big's standpoint too, it's like, man, 600 00:30:53,393 --> 00:30:55,019 we got more brothers. 601 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,648 -[D Roc] What's the deal, Poppa? -[Chico] Yo. Fuck is the deal? 602 00:30:59,232 --> 00:31:01,359 [Chico] Stacks and stacks. Yeah baby. 603 00:31:01,442 --> 00:31:03,820 -You know what I mean? -[Big] 1421 is Cease? 604 00:31:03,903 --> 00:31:05,697 -[Chico] There. -[D Roc] Lil' Cease's bloatin'. 605 00:31:05,780 --> 00:31:07,574 [D Roc] But let Poppa do his thing. 606 00:31:08,992 --> 00:31:10,410 [C Gutta] Columbia's finest. 607 00:31:13,121 --> 00:31:13,997 [D Roc] Uh-oh. 608 00:31:16,958 --> 00:31:19,127 -Yo, we out. -[Olie] Look at your boy. 609 00:31:19,836 --> 00:31:21,838 -[D Roc] I can't see him. -[Chico] Thang! 610 00:31:21,921 --> 00:31:23,882 -[Lil' Cease] Chico! -[Chico] We out! 611 00:31:23,965 --> 00:31:25,133 [Lil' Cease] Hey! 612 00:31:25,216 --> 00:31:26,092 [Big] Come on. 613 00:31:26,175 --> 00:31:29,178 -[D Roc] Niggas waiting. You play babies. -[Big] Let him get pretty. 614 00:31:29,262 --> 00:31:31,264 He ain't get pretty in a while. Let him do his thing. 615 00:31:31,347 --> 00:31:32,515 I hit something. 616 00:31:32,599 --> 00:31:35,435 [Lil' Cease] For a long time, when he was freestyling, and doing rhymes, 617 00:31:35,518 --> 00:31:37,020 he used to say "Junior MAFIA." 618 00:31:37,103 --> 00:31:38,605 So in the very beginning, 619 00:31:39,522 --> 00:31:41,608 we didn't… nobody had no idea, you know? 620 00:31:41,691 --> 00:31:44,152 Was like, "Who's Junior MAFIA when you say that?" 621 00:31:44,235 --> 00:31:45,612 He was like, "Y'all." 622 00:31:45,695 --> 00:31:48,197 Junior MAFIA, baby! 623 00:31:56,831 --> 00:32:00,877 [D Roc] He built characters. Like Big put Junior MAFIA together, 624 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,421 gave everybody a character, gave everybody a name, 625 00:32:03,504 --> 00:32:05,089 and wrote most of the rhymes. 626 00:32:06,466 --> 00:32:10,094 Christopher Wallace certainly had a great ear. 627 00:32:10,178 --> 00:32:12,931 Knowing the drive and how dope he was. 628 00:32:13,014 --> 00:32:15,266 He was, you know, super intelligent, 629 00:32:15,350 --> 00:32:18,978 and his way with words. He would have probably set all of them up 630 00:32:19,062 --> 00:32:22,106 with a frickin' gold or platinum first album 631 00:32:22,190 --> 00:32:23,733 if they showed 632 00:32:23,816 --> 00:32:26,194 that they wanted to put in the work to do that. 633 00:32:26,653 --> 00:32:29,364 To be in Junior MAFIA, you gotta be a friend, you know? 634 00:32:29,447 --> 00:32:32,617 And they my friends. I've known them since we was little. 635 00:32:32,700 --> 00:32:34,369 We'd do the same things together. 636 00:32:34,452 --> 00:32:36,412 We all from the same neighborhood, so… 637 00:32:36,496 --> 00:32:38,706 I had to make sure everybody was straight. 638 00:32:39,207 --> 00:32:42,627 [Chico] Boo-ya! [laughs] 639 00:32:42,710 --> 00:32:43,795 We on the bus. 640 00:32:43,878 --> 00:32:46,798 It stank. Twenty degrees on this motherfucking bus. 641 00:32:46,881 --> 00:32:48,424 Everybody's baking. 642 00:32:49,300 --> 00:32:51,719 -We is dying, man. -[Chico] Everybody baking. 643 00:32:53,137 --> 00:32:54,764 Where's my boy? 644 00:32:54,847 --> 00:32:57,183 -[D Roc] We're baking up in the joint. -[Chico] My boy hot? 645 00:32:57,266 --> 00:32:58,101 Fuck, man. 646 00:32:58,184 --> 00:33:00,395 [Big] I've come to bless you, to bless you. 647 00:33:00,478 --> 00:33:02,063 -That's what you need. -Alright. 648 00:33:02,146 --> 00:33:04,232 -I'd never leave you fucked up. -Get air. 649 00:33:04,315 --> 00:33:06,025 Hit yourself one time for the camera. 650 00:33:06,109 --> 00:33:09,070 Alright, it's hot. That's how fucking hot it is on this bus. 651 00:33:09,737 --> 00:33:11,197 C's in a bunk. 652 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:14,158 [Lil' Cease] He cared about the young ones like, "I gotta… 653 00:33:14,242 --> 00:33:16,160 I gotta show them the right way." 654 00:33:16,244 --> 00:33:20,081 We was really important to him, to get us off the streets, you know? 655 00:33:20,748 --> 00:33:23,793 My life was from Washington Avenue to Grand Avenue, 656 00:33:23,876 --> 00:33:24,752 and that's it. 657 00:33:25,253 --> 00:33:28,715 This is my melting pot. We thought it was gonna be for the rest of our life. 658 00:33:29,716 --> 00:33:33,803 [C Gutta] On the block on Fulton Street where we were all hanging out, kicking it, 659 00:33:33,886 --> 00:33:37,640 we was like fake hip-hop analysts, 660 00:33:37,724 --> 00:33:38,850 me, him, O. 661 00:33:38,933 --> 00:33:42,186 Like, we would sit there and have debates all day. 662 00:33:42,270 --> 00:33:44,272 Each one of us had our favorite rapper. 663 00:33:44,814 --> 00:33:46,566 My favorite was KRS-One. 664 00:33:46,649 --> 00:33:48,651 O's favorite was Rakim. 665 00:33:48,735 --> 00:33:50,903 Big's favorite was Big Daddy Kane. 666 00:33:50,987 --> 00:33:53,865 ♪ Warm it up Kane ♪ 667 00:33:53,948 --> 00:33:56,868 We would always analyze somebody flow, 668 00:33:56,951 --> 00:33:58,578 they rhymes, and all of that. 669 00:33:58,661 --> 00:34:01,581 Wasn't like I'mma make music one day. I'mma be a rapper or… 670 00:34:01,664 --> 00:34:03,207 You know, it wasn't like that. 671 00:34:04,709 --> 00:34:07,295 -[Lil' Cease] Boy draws good. -[Olie] Whatever, son. 672 00:34:07,378 --> 00:34:10,757 [Hubert] During that time, I wasn't coming around on Fulton as much. 673 00:34:11,215 --> 00:34:13,176 He started focusing on getting money. 674 00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:16,679 My turntables got dusty. 675 00:34:16,763 --> 00:34:18,598 He wasn't even thinking about music. 676 00:34:18,681 --> 00:34:21,893 It was just about that next dollar and try to up the hustle. 677 00:34:21,976 --> 00:34:24,896 Keep it flowing. Make Fulton Street an enterprise. 678 00:34:26,064 --> 00:34:29,067 [C Gutta] When you young, it's fun for a moment, but… 679 00:34:30,485 --> 00:34:32,945 when the full gravity of it impacts you, 680 00:34:33,029 --> 00:34:34,238 it's stressful. 681 00:34:34,322 --> 00:34:35,865 You not doing the right thing. 682 00:34:35,948 --> 00:34:37,492 I mean, any civilian 683 00:34:37,575 --> 00:34:40,745 would see that as the right thing to do, is to call the police on you. 684 00:34:42,663 --> 00:34:44,999 [Lil' Cease] Big would then grow up fucked up. 685 00:34:45,083 --> 00:34:46,584 His moms had a job. 686 00:34:46,667 --> 00:34:49,712 No, we didn't really realize what was important at that time. 687 00:34:50,421 --> 00:34:53,382 Like, my moms ain't really know about everything everything. 688 00:34:53,466 --> 00:34:54,675 You know? 689 00:34:55,259 --> 00:34:57,845 I don't know what he was doing. He told me he was working. 690 00:34:57,929 --> 00:34:59,013 I believed him. 691 00:35:00,515 --> 00:35:03,643 [Donald] When he started going out on Fulton Street 692 00:35:03,726 --> 00:35:05,645 and joining in the ranks, 693 00:35:05,728 --> 00:35:08,648 I wasn't too happy. And initially, I could get him and say, 694 00:35:08,731 --> 00:35:10,566 "Come home," and he would follow me. 695 00:35:11,067 --> 00:35:14,237 Maybe for about a year, when I'd come off the road. 696 00:35:15,071 --> 00:35:18,366 And then, that part was over. 697 00:35:19,575 --> 00:35:22,453 In my mind, the only thing I could see was that, you know, 698 00:35:22,537 --> 00:35:24,288 those were guys his age 699 00:35:24,372 --> 00:35:26,374 and that he was bonding with them 700 00:35:26,958 --> 00:35:29,710 and putting some money in his pocket. 701 00:35:29,794 --> 00:35:31,671 That becomes an option, 702 00:35:32,839 --> 00:35:34,757 and he took that option. 703 00:35:37,635 --> 00:35:39,929 We had crack on a plate. 704 00:35:40,012 --> 00:35:42,348 Big used to leave it in his room 705 00:35:42,431 --> 00:35:44,392 to dry near the window. 706 00:35:44,475 --> 00:35:46,602 Hang out for a couple hours to let it dry. 707 00:35:46,686 --> 00:35:48,062 When we came back home, 708 00:35:48,146 --> 00:35:49,981 Ms. Wallace had cleaned his room, 709 00:35:50,064 --> 00:35:53,276 and as soon as he came through the door, she screamed to him, 710 00:35:53,359 --> 00:35:56,904 "Yo, why are you leaving all these hard mashed potatoes 711 00:35:56,988 --> 00:35:57,947 in the plate?" 712 00:35:58,030 --> 00:35:59,532 She scraped it in the garbage. 713 00:35:59,991 --> 00:36:02,994 She thought it was like, mashed potatoes that'd been out for a couple days, 714 00:36:03,077 --> 00:36:04,912 but that was, you know, drugs. 715 00:36:05,872 --> 00:36:07,331 Jesus Christ. 716 00:36:08,499 --> 00:36:10,042 That bastard. 717 00:36:11,169 --> 00:36:12,253 I never knew. 718 00:36:12,336 --> 00:36:15,339 I don't know if a human being can be so mad at a dead person. 719 00:36:16,132 --> 00:36:17,466 I was mad at my son 720 00:36:18,259 --> 00:36:20,178 for that, that incident. 721 00:36:20,261 --> 00:36:21,637 That's the shocker. 722 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:25,308 That was a big shocker. 723 00:36:25,391 --> 00:36:28,561 That means he brought it into my house. 724 00:36:29,061 --> 00:36:32,023 He disrespected my house. 725 00:36:33,065 --> 00:36:35,902 That wasn't my son. That's not the son I wanted. 726 00:36:36,903 --> 00:36:39,572 [Big] There was nothing she could do to stop a nigga. 727 00:36:39,655 --> 00:36:42,617 So I tell her I'mma stop, I ain't gonna fuck around no more. 728 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:45,912 She'd kick me out the crib, but I'd just like come back in, 729 00:36:45,995 --> 00:36:48,414 tell her I ain't doing it, and still be doing it. 730 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,042 [rapping] 731 00:37:16,275 --> 00:37:18,861 [C Gutta] Once Big started hustlin', Big was all in. 732 00:37:19,445 --> 00:37:21,113 Big wanted to be a kingpin. 733 00:37:22,156 --> 00:37:23,699 O had family 734 00:37:24,367 --> 00:37:29,330 that was doing big things in the drug game. 735 00:37:30,206 --> 00:37:32,750 [Frank Nitti] Olie, better known as Big O, 736 00:37:33,793 --> 00:37:37,380 he worked for his uncle, I-God. 737 00:37:38,422 --> 00:37:41,926 The Bazemores was the family who down in Brownsville 738 00:37:42,009 --> 00:37:43,636 that you did not fuck with. 739 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:48,891 It was like all the other kingpins that you know about in every other story, 740 00:37:48,975 --> 00:37:50,476 the buck stops with them? 741 00:37:50,559 --> 00:37:51,936 The buck stopped with him. 742 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,063 Brownsville is a part of Brooklyn 743 00:37:54,146 --> 00:37:57,566 that most would say is like the roughest part of Brooklyn. 744 00:37:58,234 --> 00:37:59,986 You know, a lot of hood shit. 745 00:38:01,904 --> 00:38:06,325 [C Gutta] At that time, Brownsville, East New York, held the murder rate 746 00:38:06,409 --> 00:38:07,285 for New York. 747 00:38:07,827 --> 00:38:11,163 And I think that was the year that New York had the murder rate 748 00:38:11,247 --> 00:38:12,081 for the country. 749 00:38:13,582 --> 00:38:15,418 [Frank] O was a fucking spoiled brat 750 00:38:15,501 --> 00:38:18,379 because his fucking uncle was the guy, 751 00:38:18,462 --> 00:38:20,631 and he knew nobody could do nothing to him. 752 00:38:20,715 --> 00:38:22,466 He was like the worst little nigga… 753 00:38:22,550 --> 00:38:24,552 [laughs] 754 00:38:24,635 --> 00:38:27,471 He was like the worst little nigga ever. 755 00:38:28,180 --> 00:38:30,683 When Biggie came on our side to fuck with O, 756 00:38:30,766 --> 00:38:32,018 he was always rhyming. 757 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:34,020 He got the best flow. 758 00:38:34,562 --> 00:38:35,771 His swagger's like, 759 00:38:35,855 --> 00:38:39,442 "I ain't got to be the handsomest. I ain't got to be the in-shape nigga. 760 00:38:39,525 --> 00:38:42,778 I'mma kill you with these jokes, with my social skills." 761 00:38:42,862 --> 00:38:46,532 Like, he was always trying shit out on you like, "Yo, check this one out." 762 00:38:46,615 --> 00:38:49,744 O was gonna do whatever the fuck it took to get Biggie on. 763 00:38:49,827 --> 00:38:51,120 [D Roc] Olie was always thinking. 764 00:38:51,203 --> 00:38:53,831 He was always trying to find out the next best move. 765 00:38:54,457 --> 00:38:57,626 [C Gutta] Big already had the thing with, you know, his size. 766 00:38:57,710 --> 00:38:59,128 He got the lazy eye, 767 00:38:59,211 --> 00:39:02,590 so people cracked jokes on Big since he was little, 768 00:39:02,673 --> 00:39:04,133 but Big was immune to that. 769 00:39:04,216 --> 00:39:05,468 But at the same time, 770 00:39:05,551 --> 00:39:07,636 Big never wanted to get his hopes up, 771 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:09,722 and then somebody crush his hopes. 772 00:39:10,431 --> 00:39:13,184 [Hubert] The dream of being a rapper was fading away, 773 00:39:13,267 --> 00:39:16,062 and it was more of the dream or the focus of being a hustler. 774 00:39:16,645 --> 00:39:19,190 So, you know, Roland pushed him, 775 00:39:19,273 --> 00:39:20,941 like pretty… Like, "You got it." 776 00:39:21,025 --> 00:39:25,071 I remember he just would, like I said, say, you know, once he makes it, 777 00:39:25,154 --> 00:39:26,530 that we all made it. 778 00:39:28,032 --> 00:39:30,910 [indistinct rap music playing] 779 00:39:31,660 --> 00:39:35,414 [D Roc] I mean timing is everything, but that day that you're talking about, 780 00:39:35,998 --> 00:39:37,708 it all played a part in the story. 781 00:39:37,792 --> 00:39:38,626 Definitely. 782 00:39:38,709 --> 00:39:40,378 That's why we talking about it. 783 00:39:41,504 --> 00:39:44,173 Big started coming down on Bedford and Quincy with me. 784 00:39:44,256 --> 00:39:46,884 My neighborhood was kind of more hood-ish. 785 00:39:48,928 --> 00:39:50,763 And, you know, it was just… 786 00:39:51,722 --> 00:39:53,307 It was a little different, man. 787 00:39:54,308 --> 00:39:56,352 Fifty Grand was down on my end, 788 00:39:56,435 --> 00:39:58,771 bringing his radio out on Bedford, 789 00:39:58,854 --> 00:40:01,315 doing the block parties, bringing his set out. 790 00:40:03,609 --> 00:40:07,154 I'm the bridge from Big to 50 Grand. 791 00:40:08,489 --> 00:40:10,616 D Roc used to be with us on Bedford Avenue. 792 00:40:10,699 --> 00:40:12,868 We all hustled out there on Bedford. 793 00:40:12,952 --> 00:40:15,496 He said, "I'mma bring a kid around to meet you." 794 00:40:16,288 --> 00:40:17,248 For real. 795 00:40:18,249 --> 00:40:19,583 Guaranteed real. 796 00:40:20,501 --> 00:40:22,837 His original rap name was MC Cwest. 797 00:40:23,838 --> 00:40:25,631 When he came on Bedford, he was Biggie. 798 00:40:26,757 --> 00:40:28,592 But on the Big and 'Preme battle, 799 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:31,345 'Preme got on the mic. 800 00:40:31,429 --> 00:40:33,139 They was battling. 801 00:40:34,306 --> 00:40:36,308 [rapping] 802 00:40:40,771 --> 00:40:42,565 [D Roc] When 'Preme was rapping to Big, 803 00:40:42,648 --> 00:40:44,358 I had a white washcloth or something. 804 00:40:44,442 --> 00:40:47,820 I had wrapped it around my hand because I didn't know what was going on. 805 00:40:47,903 --> 00:40:50,406 I'm like, "Damn, we don't know this dude and he's talking shit." 806 00:40:50,489 --> 00:40:52,658 So I was looking, like, "Should I beat this dude up?" 807 00:40:52,741 --> 00:40:54,660 Black-ass giant. You scared? 808 00:40:54,743 --> 00:40:55,786 Don't be scared. 809 00:40:57,830 --> 00:41:01,542 Even if you look at the battle between Biggie and 'Preme, it's like, 810 00:41:01,625 --> 00:41:05,087 you're 'Preme, and you're like 5'3", 5'4". 811 00:41:05,171 --> 00:41:07,423 You on the mic, and your voice sound tinny, 812 00:41:07,506 --> 00:41:09,341 and don't… It sounds thin. 813 00:41:10,301 --> 00:41:13,220 Big towering over this little bald-headed dude, 814 00:41:13,304 --> 00:41:15,681 dancing around and acting… Looking like a fool. 815 00:41:15,764 --> 00:41:18,559 Big comin', like, you know, 816 00:41:18,642 --> 00:41:19,977 like just with presence. 817 00:41:20,060 --> 00:41:23,772 I don't even know if Big really understood his Jamaican roots. 818 00:41:23,856 --> 00:41:26,942 Just the history of Jamaican DJs 819 00:41:27,026 --> 00:41:29,778 from what was called chatting on the mic. 820 00:41:30,362 --> 00:41:32,198 The braggadocious… 821 00:41:33,741 --> 00:41:35,284 mic presence was important. 822 00:41:35,868 --> 00:41:37,244 And Big had that. 823 00:41:37,328 --> 00:41:40,664 That's what set him different from some of the other street rappers 824 00:41:40,748 --> 00:41:41,916 was that mic presence. 825 00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:44,793 [Big] I'm just trying to rip the hardest, 826 00:41:44,877 --> 00:41:46,003 hardest rhymes. 827 00:41:46,086 --> 00:41:48,339 I just want to just be the hardest MC. 828 00:41:48,881 --> 00:41:50,758 I'm just trying to keep that notch. 829 00:41:51,926 --> 00:41:53,928 [rapping] 830 00:42:33,968 --> 00:42:36,845 Live in action, Guaranteed Raw, you dumb-ass niggas! 831 00:42:38,389 --> 00:42:39,974 Whoo, whoo, whoo! 832 00:42:41,058 --> 00:42:43,852 [50 Grand] When Big came on Bedford and they seen what he did to the mic, 833 00:42:43,936 --> 00:42:45,104 ain't nobody wanna touch it. 834 00:42:45,187 --> 00:42:47,481 Now there was a few rappers out there, 835 00:42:47,565 --> 00:42:49,567 but on the ave, Big was the guy. 836 00:42:49,650 --> 00:42:50,943 Living at the top. 837 00:42:51,026 --> 00:42:52,987 I felt a sense of pride. 838 00:42:53,070 --> 00:42:55,281 Big wasn't from that avenue. 839 00:42:55,364 --> 00:42:57,199 This is the guy that I brought here. 840 00:42:57,283 --> 00:42:59,243 That… he hustles, smokes, drinks. 841 00:42:59,326 --> 00:43:01,370 He do all the shit we do. Y'know? 842 00:43:01,453 --> 00:43:03,038 The same shit, plus he raps. 843 00:43:03,122 --> 00:43:05,499 So I kind of had a up on everybody. 844 00:43:06,125 --> 00:43:07,876 [laughs] 845 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:09,587 [C Gutta] And they came back to the crib. 846 00:43:09,670 --> 00:43:10,963 O was trying to tell him, 847 00:43:11,046 --> 00:43:12,464 "Need to make a demo. 848 00:43:12,548 --> 00:43:14,466 We take it to Def Jam." 849 00:43:15,342 --> 00:43:17,428 [50 Grand] Got some beers. Got some weed. 850 00:43:17,511 --> 00:43:18,887 Took him to the basement. 851 00:43:18,971 --> 00:43:22,224 You had a turntable, a mixer, a tape deck, 852 00:43:22,308 --> 00:43:26,020 and then surrounding the whole basement was Olde English bottles. 853 00:43:26,645 --> 00:43:27,646 That's about it. 854 00:43:27,730 --> 00:43:30,482 [Big raps] ♪ A whole lot of niggas Want Big to make a demo tape ♪ 855 00:43:30,566 --> 00:43:33,277 He knew everything he wanted. All that was new to me. 856 00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:36,071 He'd say, "Stop this right here. Get this record. 857 00:43:36,155 --> 00:43:39,158 Throw it on. Just play this certain hook, back to the beat." 858 00:43:39,241 --> 00:43:40,492 I did what he said. 859 00:43:40,576 --> 00:43:43,579 Me and my DJ, 50, we used to be on Bedford Avenue, you know, 860 00:43:43,662 --> 00:43:44,913 makin' tapes and shit. 861 00:43:45,623 --> 00:43:48,417 And everything we did, he taped. 862 00:43:48,500 --> 00:43:51,337 Everything, every kind of little freestyle we did, 863 00:43:51,420 --> 00:43:52,671 he just would record it, 864 00:43:52,755 --> 00:43:54,757 till he had like seven or eight joints. 865 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:57,343 It took us about an hour, not even an hour. 866 00:43:58,010 --> 00:43:58,886 Not even that long. 867 00:43:58,969 --> 00:44:00,763 -So everything was one take? -Yeah. 868 00:44:01,347 --> 00:44:03,515 [Big rapping] 869 00:44:11,357 --> 00:44:13,359 The next step: Mister Cee. 870 00:44:13,442 --> 00:44:16,195 -That's when I come in, huh? -Yeah. 871 00:44:16,278 --> 00:44:18,906 At that time, I was getting ready to go on the road 872 00:44:18,989 --> 00:44:19,990 with Big Daddy Kane. 873 00:44:20,074 --> 00:44:22,868 ♪ Move over bacon There's something meatier ♪ 874 00:44:23,577 --> 00:44:25,537 Fifty Grand had told me about this demo 875 00:44:25,621 --> 00:44:27,665 on this dude Big from Fulton Street. 876 00:44:27,748 --> 00:44:30,626 But I listened to it, and I was blown away. 877 00:44:32,419 --> 00:44:35,297 A lot of rappers in the early '90s, 878 00:44:35,381 --> 00:44:40,678 a lot of cats were still holding onto the way that a Kane and a Rakim sounded. 879 00:44:41,136 --> 00:44:43,555 But Big's rhyme pattern 880 00:44:43,639 --> 00:44:47,059 just sounded way more advanced than what I had heard. 881 00:44:47,142 --> 00:44:47,976 It like… 882 00:44:57,403 --> 00:45:00,698 It was different from anything that I'd heard at that time. 883 00:45:01,448 --> 00:45:03,742 So I told 50 and Biggie that we should give it 884 00:45:03,826 --> 00:45:05,828 to Matty C at The Source Magazine. 885 00:45:06,286 --> 00:45:08,539 First thing Big said to me, "Man, you know, 886 00:45:08,622 --> 00:45:12,876 don't be promising me nothing, man. Don't be saying you're gonna do something 887 00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:14,294 if you can't do it." 888 00:45:14,378 --> 00:45:16,588 So I was like, "Nah, I'mma send it to Matty, we gonna see 889 00:45:16,672 --> 00:45:18,132 what's gonna happen from there." 890 00:45:27,433 --> 00:45:31,270 In '91, '92, The Source was the Rolling Stone of hip-hop. 891 00:45:31,353 --> 00:45:33,814 The "Unsigned Hype" was this column 892 00:45:33,897 --> 00:45:36,400 where we would feature a new talent once a month. 893 00:45:36,483 --> 00:45:39,570 Artists that really had big success in the "Unsigned Hype," 894 00:45:39,653 --> 00:45:42,448 including Mobb Deep, Common, DMX. 895 00:45:42,948 --> 00:45:45,534 [Lil' Cease] The Source, we thought it was the coolest shit. 896 00:45:45,659 --> 00:45:47,119 I think that was any kid's dream. 897 00:45:47,202 --> 00:45:49,580 You wanted to be in the light, you wanted to be the shit. 898 00:45:49,663 --> 00:45:52,458 The first five, ten seconds of it 899 00:45:52,541 --> 00:45:54,376 was really all I needed to hear. 900 00:45:55,627 --> 00:45:59,465 Matty was like, "Yo, we want to feature the demo in the "Unsigned Hype." 901 00:45:59,548 --> 00:46:01,049 We need to do a photo shoot. 902 00:46:01,133 --> 00:46:02,885 I hired the photographer 903 00:46:02,968 --> 00:46:05,846 that actually did me and Big Daddy Kane's album covers 904 00:46:05,929 --> 00:46:08,849 to do the photo shoot with 50 Grand and Biggie 905 00:46:08,932 --> 00:46:11,018 on the corner of Bedford and Quincy. 906 00:46:11,101 --> 00:46:13,312 [camera shutter clicks] 907 00:46:13,395 --> 00:46:16,648 [D Roc] It was a big deal. It was all over the neighborhood, everybody had the thing. 908 00:46:16,732 --> 00:46:18,484 It's like, "Yo, you see Big in 'Unsigned'? 909 00:46:18,567 --> 00:46:21,695 Yo, this is my man!" Like, "Oh my God!" That shit got crazy. 910 00:46:21,779 --> 00:46:23,197 [camera shutter clicks] 911 00:46:24,323 --> 00:46:26,658 I think that was the button that pushed to make him like, 912 00:46:26,742 --> 00:46:30,204 "I'm gonna go hard with this shit. All these people show me attention. 913 00:46:30,287 --> 00:46:32,790 Matty C and all these people put me in The Source. 914 00:46:32,873 --> 00:46:34,708 Maybe I can do it as a rapper." 915 00:46:34,792 --> 00:46:36,210 [camera shutter clicks] 916 00:46:36,835 --> 00:46:40,297 When I got the call from P. Diddy, Puffy at the time, 917 00:46:40,380 --> 00:46:43,050 "Do you have any new material?" I brought the tape up. 918 00:46:43,133 --> 00:46:45,886 [dramatic piano melody playing] 919 00:46:48,639 --> 00:46:51,642 When I heard it, I was like, 920 00:46:52,309 --> 00:46:53,644 "What the fuck?" 921 00:46:54,686 --> 00:46:55,687 I was like… 922 00:46:57,022 --> 00:46:59,483 I was like, "Thank you, God. 923 00:46:59,566 --> 00:47:02,820 This is one of the greatest MCs I've ever heard." 924 00:47:05,155 --> 00:47:09,284 This is during the time of LL Cool J. Everybody's like having to be sexy, 925 00:47:09,368 --> 00:47:11,036 light skin, extra pretty, 926 00:47:11,119 --> 00:47:12,663 lips moisturized. 927 00:47:13,163 --> 00:47:15,374 I think Big's lips was a little cracked. 928 00:47:15,457 --> 00:47:18,794 He looked like he was just out in the street hustlin'. 929 00:47:19,837 --> 00:47:21,922 And I was just calling Mister Cee, 930 00:47:22,005 --> 00:47:25,133 who had Brooklyn on lock, and knew everybody out there. 931 00:47:25,217 --> 00:47:28,053 I was from Harlem, I couldn't just go over the bridge 932 00:47:28,136 --> 00:47:30,681 and be going into neighborhoods, asking for Biggie. 933 00:47:31,473 --> 00:47:35,477 [Mister Cee] You know, Harlem cats is always known as being the flashy, 934 00:47:35,561 --> 00:47:36,687 the gloss. 935 00:47:37,229 --> 00:47:40,065 -And where we come from in Bed-Stuy… -[50 Grand] And Brooklyn was grimy. 936 00:47:40,148 --> 00:47:42,234 …you know, we… This is hood. 937 00:47:42,317 --> 00:47:45,571 I didn't know the streets of Brooklyn. I knew the streets of Harlem. 938 00:47:45,654 --> 00:47:48,657 Nobody went to Bed-Stuy 'cause you was just gonna get robbed. 939 00:47:49,157 --> 00:47:51,869 The first meeting was with me, 940 00:47:52,494 --> 00:47:54,746 Biggie, and Puff. 941 00:47:56,957 --> 00:47:58,458 I'll never forget, it was a winter day. 942 00:47:58,542 --> 00:48:00,544 I don't remember the month but it was winter. 943 00:48:00,627 --> 00:48:02,963 We both had our winter jackets on. It was cold. 944 00:48:06,466 --> 00:48:09,011 We go upstairs and, you know, see the receptionist. 945 00:48:09,094 --> 00:48:11,346 "We're here to see Puff." We go in his office. 946 00:48:11,430 --> 00:48:15,309 No sooner do we sit down, Puff asked Big to kick a rhyme. 947 00:48:15,392 --> 00:48:17,811 He was like, "I want you to kick a rhyme for me right now." 948 00:48:18,353 --> 00:48:20,314 Because the demo tape was so good, 949 00:48:20,397 --> 00:48:25,110 I almost didn't believe that he could be this nice. 950 00:48:25,694 --> 00:48:28,322 I see this rawness when he freestyles in front of me, 951 00:48:28,405 --> 00:48:30,407 but it's still… It's great. 952 00:48:30,490 --> 00:48:35,370 It's like… It's 48 bars of pure fire. 953 00:48:35,454 --> 00:48:39,374 So I told him like, "You know, I could get a record. 954 00:48:39,458 --> 00:48:41,835 I wanna get a record out on you soon." 955 00:48:43,295 --> 00:48:44,796 [Voletta] He came one morning. 956 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:47,925 I was in my bed, and he kneeled on right on my bedside 957 00:48:48,008 --> 00:48:49,426 and told me, 958 00:48:50,135 --> 00:48:52,054 "You know, Mom, this is your life." 959 00:48:52,137 --> 00:48:54,765 Very serious, too. Very serious conversation. 960 00:48:55,682 --> 00:48:59,645 "You know, you are a teacher. You went to school. 961 00:48:59,728 --> 00:49:03,315 You're teaching. You're happy. You want me to be happy?" 962 00:49:03,398 --> 00:49:04,524 "Yes, I do." 963 00:49:05,317 --> 00:49:09,738 He said, "Mom, this is what I'm gonna do, and it's gonna make me happy." 964 00:49:10,781 --> 00:49:12,908 "And who is gonna help you, Christopher?" 965 00:49:12,991 --> 00:49:14,326 He said, "This… 966 00:49:15,035 --> 00:49:16,453 This guy named Puffy." 967 00:49:16,536 --> 00:49:19,331 He said, "Goddamn Puffy." 968 00:49:20,958 --> 00:49:26,046 I would say the first producer that I put with Big was Easy Mo Bee. 969 00:49:31,593 --> 00:49:34,805 This one day, the manager that I had at the time, 970 00:49:34,888 --> 00:49:36,974 she said, "I want you to go to a meeting 971 00:49:37,057 --> 00:49:40,227 with Andre Harrell and Puffy 972 00:49:40,310 --> 00:49:43,772 for this new artist, Biggie Smalls. 973 00:49:44,356 --> 00:49:47,359 Come to find out that he lived around the way. 974 00:49:47,442 --> 00:49:50,195 I was up on Clinton between Gates and Greene. 975 00:49:50,278 --> 00:49:52,239 That's like around the corner, 976 00:49:52,322 --> 00:49:53,448 three blocks down, 977 00:49:53,532 --> 00:49:55,200 and around the corner. 978 00:49:55,283 --> 00:49:57,536 I was working on the soundtrack for Who's The Man? 979 00:49:57,619 --> 00:49:59,663 so I kind of had that in my back pocket. 980 00:49:59,746 --> 00:50:01,665 [Matty C] His feature on that was huge 981 00:50:01,748 --> 00:50:04,292 because obviously the movie then has incentive 982 00:50:04,376 --> 00:50:06,128 to promote and market the song. 983 00:50:07,045 --> 00:50:09,840 This one day when I came around on Fulton, 984 00:50:09,923 --> 00:50:12,843 him and Junior MAFIA, they used to be, you know, 985 00:50:12,926 --> 00:50:15,053 out on the ave doing they thing. 986 00:50:15,137 --> 00:50:18,515 I'm like, "Yo, Big! Yo, I got a beat, man. 987 00:50:18,598 --> 00:50:20,684 I need you to hear something. Jump in the car." 988 00:50:21,226 --> 00:50:24,062 And I played him the "Party and Bullshit" beat. 989 00:50:24,146 --> 00:50:26,773 [C Gutta] What's up, Biggie? [D Roc] You know Biggie. 990 00:50:26,857 --> 00:50:29,776 -[D Roc] He just party and bullshit. -[C Gutta] Everything is cool. 991 00:50:30,277 --> 00:50:35,574 I told him that I had an idea of the hook that I wanted to put to it. 992 00:50:35,657 --> 00:50:38,160 ♪ When the revolution come ♪ 993 00:50:38,243 --> 00:50:43,123 ♪ But until then, you know, and I know Niggas will party, and bullshit ♪ 994 00:50:43,248 --> 00:50:45,500 ♪ And party, and bullshit ♪ 995 00:50:45,584 --> 00:50:50,047 ♪ And party, and bullshit And party, and bullshit ♪ 996 00:50:50,130 --> 00:50:51,214 He loved it. 997 00:50:52,591 --> 00:50:56,386 "Party and Bullshit" was the first record that we recorded together, 998 00:50:56,470 --> 00:50:58,764 and it's a hip-hop classic, 999 00:50:58,847 --> 00:51:04,478 and it really started him on his journey to being a songwriter that wrote songs 1000 00:51:04,561 --> 00:51:07,439 that sonically had a cinematic vibe to it. 1001 00:51:08,023 --> 00:51:13,153 And through that process, it kind of gave birth to our sound. 1002 00:51:13,695 --> 00:51:17,115 "Party and Bullshit" is really the first introduction to Biggie 1003 00:51:17,199 --> 00:51:18,075 the world gets. 1004 00:51:18,700 --> 00:51:20,911 Daytime radio didn't play rap at that time. 1005 00:51:20,994 --> 00:51:22,204 They played R&B. 1006 00:51:22,746 --> 00:51:26,458 Big pow! Just whoa! Bow! Just kicked through all those doors. 1007 00:51:26,541 --> 00:51:29,795 ♪ And party, and bullshit ♪ 1008 00:51:30,045 --> 00:51:32,422 -All we do is bullshit, and party… -[D Roc] Bullshit-- Ahh! 1009 00:51:32,506 --> 00:51:33,590 [Olie] I can dig it. 1010 00:51:34,633 --> 00:51:37,302 [D Roc] I mean, we were standing on a corner one time and about 1011 00:51:37,385 --> 00:51:41,807 four, five different cars drove by and was playing "Party and Bullshit." 1012 00:51:42,432 --> 00:51:43,558 I just know this ain't right. 1013 00:51:43,642 --> 00:51:46,478 No way in the world we on the radio and we still standing on a corner. 1014 00:51:48,313 --> 00:51:51,733 [Big] It was just like that long wait, even after I signed the contract. 1015 00:51:51,817 --> 00:51:52,692 Know what I'm saying? 1016 00:51:52,776 --> 00:51:54,861 Puff says, "What's up with the contract?" 1017 00:51:54,945 --> 00:51:57,781 "They coming." "Okay, I got me a little hustle going on." 1018 00:51:57,864 --> 00:52:00,617 Yo, Puff was the first one I ever told that shit to. 1019 00:52:00,700 --> 00:52:03,453 "These contracts gonna come, and you'll get some money." 1020 00:52:03,537 --> 00:52:06,998 I'm like, "Okay, it's all good. But let me just do what I gotta do. 1021 00:52:07,082 --> 00:52:10,043 You know what I'm saying? When you ready, just let me know." 1022 00:52:10,710 --> 00:52:11,920 Even though I told him that, 1023 00:52:12,003 --> 00:52:16,967 you know, at the end of the day I left, and I was going to my condo in Jersey, 1024 00:52:17,050 --> 00:52:20,762 and he was in Brooklyn, having to figure out how he was going to eat. 1025 00:52:20,846 --> 00:52:23,598 You know, he started to hide it from me. 1026 00:52:54,296 --> 00:52:56,214 [C Gutta] Me and Big would always have 1027 00:52:56,298 --> 00:52:58,466 real heart-to-heart talks, so… 1028 00:52:58,550 --> 00:53:01,178 This is at the time when it first came to him 1029 00:53:01,261 --> 00:53:02,637 that he could really… 1030 00:53:02,721 --> 00:53:06,600 He was like, "I got a good chance of really, like, doing it." 1031 00:53:08,727 --> 00:53:10,645 "Like, man, I hope so because, yo, 1032 00:53:11,313 --> 00:53:14,149 I'm either gonna get locked up or somebody gonna merk me. 1033 00:53:14,232 --> 00:53:19,571 I can't just keep robbing everybody I turn the corner on." 1034 00:53:19,654 --> 00:53:22,157 So we would have, you know what I mean, 1035 00:53:23,325 --> 00:53:25,035 conversations like that. 1036 00:53:26,494 --> 00:53:30,332 [Easy Mo Bee] I used to see Big and D Roc and Junior MAFIA, 1037 00:53:30,999 --> 00:53:33,210 and I don't know. I always wondered like, 1038 00:53:34,836 --> 00:53:37,088 "Yo, they ever been anywhere?" 1039 00:53:38,506 --> 00:53:40,884 I just wanted to, like, take them off the block. 1040 00:53:40,967 --> 00:53:42,469 If I had it my way, 1041 00:53:42,636 --> 00:53:44,387 they wouldn't have been on the block, 1042 00:53:44,471 --> 00:53:46,514 'cause I didn't really cherish what they was doing. 1043 00:53:46,598 --> 00:53:49,935 They was doing what they felt they had to do. 1044 00:53:50,018 --> 00:53:52,979 So, a lot of times I'd come around with the car, 1045 00:53:53,063 --> 00:53:55,565 and for no reason, not even just for the music… 1046 00:53:55,649 --> 00:53:57,651 Of course, I got music in the car. 1047 00:53:57,734 --> 00:53:59,402 But I'll come and I'll scoop 'em up. 1048 00:53:59,486 --> 00:54:01,613 They'd be on the ave. Look like he's slumping. 1049 00:54:01,696 --> 00:54:04,491 [Big] Look at this fat nigga Rerun. You going somewhere else. 1050 00:54:04,574 --> 00:54:06,701 I'd be like, "Come on, let's take a ride." 1051 00:54:09,704 --> 00:54:15,627 [moody electronic music playing] 1052 00:54:19,631 --> 00:54:21,007 We would ride anywhere. 1053 00:54:21,091 --> 00:54:22,842 Like, I'd jump on the belt 1054 00:54:22,926 --> 00:54:25,512 and just ride all the way up the belt. 1055 00:54:30,267 --> 00:54:31,810 And during them rides, 1056 00:54:32,894 --> 00:54:36,398 I got a chance to see a little bit more of him. 1057 00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:41,736 He would talk to me, man. 1058 00:54:41,820 --> 00:54:44,072 He was talking about how his moms was sick. 1059 00:54:44,948 --> 00:54:46,741 She had the cancer on her breast. 1060 00:54:46,825 --> 00:54:50,996 And he was like, "Yo, Mo, I'm telling you, man. 1061 00:54:51,079 --> 00:54:53,581 It's hard, man. It's hard right now." 1062 00:54:53,665 --> 00:54:55,750 He's like, "I gotta make it." 1063 00:54:58,253 --> 00:55:00,463 I remember specifically he saying, 1064 00:55:00,547 --> 00:55:03,049 "Yo, if this shit with Puff here don't work, 1065 00:55:03,133 --> 00:55:04,718 I'm going back to the streets." 1066 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:08,930 And I didn't want to see that happen. 1067 00:55:16,521 --> 00:55:19,524 So, my part that I could do 1068 00:55:19,607 --> 00:55:21,401 was make the best music, 1069 00:55:21,484 --> 00:55:22,902 the most banging music, 1070 00:55:22,986 --> 00:55:24,988 that could help be the vehicle 1071 00:55:25,071 --> 00:55:28,199 to take him on out and blow up. 1072 00:55:29,409 --> 00:55:31,619 So when I made music, I made music like, 1073 00:55:31,703 --> 00:55:35,749 "Yo, like, we both, we getting outta here. We movin' up." 1074 00:55:36,291 --> 00:55:38,293 [Big rapping] 1075 00:55:42,672 --> 00:55:45,759 Christopher, I think, those times, he was just 1076 00:55:46,259 --> 00:55:49,429 into the studio working, working, working. 1077 00:55:49,512 --> 00:55:50,347 I never… 1078 00:55:50,889 --> 00:55:52,515 I didn't want to stress him out. 1079 00:55:53,183 --> 00:55:55,685 But you could see he was worried 1080 00:55:55,769 --> 00:55:59,773 that I was going to go in, and maybe cancer came up. 1081 00:55:59,856 --> 00:56:03,902 But I never really, you know, talk about it 1082 00:56:04,444 --> 00:56:06,404 because I want him to get on with his life. 1083 00:56:06,488 --> 00:56:08,698 I don't want him to say, "My mom," you know. 1084 00:56:08,782 --> 00:56:11,743 I said, "I'm going to be okay." 1085 00:56:11,826 --> 00:56:13,286 With her, it's different. 1086 00:56:13,370 --> 00:56:15,538 That's Mom Duke. What am I supposed to be like 1087 00:56:15,622 --> 00:56:17,499 when she had cancer and shit? 1088 00:56:17,999 --> 00:56:21,294 What am I supposed to be like? "Fuck you! Get your own tea!" 1089 00:56:22,670 --> 00:56:24,547 No, that's Mom Duke, you know? 1090 00:56:24,631 --> 00:56:26,383 I got to take care of my moms. 1091 00:56:26,466 --> 00:56:29,969 I'm the only nigga she got. Ain't nobody else up in this motherfucker. 1092 00:56:30,845 --> 00:56:32,472 When I first went to… 1093 00:56:34,265 --> 00:56:37,519 you know, hook up with Puff, I was like the personal assistant. 1094 00:56:37,602 --> 00:56:38,603 I did it all. 1095 00:56:39,187 --> 00:56:40,772 Big had a meeting with Puff, 1096 00:56:40,855 --> 00:56:45,318 and I remember walking into his office, 1097 00:56:45,402 --> 00:56:48,321 and I see this big dude, 1098 00:56:48,405 --> 00:56:49,823 his back was turned, 1099 00:56:50,490 --> 00:56:52,659 in camouflage. 1100 00:56:53,451 --> 00:56:56,496 He had a hoodie on. He turned on, had these dark glasses. 1101 00:56:57,414 --> 00:56:58,832 And I was like, "Damn!" 1102 00:56:58,915 --> 00:57:01,459 You just felt his presence. 1103 00:57:01,543 --> 00:57:04,629 And we just got close. 1104 00:57:04,712 --> 00:57:06,172 You know, we connected. 1105 00:57:07,215 --> 00:57:09,050 I lost my mother at 15 1106 00:57:09,134 --> 00:57:11,094 from cancer, 1107 00:57:11,177 --> 00:57:14,264 and when Ms. Wallace was going through her scare, 1108 00:57:14,347 --> 00:57:16,099 Big was always nervous. 1109 00:57:16,683 --> 00:57:20,145 And I told her, "I'm gonna hold him down. You got my word." 1110 00:57:20,228 --> 00:57:22,814 I always meet Mark, and Mark told me. 1111 00:57:23,314 --> 00:57:26,401 He said, "You know, whatever he's doing, it's legit." 1112 00:57:27,485 --> 00:57:28,611 So I trusted Mark. 1113 00:57:28,695 --> 00:57:30,780 I said, "Excuse me? Well, that's the case. 1114 00:57:30,864 --> 00:57:34,409 I'm going to trust you with him." 1115 00:57:36,077 --> 00:57:37,620 [Mark] All I could do to keep him busy, 1116 00:57:37,704 --> 00:57:40,498 whether it be trying to book some shows, 1117 00:57:40,582 --> 00:57:41,583 book a show or two. 1118 00:57:42,584 --> 00:57:45,044 [C Gutta] One night I can remember in particular. 1119 00:57:45,128 --> 00:57:46,588 Paul Robeson Theatre. 1120 00:57:49,382 --> 00:57:51,259 Yeah! 1121 00:57:51,342 --> 00:57:53,261 Give it up! 1122 00:57:53,344 --> 00:57:56,848 O was just always on the side of him saying, "Yo, focus on that, man. 1123 00:57:56,931 --> 00:57:59,476 That's something for you to go at that's solid." 1124 00:58:03,813 --> 00:58:05,315 O was always doing that. 1125 00:58:05,398 --> 00:58:09,319 O was promoting Big at the little spots we was at. 1126 00:58:13,656 --> 00:58:16,618 [Big] Motherfuckin' exhausted. 1127 00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:19,537 Y'all gonna find out who the fuck is in the house! 1128 00:58:19,621 --> 00:58:22,123 [crowd cheering] 1129 00:58:23,833 --> 00:58:25,585 [C Gutta] And Big ripped it down. 1130 00:58:27,712 --> 00:58:29,255 Everybody lost it. 1131 00:58:30,089 --> 00:58:33,259 ♪ I got seven Mack 11's About eight 38's ♪ 1132 00:58:33,343 --> 00:58:36,179 ♪ Nine 9's, ten mack tens The shits never ends ♪ 1133 00:58:36,262 --> 00:58:37,722 ♪ You can't touch my riches ♪ 1134 00:58:37,805 --> 00:58:40,975 ♪ Even if you had MC Hammer And them 357 bitches ♪ 1135 00:58:41,059 --> 00:58:42,644 We just jumping. 1136 00:58:42,727 --> 00:58:44,270 ♪ …the mansion, the yacht ♪ 1137 00:58:44,354 --> 00:58:48,149 ♪ The two weed spots, the two hot glocks That's how I got the weed spot ♪ 1138 00:58:48,233 --> 00:58:51,569 ♪ I shot dread in the head Took the bread and the landspread… ♪ 1139 00:58:56,241 --> 00:58:57,909 [Big] My man was like hyping me. 1140 00:58:57,992 --> 00:59:00,078 Everywhere we go, me and O be together, 1141 00:59:00,161 --> 00:59:03,373 and the nigga be like, "Watch. When my man get on, it'll be shit. 1142 00:59:03,456 --> 00:59:05,833 We ain't gonna have to sell this shit no more." 1143 00:59:10,922 --> 00:59:12,632 [Voletta] I was coming from work, 1144 00:59:13,550 --> 00:59:15,635 and I saw Christopher out. 1145 00:59:17,011 --> 00:59:20,265 He said, "Ma, guess what?" I said, "What?" 1146 00:59:20,348 --> 00:59:21,599 "Olie was shot." 1147 00:59:22,308 --> 00:59:24,561 I said, "What do you mean? He's in the hospital?" 1148 00:59:25,061 --> 00:59:27,230 He goes, "No, Ma, Olie's dead." 1149 00:59:35,071 --> 00:59:37,657 [Frank] Some things is about principle. 1150 00:59:39,325 --> 00:59:42,036 And some things is about loyalty. 1151 00:59:42,787 --> 00:59:44,539 When you a man of principle, 1152 00:59:45,915 --> 00:59:48,334 and a man that stands for a code, 1153 00:59:50,086 --> 00:59:52,422 and somebody violate those things… 1154 00:59:54,882 --> 00:59:55,717 shit happens. 1155 00:59:55,800 --> 00:59:56,801 And… 1156 00:59:58,177 --> 00:59:59,679 O's death… 1157 01:00:01,848 --> 01:00:03,516 wasn't really about money. 1158 01:00:04,100 --> 01:00:07,312 It had a lot to do with principle. 1159 01:00:09,022 --> 01:00:12,692 [Jasmine] I-God entered the store with a hoodie on, then… 1160 01:00:14,110 --> 01:00:17,030 The uncle shot the nephew, 1161 01:00:17,113 --> 01:00:20,617 and the store owners returned fire. 1162 01:00:20,700 --> 01:00:23,077 And that's how the uncle was shot and killed. 1163 01:00:25,371 --> 01:00:27,582 It's a war zone. I never seen it so bad. 1164 01:00:27,665 --> 01:00:31,628 You know, I mean, there's been drugs when it was in the '60s and '70s, 1165 01:00:31,711 --> 01:00:33,713 but this crack thing, man, 1166 01:00:33,796 --> 01:00:37,300 it's like an explosion, like Mount Saint Helens, you know. 1167 01:00:37,383 --> 01:00:39,802 [reporter] This shooting, to you is no surprise. 1168 01:00:39,886 --> 01:00:42,555 Nah, this is like a regular. 1169 01:00:42,639 --> 01:00:43,723 Bodies everywhere. 1170 01:00:43,806 --> 01:00:45,266 And we lost our man, O. 1171 01:00:45,350 --> 01:00:46,559 O got murdered. 1172 01:00:47,602 --> 01:00:48,978 Suif locked down. 1173 01:00:49,729 --> 01:00:52,398 Only real original member of the ave 1174 01:00:52,482 --> 01:00:54,984 that's still out there is like me and Chic. 1175 01:00:55,943 --> 01:00:56,903 That's about it. 1176 01:00:57,528 --> 01:01:00,073 Do you feel lucky, like you were meant to survive? 1177 01:01:00,573 --> 01:01:03,159 Definitely, when O got killed, 'cause I was supposed to be with him. 1178 01:01:03,242 --> 01:01:04,494 You know what I'm saying? 1179 01:01:05,078 --> 01:01:07,997 When I got the call he got murdered. That shit shook me up. 1180 01:01:08,498 --> 01:01:09,749 You know what I'm saying? 1181 01:01:10,541 --> 01:01:14,295 Like, Fulton Street right now, it's a bad luck avenue. 1182 01:01:14,379 --> 01:01:16,464 If you was to go do something on Fulton, 1183 01:01:16,547 --> 01:01:20,134 it may start off prosperous. It may look good for a long time, 1184 01:01:20,218 --> 01:01:22,845 but believe me, something gonna happen wrong. 1185 01:01:23,388 --> 01:01:26,015 That's just the way it is on Fulton. It's just taboo. 1186 01:01:27,225 --> 01:01:30,353 It was kind of like a "let me straighten myself up for my boy." 1187 01:01:30,436 --> 01:01:31,646 I don't even… 1188 01:01:31,729 --> 01:01:34,107 I don't want to jeopardize that, wind up where he at. 1189 01:01:34,190 --> 01:01:36,693 That's not what he wants, so I want to do this for Olie, 1190 01:01:36,776 --> 01:01:37,902 I'mma do this for my peoples. 1191 01:01:37,985 --> 01:01:39,821 I wanna try to get us out the hood. 1192 01:01:41,030 --> 01:01:45,034 ♪ Who the fuck is this? Paging me at 5:46 in the morning ♪ 1193 01:01:45,118 --> 01:01:47,078 ♪ Crack of dawn and now I'm yawning ♪ 1194 01:01:47,161 --> 01:01:49,163 ♪ Wipe the cold out my eye ♪ 1195 01:01:49,247 --> 01:01:52,208 ♪ See who's this paging me and why ♪ 1196 01:01:52,291 --> 01:01:54,669 Everything changed, in the way he approached the studio, 1197 01:01:54,752 --> 01:01:56,879 the way he was writing his rhymes. 1198 01:01:56,963 --> 01:01:59,465 Like, "I'm in album mode." Like, this shit is real. 1199 01:01:59,549 --> 01:02:00,425 This is it. 1200 01:02:01,092 --> 01:02:02,593 [Big] The album's called Ready to Die. 1201 01:02:02,677 --> 01:02:05,304 It's just a big pile of different things that happened in my life. 1202 01:02:05,847 --> 01:02:08,224 ♪ I'm ready to die And nobody can save me ♪ 1203 01:02:08,307 --> 01:02:10,977 ♪ Fuck the world Fuck my moms and my girl ♪ 1204 01:02:11,060 --> 01:02:13,020 ♪ My life is played out Like a Jheri curl ♪ 1205 01:02:13,104 --> 01:02:14,105 ♪ I'm ready to die! ♪ 1206 01:02:14,689 --> 01:02:16,733 [Easy Mo Bee] And towards the end of the first verse, 1207 01:02:16,816 --> 01:02:17,859 that line, 1208 01:02:18,609 --> 01:02:21,904 "Fuck the world, fuck my moms and my girl. 1209 01:02:21,988 --> 01:02:25,158 My life is played out like a Jheri curl. I'm ready to die!" 1210 01:02:25,241 --> 01:02:27,034 And he came out the booth. 1211 01:02:27,660 --> 01:02:31,038 I was like, "Yo, you know you just said fuck your moms?" 1212 01:02:32,123 --> 01:02:35,793 He's like, "Yo, I'm not ready to die." He said, "That's just… 1213 01:02:36,294 --> 01:02:39,380 That's just an extension of, like, how I feel, man. 1214 01:02:39,464 --> 01:02:43,342 Like, how serious it is for me right now." 1215 01:02:44,177 --> 01:02:45,887 [Big] A nigga just be like, "Yo." 1216 01:02:46,429 --> 01:02:49,140 Fuck! If I was dead, I wouldn't have to worry about nothing. 1217 01:02:49,223 --> 01:02:51,851 I could just lay up. Either I'd be in heaven or hell. 1218 01:02:51,934 --> 01:02:53,728 I'd be laying the fuck up, chilling. 1219 01:02:53,811 --> 01:02:55,813 I wouldn't have to worry about no problems. 1220 01:02:55,897 --> 01:02:58,816 That's what I was on. I wasn't on no killing myself shit. 1221 01:02:58,900 --> 01:03:01,986 I was just saying if I was dead, I'd be a lot better off. 1222 01:03:02,069 --> 01:03:05,531 -We go into a little writing room. -[Big] Y'all turn the A/C on here? 1223 01:03:06,032 --> 01:03:09,452 He need A/C, a big guy. Big guys sweat a lot, you know. 1224 01:03:09,535 --> 01:03:12,455 -[Big] Fuck other big guys. -Talking about a dirty motherfucker. 1225 01:03:12,538 --> 01:03:15,124 [Fab 5 Freddy] That's one of the great things about Ready to Die, 1226 01:03:15,208 --> 01:03:18,002 was the relationship with Puff. 1227 01:03:18,586 --> 01:03:21,005 I liken it to the working relationship 1228 01:03:21,088 --> 01:03:25,092 of a great cinematic director and a great actor. 1229 01:03:25,176 --> 01:03:28,346 Let's just take… Coppola and Pacino. 1230 01:03:28,429 --> 01:03:31,933 Let's take Scorsese and De Niro. 1231 01:03:32,475 --> 01:03:35,812 They work very closely in a collaborative way. 1232 01:03:36,479 --> 01:03:40,399 [P. Diddy] My concept of making records was always about putting movies on wax. 1233 01:03:40,483 --> 01:03:43,653 I want you to be able to close your eyes, and wherever you're at, I wanna be able 1234 01:03:43,736 --> 01:03:49,909 to teleport you into, you know, a Land Cruiser Jeep in Brooklyn. 1235 01:03:49,992 --> 01:03:53,704 I want you to be able to smell the street, feel the heat, you know. 1236 01:03:53,788 --> 01:03:55,248 I want you to feel it. 1237 01:03:56,999 --> 01:04:00,211 [Matty C] I stopped by his house every day during the making of Ready to Die 1238 01:04:00,294 --> 01:04:02,672 because I lived a couple of blocks away 1239 01:04:02,755 --> 01:04:05,007 and had to walk by his house to get the train. 1240 01:04:05,800 --> 01:04:10,346 And so we just basically would communicate by playing each other music. 1241 01:04:10,429 --> 01:04:13,349 Stuff like Jeru the Damaja, Wu-Tang. 1242 01:04:13,933 --> 01:04:15,560 The Chronic was, you know, 1243 01:04:15,643 --> 01:04:18,354 I think the record that stuck in his head the most. 1244 01:04:19,105 --> 01:04:23,359 [Fab 5 Freddy] There were good records coming out throughout every period, 1245 01:04:23,442 --> 01:04:26,821 but in the early '90s New York had gotten a little flat. 1246 01:04:26,904 --> 01:04:30,324 Cats weren't really putting out as many bangers. 1247 01:04:30,408 --> 01:04:33,244 Other students picked up the ball and ran with it 1248 01:04:33,327 --> 01:04:36,956 and sometimes took things further than we here in New York, 1249 01:04:37,039 --> 01:04:39,041 at the epicenter, had done. 1250 01:04:39,125 --> 01:04:42,336 And then the West Coast stepped up, and they started dropping. 1251 01:04:46,299 --> 01:04:47,967 It was like, "My goodness!" 1252 01:04:48,718 --> 01:04:51,220 We didn't try to go make the East Coast version of The Chronic. 1253 01:04:51,304 --> 01:04:55,600 We was already making Ready to Die, but it made us just dig deeper. 1254 01:04:56,475 --> 01:05:00,771 [Big] That's what I think made the west a lot stronger with their music, 1255 01:05:00,855 --> 01:05:03,816 is because they have movies like Boyz in the Hood. 1256 01:05:03,900 --> 01:05:05,943 Real shit about their town. 1257 01:05:06,777 --> 01:05:08,237 And that's what I want to do. 1258 01:05:08,321 --> 01:05:10,031 So niggas can know how it is out here. 1259 01:05:10,114 --> 01:05:13,993 You can listen to the music and see the real everyday struggles. 1260 01:05:14,994 --> 01:05:15,953 [P. Diddy] Some artists, 1261 01:05:16,037 --> 01:05:18,873 you have to really talk them into sharing their truth, 1262 01:05:19,457 --> 01:05:21,459 sharing everything about their lives. 1263 01:05:22,376 --> 01:05:24,420 From day one, he… 1264 01:05:25,463 --> 01:05:30,009 He raps and always rapped like he had nothing to lose. 1265 01:05:30,635 --> 01:05:32,803 Ready to Die is an uncomfortable album. 1266 01:05:32,887 --> 01:05:34,597 You know, everything it stands for 1267 01:05:34,680 --> 01:05:37,391 from the first record down to the last record, 1268 01:05:37,475 --> 01:05:42,521 where you hear an attempted suicide. 1269 01:05:42,605 --> 01:05:48,027 You hear somebody going so low that they actually gave up. 1270 01:05:48,110 --> 01:05:49,070 [Big rapping] 1271 01:05:52,239 --> 01:05:55,743 The whole album was kind of jarring to people like that. 1272 01:06:01,999 --> 01:06:04,001 [gunshot, phone drops] 1273 01:06:05,294 --> 01:06:08,631 [P. Diddy] ♪ Ayo, Big? Ayo, Big! ♪ 1274 01:06:09,131 --> 01:06:11,926 [interviewer] So what are we going to look for in your album? 1275 01:06:12,009 --> 01:06:13,803 Is it gonna be some more "Party and Bullshit"? 1276 01:06:13,886 --> 01:06:17,139 [Big] Nah, yo, it ain't gonna be no more happy shit. 1277 01:06:18,015 --> 01:06:21,060 See, I had to do a happy song because that was a happy movie. 1278 01:06:22,144 --> 01:06:25,856 I'm hardcore. Street bound. Thug nigga. Thug for life. 1279 01:06:26,983 --> 01:06:29,694 [D Roc] I was still knee-deep in the streets, so I was just like… 1280 01:06:29,777 --> 01:06:32,530 It was just always that doubt that it wouldn't happen. 1281 01:06:32,613 --> 01:06:34,407 Everybody wanted it, but it was like, 1282 01:06:34,490 --> 01:06:36,784 let's not even get ourselves all excited about some shit 1283 01:06:36,867 --> 01:06:38,369 that we know won't happen for us. 1284 01:06:38,452 --> 01:06:40,037 That shit don't happen for us. 1285 01:06:42,623 --> 01:06:45,251 [Voletta] I think what Christopher wanted was to dibble and dabble 1286 01:06:45,334 --> 01:06:50,256 into whatever illegal things he was doing and try the music. 1287 01:06:50,339 --> 01:06:52,091 If the music worked, 1288 01:06:53,175 --> 01:06:56,095 "Okay, so I'll give that up, and I'll take the music." 1289 01:06:56,178 --> 01:06:59,390 If the music doesn't work, "Hello, I'll go do that." 1290 01:07:01,600 --> 01:07:03,352 Jan was visiting the house. 1291 01:07:04,478 --> 01:07:06,856 From what I gathered, that was his "girlfriend." 1292 01:07:07,481 --> 01:07:08,858 Then, they broke up. 1293 01:07:08,941 --> 01:07:10,818 [Big] Yo, so if I put my doubles on there… 1294 01:07:10,901 --> 01:07:13,988 He was at the studio, but he came home. 1295 01:07:14,071 --> 01:07:16,490 He goes, "Ma. Ma!" 1296 01:07:17,074 --> 01:07:17,992 "Yeah?" 1297 01:07:18,451 --> 01:07:20,077 "Jan's pregnant." 1298 01:07:21,078 --> 01:07:21,912 "Huh?" 1299 01:07:24,123 --> 01:07:27,043 "Are you in a position to be a father? 1300 01:07:27,710 --> 01:07:30,046 What are you-- you're gonna get married?" "Oh, no." 1301 01:07:31,130 --> 01:07:32,506 "Heaven help you." 1302 01:07:38,596 --> 01:07:42,433 When I came to Brooklyn I was doing office work, 1303 01:07:42,516 --> 01:07:45,186 at the same time, a nurse's aid program. 1304 01:07:45,853 --> 01:07:48,230 And my mother was worried about me too. 1305 01:07:49,065 --> 01:07:51,567 But I met Chris's father, Selwyn, 1306 01:07:52,818 --> 01:07:56,197 and I went to see The Harder They Come with him. 1307 01:07:56,280 --> 01:07:58,074 ["The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff plays] 1308 01:07:58,157 --> 01:07:59,450 A lot of Jamaicans were there. 1309 01:07:59,533 --> 01:08:02,453 ♪ The harder they fall, one and all ♪ 1310 01:08:03,204 --> 01:08:05,331 We had a wonderful boat ride. 1311 01:08:05,873 --> 01:08:08,167 It was beautiful and fun memories. 1312 01:08:09,001 --> 01:08:10,419 The next thing I know, 1313 01:08:12,546 --> 01:08:14,048 I was pregnant. 1314 01:08:16,133 --> 01:08:19,678 I told my friend that I was pregnant. 1315 01:08:19,762 --> 01:08:22,932 She said, "Did he tell you that he was married?" 1316 01:08:25,559 --> 01:08:27,019 And that kills me. 1317 01:08:33,651 --> 01:08:34,735 I had my baby. 1318 01:08:36,487 --> 01:08:38,989 And all of a sudden, he just dwindled away. 1319 01:08:40,574 --> 01:08:45,621 Selwyn called and said he would like to come over and see us. 1320 01:08:46,831 --> 01:08:50,042 I said, "Why don't you come in the morning? I'm heading for work, 1321 01:08:50,126 --> 01:08:51,961 and I'm not going to entertain you." 1322 01:08:52,378 --> 01:08:54,672 He was sneaky. He would like to come at night. 1323 01:08:54,755 --> 01:08:57,675 You're going to come at night when my son is sleeping? Hell no. 1324 01:08:59,760 --> 01:09:02,388 I never saw him after that. 1325 01:09:05,057 --> 01:09:08,519 [Big] I don't even remember that cat. I seen pictures. 1326 01:09:09,562 --> 01:09:11,188 I wouldn't even want to see this nigga. 1327 01:09:11,272 --> 01:09:14,984 It's like what could I have to say to him? What could he have to say to me? 1328 01:09:15,693 --> 01:09:18,612 I don't need that cocksucker for nothing. [laughs] 1329 01:09:18,696 --> 01:09:21,657 I don't need him for shit. My moms is straight. 1330 01:09:26,537 --> 01:09:29,874 I looked at my baby, and I said, "Oh my God! 1331 01:09:30,541 --> 01:09:35,212 What is it? I brought you into this world, and what is it I have to give to you? 1332 01:09:36,046 --> 01:09:40,634 I have a strength, I have the determination, and I have my God." 1333 01:09:42,178 --> 01:09:44,013 And I said, "I'm gonna make it." 1334 01:09:44,722 --> 01:09:46,932 I mean, that's the only person I got really. 1335 01:09:47,016 --> 01:09:49,560 You know, I don't really know my father. I don't know him. 1336 01:09:49,643 --> 01:09:52,062 My mother woke up in the morning, went to school, went to work… 1337 01:09:52,146 --> 01:09:54,273 -[DJ] Strong person. -…then back to school at night. 1338 01:09:54,356 --> 01:09:55,900 -[DJ] Right. -Just for me. 1339 01:09:59,445 --> 01:10:02,031 [Voletta] He says, "Ma, the baby's beautiful." 1340 01:10:03,949 --> 01:10:05,701 I saw this little baby, 1341 01:10:06,452 --> 01:10:08,787 and I looked at that baby, and I cried. 1342 01:10:10,664 --> 01:10:12,583 He looked at me and goes, "Ma. 1343 01:10:13,125 --> 01:10:15,377 Damn! She's not that ugly!" 1344 01:10:15,961 --> 01:10:18,297 "Ma, she's pretty! Why are you crying?" 1345 01:10:19,423 --> 01:10:22,176 "What do you have to offer this little girl?" 1346 01:10:25,930 --> 01:10:28,307 [P. Diddy] Biggie's halfway through his album. 1347 01:10:28,390 --> 01:10:33,062 One day, Andre Harrell came into my office and, you know, he told me like, 1348 01:10:33,145 --> 01:10:38,859 you know, "We're having like a two kings in the castle problem." 1349 01:10:40,819 --> 01:10:42,780 [Mark Pitts] When Puff got fired, 1350 01:10:42,863 --> 01:10:45,157 I remember everybody feelin' like, "What we gonna do?" 1351 01:10:46,033 --> 01:10:48,369 We were all trying to figure things out. 1352 01:10:48,452 --> 01:10:51,705 My concern was really, "What is Biggie gonna do?" 1353 01:10:53,082 --> 01:10:57,336 Any reason that came about, it was like, "See!" 1354 01:10:57,419 --> 01:10:59,630 It was that whole feeling of… 1355 01:10:59,713 --> 01:11:02,675 Because he was… He was still skeptical of this whole thing. 1356 01:11:02,758 --> 01:11:04,176 Is this shit real or not? 1357 01:11:05,219 --> 01:11:07,513 It wasn't all clear to him, the music stuff. 1358 01:11:08,138 --> 01:11:14,395 So a lot of the bad decisions came from wanting to provide and not be broke 1359 01:11:14,478 --> 01:11:16,480 and do things for his family. 1360 01:11:18,023 --> 01:11:19,900 Even though, you know, 1361 01:11:20,442 --> 01:11:22,528 it wasn't a huge explosion yet, 1362 01:11:23,028 --> 01:11:25,489 but I seen just enough 1363 01:11:25,572 --> 01:11:29,910 for me to know that he got a shot, and he's about to fuck it up. 1364 01:11:38,502 --> 01:11:41,005 [C Gutta] This is when Big go outta town. 1365 01:11:43,757 --> 01:11:46,302 He goes to North Carolina, started hustling. 1366 01:11:47,136 --> 01:11:50,264 [Big] Fuckin' with this money. That's how we get down there? 1367 01:11:51,807 --> 01:11:54,226 Crack was going for 20s in North Carolina. 1368 01:11:55,019 --> 01:11:57,646 What we were selling for $5 on the corner in New York 1369 01:11:57,730 --> 01:12:00,107 was going for $20 in North Carolina. 1370 01:12:03,402 --> 01:12:05,029 Jan had family down there. 1371 01:12:06,989 --> 01:12:08,615 It was like a no-brainer. 1372 01:12:08,699 --> 01:12:10,617 [Mark] I felt I was about to lose him, 1373 01:12:10,701 --> 01:12:14,121 and I remember just, "I gotta tell Puff. 1374 01:12:14,204 --> 01:12:16,790 He's gonna be mad at me, but I gotta save this kid's life." 1375 01:12:18,500 --> 01:12:20,502 [P. Diddy] So I picked up the phone, and I told him 1376 01:12:20,586 --> 01:12:24,506 I understood that desire of wanting to be able to take care of your family 1377 01:12:24,590 --> 01:12:27,718 and wanting to be able to provide and to get rich, 1378 01:12:27,801 --> 01:12:31,764 but I had a personal tragedy being that my father was in the streets, 1379 01:12:31,847 --> 01:12:36,727 and, you know, he also dealt drugs and hustled, 1380 01:12:36,810 --> 01:12:38,979 and, you know, he got killed when I was two. 1381 01:12:40,731 --> 01:12:43,609 And I said, "There's only one path for you as far as selling drugs, 1382 01:12:43,692 --> 01:12:45,319 and that's in jail or dead." 1383 01:12:45,402 --> 01:12:49,948 And I said, "I'm gonna keep on going and keep on, you know, 1384 01:12:50,032 --> 01:12:53,202 trying to make this happen. I know I'm going to make it happen." 1385 01:12:53,577 --> 01:12:57,164 And I was just like, "If you want to do this, 1386 01:12:57,247 --> 01:12:59,792 I need you to commit to this. 1387 01:13:00,334 --> 01:13:02,169 You know, you can't do both." 1388 01:13:03,337 --> 01:13:05,923 And he was like, "Nah, I'm coming with you." 1389 01:13:08,884 --> 01:13:12,137 He was like, "Whatever you want to do, dude, I'm with you." 1390 01:13:13,347 --> 01:13:17,684 When he started to really devote his life to music 1391 01:13:17,768 --> 01:13:20,813 and having that focus, everything changed for him. 1392 01:13:20,896 --> 01:13:23,607 Everything the energy attracted, everything changed for him. 1393 01:13:23,690 --> 01:13:24,525 ♪ Yeah ♪ 1394 01:13:24,608 --> 01:13:26,944 ♪ To all my peoples in the struggle Y'kow what I'm sayin' ♪ 1395 01:13:27,027 --> 01:13:28,570 ♪ It's all good, baby, baby ♪ 1396 01:13:28,654 --> 01:13:29,488 ♪ Check it ♪ 1397 01:13:29,571 --> 01:13:30,823 ♪ It was all a dream ♪ 1398 01:13:30,906 --> 01:13:32,991 ♪ I used to read Word Up! Magazine ♪ 1399 01:13:33,075 --> 01:13:35,494 ♪ Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D Up in the limousine ♪ 1400 01:13:35,577 --> 01:13:37,621 ♪ Hangin' pictures on my wall ♪ 1401 01:13:37,704 --> 01:13:40,541 ♪ Every Saturday, Rap Attack Mr. Magic, Marley Marl ♪ 1402 01:13:40,624 --> 01:13:42,376 ♪ I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped ♪ 1403 01:13:42,459 --> 01:13:43,877 ♪ Smokin' weed in Bambu ♪ 1404 01:13:43,961 --> 01:13:45,379 ♪ Sippin' on Private Stock ♪ 1405 01:13:45,462 --> 01:13:46,296 ♪ Way back ♪ 1406 01:13:46,380 --> 01:13:48,298 ♪ When I had The red and black lumberjack ♪ 1407 01:13:48,382 --> 01:13:49,716 ♪ With the hat to match ♪ 1408 01:13:49,800 --> 01:13:52,219 ♪ Remember Rappin' Duke? Duh-ha, duh-ha! ♪ 1409 01:13:52,302 --> 01:13:55,139 ♪ You never thought that hip-hop Would take it this far ♪ 1410 01:13:55,222 --> 01:13:59,017 [P. Diddy] Coming into the studio with this record that had a sample, 1411 01:13:59,101 --> 01:14:02,521 that really kind of reminded him of something that kind of felt good. 1412 01:14:02,604 --> 01:14:07,568 ♪ But you're the only love That gives me good and plenty ♪ 1413 01:14:07,651 --> 01:14:10,529 [P. Diddy] It was totally against, you know, the darkness. 1414 01:14:12,573 --> 01:14:14,450 I was on his video "Juicy." 1415 01:14:14,533 --> 01:14:16,910 I said, "Why don't you get an actress to do it?" 1416 01:14:16,994 --> 01:14:19,455 He said, "Ma, I'll get an actress if you are dead, 1417 01:14:19,538 --> 01:14:22,458 so I want you to do it." 1418 01:14:22,541 --> 01:14:24,793 ♪ And she loves to show me off, of course ♪ 1419 01:14:24,877 --> 01:14:27,504 ♪ Smiles every time my face is up In The Source ♪ 1420 01:14:27,588 --> 01:14:29,923 ♪ We used to fuss When the landlord dissed us ♪ 1421 01:14:30,007 --> 01:14:32,217 ♪ No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us ♪ 1422 01:14:32,301 --> 01:14:34,511 ♪ Birthdays was the worst days ♪ 1423 01:14:34,595 --> 01:14:37,014 ♪ Now we sip champagne when we thirsty ♪ 1424 01:14:38,015 --> 01:14:41,602 I was happy that he was making something 1425 01:14:42,186 --> 01:14:43,437 with his life. 1426 01:14:44,021 --> 01:14:46,315 You know, I wasn't worried about him anymore. 1427 01:14:46,732 --> 01:14:48,484 [P. Diddy] People were waiting for this album. 1428 01:14:48,567 --> 01:14:52,029 This was like a big deal for New York. 1429 01:14:52,112 --> 01:14:55,157 Then we hit 'em with Ready to Die, and it was over. 1430 01:14:55,240 --> 01:14:56,783 I mean, the game was over. 1431 01:14:56,867 --> 01:15:00,370 If you stood on 145th and 8th Avenue, if you stood on Flatbush Avenue, 1432 01:15:00,454 --> 01:15:02,289 you stood in front of Juniors… 1433 01:15:02,414 --> 01:15:06,251 I'm talking about every car 1434 01:15:06,335 --> 01:15:08,462 was playing Ready to Die. 1435 01:15:09,254 --> 01:15:10,506 [Chico] Lazy walking on this. 1436 01:15:10,589 --> 01:15:11,840 [Big] What the fuck, man? 1437 01:15:12,341 --> 01:15:15,260 [P. Diddy] I remember we got asked to go do a concert out in London. 1438 01:15:15,344 --> 01:15:16,512 [Big] It's like space shit. 1439 01:15:16,595 --> 01:15:19,389 We're out there. We're performing. 1440 01:15:19,473 --> 01:15:21,600 ♪ I'm blowin' up Like you thought I would ♪ 1441 01:15:21,683 --> 01:15:24,520 ♪ Call the crib, same number Same hood, it's all good ♪ 1442 01:15:24,603 --> 01:15:26,438 ♪ Yeah, now do your sold out shit ♪ 1443 01:15:26,522 --> 01:15:29,650 ♪ And if you don't know, now you know! Ladies! ♪ 1444 01:15:30,734 --> 01:15:35,030 And we can't even hear ourselves perform because they're singing and chanting. 1445 01:15:35,864 --> 01:15:38,742 Just so… They were giving us so much energy. 1446 01:15:38,825 --> 01:15:41,787 And we were like, "Wow! You know, they know us 1447 01:15:41,870 --> 01:15:42,996 all the way over here. 1448 01:15:43,080 --> 01:15:43,956 They love us!" 1449 01:15:44,998 --> 01:15:49,253 Every record, they feel what we're trying to express. 1450 01:15:50,170 --> 01:15:52,005 [audience screaming] 1451 01:15:52,965 --> 01:15:55,592 Oi, Biggie! Biggie! 1452 01:15:55,676 --> 01:15:57,803 Biggie, I want to fuck you! 1453 01:15:58,845 --> 01:15:59,763 [Big laughs] 1454 01:15:59,846 --> 01:16:01,348 How is it, being Biggie? 1455 01:16:01,932 --> 01:16:04,017 It's "Big, Notorious Big." 1456 01:16:04,101 --> 01:16:07,020 It's the first time, 'cause I got some papers in the mail. 1457 01:16:07,104 --> 01:16:09,439 The original Biggy Smallz said he gonna sue me 1458 01:16:09,523 --> 01:16:11,858 for everything I got if I use his name again. 1459 01:16:11,942 --> 01:16:13,527 So please, nobody… 1460 01:16:13,610 --> 01:16:16,196 My name is The Notorious B.I.G. 1461 01:16:16,280 --> 01:16:19,116 You can call me "Big," "Notorious Big," whatever… 1462 01:16:19,199 --> 01:16:21,660 No more "Biggie Smalls," that is dead, wacked. 1463 01:16:21,743 --> 01:16:25,414 He grew up quick, and he was like, "I wanna take care of my daughter." 1464 01:16:25,497 --> 01:16:28,041 -She's cute! Get a close-up. -You know what I'm saying? 1465 01:16:28,625 --> 01:16:30,752 [P. Diddy] "I want to make sure my mother's alright. 1466 01:16:30,836 --> 01:16:32,629 I want to become an entrepreneur. 1467 01:16:33,213 --> 01:16:34,756 I want to have a life." 1468 01:16:35,882 --> 01:16:37,134 He wanted to live. 1469 01:16:37,217 --> 01:16:41,763 As ironic as the album title was, it was really a cry out 1470 01:16:42,764 --> 01:16:44,391 for life. 1471 01:16:44,516 --> 01:16:47,102 [reporter] My favorite cut on album is the one 1472 01:16:47,185 --> 01:16:49,896 with the red dot on the head. 1473 01:16:49,980 --> 01:16:51,565 That's what we shootin' today, "Warning." 1474 01:16:55,402 --> 01:16:57,571 When he did that song "Warning"… 1475 01:16:57,654 --> 01:16:59,656 ♪ There's gonna be a lot of slow singing ♪ 1476 01:16:59,740 --> 01:17:00,907 ♪ And flower bringing ♪ 1477 01:17:00,991 --> 01:17:02,909 ♪ If my burglar alarm starts ringing ♪ 1478 01:17:03,744 --> 01:17:06,747 I thought it was a movie. I'm like, "Whoa." 1479 01:17:07,331 --> 01:17:10,167 You shoot 'em up in the house like you Scarface. 1480 01:17:11,710 --> 01:17:13,837 We was actually in the video. He… 1481 01:17:13,920 --> 01:17:16,715 [mimics gunshots] 1482 01:17:17,382 --> 01:17:18,216 Right. 1483 01:17:18,717 --> 01:17:20,218 -[Chico] Haha! -[D Roc] Uh huh. 1484 01:17:20,385 --> 01:17:22,179 -[D Roc] Who's up? -[Big] You got that shit? 1485 01:17:22,262 --> 01:17:26,224 -…that mean? -[laughing] 1486 01:17:26,767 --> 01:17:28,518 [D Roc] Woo! 1487 01:17:31,396 --> 01:17:33,023 [Lil'Cease] D Roc! What up, man? 1488 01:17:33,357 --> 01:17:35,192 Hey! 1489 01:17:35,275 --> 01:17:37,944 Shit ain't working right. There it go. 1490 01:17:38,487 --> 01:17:39,946 Another day in the joint, 1491 01:17:40,030 --> 01:17:42,199 battery level look a type shiesty, but fuck it. 1492 01:17:43,742 --> 01:17:46,536 [Lil' Cease] I never traveled out of New York until I became a rapper. 1493 01:17:47,079 --> 01:17:48,705 That was the most exciting part. 1494 01:17:49,289 --> 01:17:50,165 [D Roc] Boo! 1495 01:17:55,337 --> 01:17:57,673 [Lil' Cease] A lot of people don't leave the neighborhood. 1496 01:17:57,756 --> 01:17:59,341 -[D Roc] Uh-oh. -[Chico] Up the ramp! 1497 01:17:59,424 --> 01:18:00,884 [D Roc] Woo! Up the ramp! 1498 01:18:02,678 --> 01:18:04,262 I love you, Biggie! 1499 01:18:09,226 --> 01:18:12,187 To leave it for a while, you get to see something different. 1500 01:18:12,270 --> 01:18:15,524 I was excited to come back and tell somebody I was down south. 1501 01:18:15,607 --> 01:18:17,943 They cribs look different. The highways is different. 1502 01:18:18,026 --> 01:18:20,112 They don't hang out on corners like we do. 1503 01:18:20,195 --> 01:18:21,613 …standing up here like this. 1504 01:18:22,239 --> 01:18:26,910 And I'm just peeping how the motherfucking sun is just going down. 1505 01:18:26,993 --> 01:18:30,122 Shit just look right. The mountains in the background. Peep it? 1506 01:18:30,914 --> 01:18:32,457 See the mountains, kid? 1507 01:18:32,833 --> 01:18:34,084 That shit is ill. 1508 01:18:35,168 --> 01:18:37,295 Motherfuckin' mountains, kid. 1509 01:18:39,798 --> 01:18:42,134 [P. Diddy] Biggie stepped into that role as the leader. 1510 01:18:43,176 --> 01:18:46,972 He learned about how to be, you know, that father figure. 1511 01:18:47,556 --> 01:18:49,975 Can everybody here make some noise for B.I.G. 1512 01:18:50,058 --> 01:18:51,727 for bringing it back to the East? 1513 01:18:52,686 --> 01:18:54,187 Bringing it back to the East! 1514 01:18:55,147 --> 01:18:56,690 People had crews. 1515 01:18:57,232 --> 01:18:59,192 But this crew, they was really family. 1516 01:18:59,276 --> 01:19:01,278 They had like… It was a lot of them. 1517 01:19:01,361 --> 01:19:03,280 And he took care of all of them. 1518 01:19:03,780 --> 01:19:05,490 And they took care of each other. 1519 01:19:07,784 --> 01:19:10,829 I'm seein' him, I'm like damn proud because… 1520 01:19:13,582 --> 01:19:16,585 I see where he came from. 1521 01:19:16,668 --> 01:19:19,421 You know what I'm saying? I see… I'm like, "Damn!" 1522 01:19:19,504 --> 01:19:21,465 Like, yo, that boy, he really a star. 1523 01:19:27,345 --> 01:19:29,306 [Donald] I was really happily surprised 1524 01:19:29,389 --> 01:19:31,475 when they started calling him "The King." 1525 01:19:32,601 --> 01:19:36,271 Of course, your chest is poked out, and you're happy. 1526 01:19:36,354 --> 01:19:39,357 "Look at my guy." 1527 01:19:41,276 --> 01:19:43,904 [P. Diddy] They were calling him "King of New York." 1528 01:19:45,697 --> 01:19:47,866 Now it's time for us to make the next album. 1529 01:19:48,325 --> 01:19:49,951 He started feeling that pressure. 1530 01:19:50,035 --> 01:19:53,038 -[D Roc] The Del Vec, pusher mack… -[Chico] We going back to the studio? 1531 01:19:53,121 --> 01:19:56,500 -[Big] What's up, son? What the f-- -[Lil' Cease] Yeah, yeah, y'all. 1532 01:19:58,168 --> 01:19:59,795 I ain't trying to do no extra shit. 1533 01:19:59,878 --> 01:20:02,756 It ain't like I'm like, "Alright. Damn, I got a new album coming out. 1534 01:20:02,839 --> 01:20:06,843 Let me go shoot three niggas so I can make a song about how I shot three niggas." 1535 01:20:07,093 --> 01:20:09,930 I just rap about what I was going through. Now, I can rap 1536 01:20:10,013 --> 01:20:11,640 about this shiesty-ass business. 1537 01:20:12,098 --> 01:20:15,185 -Bad Boy forever, nigga! Mafia for life! -A'ight! Nigga, what? 1538 01:20:15,268 --> 01:20:16,436 [Big] This is what Puffy does. 1539 01:20:16,520 --> 01:20:19,773 Puffy will come up with an idea of a beat. 1540 01:20:19,856 --> 01:20:21,525 We may be in the club one night. 1541 01:20:21,608 --> 01:20:23,902 He'll see a Diana Ross record, "I'm Coming Out." 1542 01:20:23,985 --> 01:20:25,612 ♪ I'm comin' out ♪ 1543 01:20:25,862 --> 01:20:28,698 He'll see how everybody just jumps up on the dance floor. 1544 01:20:28,782 --> 01:20:31,076 He'll be like, "Yo, I want to hook that up." 1545 01:20:32,869 --> 01:20:34,996 ♪ B-I-G P-O-P-P-A ♪ 1546 01:20:35,080 --> 01:20:37,207 ♪ No info for the DEA ♪ 1547 01:20:37,290 --> 01:20:39,584 ♪ Federal agents mad 'cause I'm flagrant ♪ 1548 01:20:39,668 --> 01:20:42,045 ♪ Tap my cell and my phone In the basement ♪ 1549 01:20:47,008 --> 01:20:51,054 We met at a photo shoot that Puff had arranged 1550 01:20:51,137 --> 01:20:53,098 for the artists on his new label. 1551 01:20:53,682 --> 01:20:55,851 [P. Diddy] He just started thinking bigger. 1552 01:20:55,934 --> 01:20:58,895 How you doing? Nice to meet you. What should I call you? 1553 01:20:58,979 --> 01:21:01,273 I love it when they call me Big Poppa! 1554 01:21:04,734 --> 01:21:07,487 [D Roc] He wanted to get into acting. He wanted to get into clothes, 1555 01:21:07,571 --> 01:21:10,866 and he actually wanted to run his own label and sign artists. 1556 01:21:11,449 --> 01:21:14,536 [Big] I wanna get my hands in everything that's gonna help me get paid. 1557 01:21:14,619 --> 01:21:15,704 -[DJ] Right. -Whatever it is. 1558 01:21:15,787 --> 01:21:18,623 -Whether it's movies, TV. You understand? -[DJ] Oh, yeah. 1559 01:21:18,707 --> 01:21:21,918 Having to sell drugs on the corner to this? 1560 01:21:23,128 --> 01:21:25,547 -[DJ] You like it all? -Yeah, like it all. 1561 01:21:27,215 --> 01:21:29,384 [C Gutta] There's pressure coming from so many places. 1562 01:21:30,051 --> 01:21:34,556 The environment we was in with the Tupac stuff and this and that, 1563 01:21:34,639 --> 01:21:36,725 it's a whole new set of pressures 1564 01:21:37,434 --> 01:21:42,939 that he thought would be eliminated from making the first album. 1565 01:21:43,023 --> 01:21:45,483 [DJ] People are gonna ask about Tupac. 1566 01:21:45,567 --> 01:21:47,527 Is that something you don't like to talk about? 1567 01:21:47,611 --> 01:21:50,238 -[DJ] Weren't you guys originally cool? -Yeah. 1568 01:21:50,947 --> 01:21:53,366 [P. Diddy] The relationship and the experiences 1569 01:21:53,450 --> 01:21:54,826 with Tupac, were friends. 1570 01:21:54,910 --> 01:21:56,870 They were very close. 1571 01:21:57,871 --> 01:21:59,122 -[Big] Ready, nigga? -[man] Yeah. 1572 01:21:59,205 --> 01:22:02,500 -Ready for that raw dog shit, nigga? -[man] Show me you know how to rap, bitch. 1573 01:22:02,584 --> 01:22:03,627 Okay. Alright. 1574 01:22:04,711 --> 01:22:07,881 Let me see how I'mma hit you with it. You want to set it off? 1575 01:22:07,964 --> 01:22:09,215 ♪ You know how niggas be ♪ 1576 01:22:09,299 --> 01:22:10,800 ♪ They wanna see if Pac is real ♪ 1577 01:22:10,884 --> 01:22:12,761 ♪ Or is he like that nigga in the movie ♪ 1578 01:22:12,844 --> 01:22:14,638 ♪ I guess I gotta prove my point ♪ 1579 01:22:14,721 --> 01:22:16,890 ♪ Slicin' motherfuckers Now I'm doin' the joint ♪ 1580 01:22:16,973 --> 01:22:19,684 ♪ I got my nigga B-I to the G beside me ♪ 1581 01:22:20,226 --> 01:22:24,022 That was before the beef. That was before the problems. 1582 01:22:24,105 --> 01:22:26,608 [DJ] Where did it go wrong with you and Tupac? 1583 01:22:26,691 --> 01:22:28,318 I guess after he got shot. 1584 01:22:28,860 --> 01:22:31,780 [news anchor] Police say controversial rap star Tupac Shakur 1585 01:22:31,863 --> 01:22:35,033 was entering the street level lobby of an eighth-floor recording studio 1586 01:22:35,116 --> 01:22:37,202 near New York's Times Square after midnight 1587 01:22:37,285 --> 01:22:40,205 when three robbers confronted him and his friends. 1588 01:22:41,206 --> 01:22:44,167 [DJ] He said in one of his songs he knows you sent somebody 1589 01:22:44,250 --> 01:22:45,293 to shoot him. 1590 01:22:45,377 --> 01:22:46,628 -Why? -True or false? 1591 01:22:46,711 --> 01:22:48,838 -No, it's false. Why would I do that? -Okay. 1592 01:22:50,006 --> 01:22:52,801 [Tupac] If you act like you a gangster or a G or the King of New York, 1593 01:22:52,884 --> 01:22:54,052 I'mma expect that. 1594 01:22:54,135 --> 01:22:57,138 And when you don't come through, then I'm gonna crush your Empire, 1595 01:22:57,222 --> 01:22:58,807 and that's what it's time for. 1596 01:22:59,516 --> 01:23:01,851 I mean, people… 1597 01:23:01,935 --> 01:23:03,353 Oh my God, I don't know how… 1598 01:23:03,436 --> 01:23:05,647 People just want to see things, you know? 1599 01:23:05,772 --> 01:23:09,651 You just got people just like that that just want to just edge things on and… 1600 01:23:09,734 --> 01:23:11,319 Remember that game "telephone"? 1601 01:23:11,403 --> 01:23:13,196 Where you would say something in somebody's ear 1602 01:23:13,279 --> 01:23:16,992 and you keep saying it. When it gets back to you, it's a different story. 1603 01:23:17,075 --> 01:23:19,369 That's basically how it is, but it started from here 1604 01:23:19,452 --> 01:23:22,664 and got all the way changed by the time it got to the East Coast. 1605 01:23:22,747 --> 01:23:24,124 I had nothing to do with that. 1606 01:23:24,207 --> 01:23:27,085 It happened to be a coincidence that he was in the studio. 1607 01:23:27,544 --> 01:23:29,295 Yeah, you know what I'm saying? 1608 01:23:29,379 --> 01:23:31,339 He just… He couldn't really say 1609 01:23:31,423 --> 01:23:33,633 who had something to do with it at the time, 1610 01:23:33,883 --> 01:23:35,927 so he was kind of like laying the blame on me. 1611 01:23:36,011 --> 01:23:40,807 It really broke his heart, you know, when everything kind of went left. 1612 01:23:41,391 --> 01:23:43,727 All these weak rappers, Nas, all these suckers, 1613 01:23:43,810 --> 01:23:46,438 they battling off east and west like this is a game. 1614 01:23:46,521 --> 01:23:47,564 This ain't no game. 1615 01:23:47,647 --> 01:23:51,151 If this was chess, we'd be yelling "checkmate" three m************ years ago 1616 01:23:51,234 --> 01:23:53,945 'cause we been beat these m************. It's not a game. 1617 01:23:54,029 --> 01:23:56,740 We thought it was like some sort of theatrics 1618 01:23:56,823 --> 01:23:58,867 that we didn't get the memo on. 1619 01:23:59,576 --> 01:24:02,454 You know, and that, 1620 01:24:02,537 --> 01:24:07,083 you know, it was just going to blow over like any, you know, hip-hop rivalry does. 1621 01:24:07,709 --> 01:24:09,461 [news anchor] Shakur was on his way to a party 1622 01:24:09,544 --> 01:24:12,422 following the Mike Tyson, Bruce Seldon prize fights. 1623 01:24:12,505 --> 01:24:13,631 [gunshots] 1624 01:24:19,429 --> 01:24:22,348 [news anchor 2] Tupac Shakur died tonight in a Las Vegas hospital. 1625 01:24:23,349 --> 01:24:27,020 [news anchor 1] The 25-year-old rapper was in the backseat of a black BMW, 1626 01:24:27,103 --> 01:24:31,566 part of an informal convoy of ten cars, when Las Vegas Police say shots were fired 1627 01:24:31,649 --> 01:24:33,443 from a passing white Cadillac. 1628 01:24:33,902 --> 01:24:38,281 I specifically remember him calling me, crying, when Tupac was killed. 1629 01:24:40,158 --> 01:24:43,787 When he talked about Olie and Tupac were certainly times 1630 01:24:43,870 --> 01:24:47,499 that I saw him really become emotional. 1631 01:24:49,918 --> 01:24:53,880 Tupac's passing had a huge effect, you know, 1632 01:24:53,963 --> 01:24:56,925 just on the urgency, 1633 01:24:57,008 --> 01:24:59,385 him feeling like he wanted to get some music out 1634 01:24:59,469 --> 01:25:01,554 to kind of turn the energy around. 1635 01:25:02,430 --> 01:25:05,725 Life After Death was really about taking care of his family, 1636 01:25:05,809 --> 01:25:07,435 his mother, 1637 01:25:07,519 --> 01:25:10,605 and really just turning the energy around in hip-hop. 1638 01:25:11,106 --> 01:25:15,443 And then the record was done, and the first place he wanted to go, 1639 01:25:15,527 --> 01:25:17,529 he was like, "I want to go back to Cali. 1640 01:25:17,612 --> 01:25:19,823 I want to go and kind of set things right." 1641 01:25:19,906 --> 01:25:22,325 The body of work of music was… 1642 01:25:23,034 --> 01:25:27,914 You know, that was his strategy to really connect with fans 1643 01:25:27,997 --> 01:25:31,376 and to put all the negativity and the bullshit behind us. 1644 01:25:32,127 --> 01:25:34,671 He told me that he has to go to California. 1645 01:25:37,924 --> 01:25:39,884 I remember the last thing I said to him, 1646 01:25:39,968 --> 01:25:41,386 "Just be careful out there." 1647 01:25:45,390 --> 01:25:47,559 [Chico] We need a cart. That's what we need. 1648 01:25:55,900 --> 01:25:56,860 [Chico] Boo-ya. 1649 01:25:58,361 --> 01:26:00,530 I'm up in the joint. Sure cloudy up in here. 1650 01:26:01,030 --> 01:26:03,074 Ten niggas smoked like 30 blunts. 1651 01:26:03,158 --> 01:26:05,076 [Hubert] I knew he was in L.A., 1652 01:26:05,160 --> 01:26:08,830 and with my knowledge, I knew that that was war time. 1653 01:26:08,913 --> 01:26:12,709 I was really worried that he wasn't preparing himself 1654 01:26:13,543 --> 01:26:15,003 for being out there. 1655 01:26:15,086 --> 01:26:16,963 You should've seen this blunt we smoked. 1656 01:26:17,046 --> 01:26:18,715 Man, shit took an hour to smoke. 1657 01:26:19,299 --> 01:26:22,468 I took a whole L, took all the tobacco out the L, 1658 01:26:22,552 --> 01:26:24,804 and stuffed two 50s and a 20. 1659 01:26:24,888 --> 01:26:27,056 That shit was like this fucking big, yo. 1660 01:26:27,140 --> 01:26:28,224 You woulda hit that. 1661 01:26:28,308 --> 01:26:30,101 -[Chico] Yeah, man. -You woulda hit that. 1662 01:26:30,185 --> 01:26:31,311 [Chico] Yeah, man. 1663 01:26:32,520 --> 01:26:34,522 [Big] I want to throw the little niggas a party. 1664 01:26:34,606 --> 01:26:35,815 [Chico] All the chronic. 1665 01:26:37,901 --> 01:26:39,027 Here we are. Alright? 1666 01:26:42,572 --> 01:26:44,407 [Big] We ballin' out here in Cali, you know. 1667 01:26:44,490 --> 01:26:46,117 East Coast Don in the house. 1668 01:26:46,826 --> 01:26:50,413 I just wanna let everybody know that I'm here. You know what I'm saying? 1669 01:26:50,496 --> 01:26:53,541 I ain't going nowhere. Bad Boy ain't going nowhere. 1670 01:26:53,625 --> 01:26:55,752 All the rumors. You know what I'm saying? 1671 01:26:55,835 --> 01:26:58,004 You shouldn't sit back and listen to rumors. 1672 01:26:58,087 --> 01:27:00,757 You know what I'm sayin'? Just take the chance to know the person, 1673 01:27:00,840 --> 01:27:04,052 before you judge the person. That goes with anybody, not just me. 1674 01:27:04,385 --> 01:27:06,304 If you hear something about somebody or whatever, 1675 01:27:06,387 --> 01:27:08,389 don't be so quick to be like, "I don't like him." 1676 01:27:08,473 --> 01:27:10,433 Try to find out what's going on. 1677 01:27:10,516 --> 01:27:12,435 Try to get the facts first. 1678 01:27:12,518 --> 01:27:14,395 I'm gonna continue to keep making those songs 1679 01:27:14,479 --> 01:27:17,065 that make you dance and make you groove 1680 01:27:17,148 --> 01:27:20,652 and have kids and all kinds of things, you know. 1681 01:27:20,735 --> 01:27:23,029 I'm here. Me and my man, Ceaselia, 1682 01:27:23,529 --> 01:27:26,282 we're just gonna do our thing forever. Forever and ever. 1683 01:27:28,868 --> 01:27:32,330 [Gwendolyn] One Sunday morning, I turned on the television. 1684 01:27:33,623 --> 01:27:36,167 [news anchor 3] Early today, as he left a party in Los Angeles… 1685 01:27:36,751 --> 01:27:38,419 Saw it on the television, 1686 01:27:38,503 --> 01:27:40,713 "The Notorious B.I.G. 1687 01:27:40,797 --> 01:27:44,717 was gunned down at Los Angeles last night." 1688 01:27:45,301 --> 01:27:48,680 [police officer] Unknown suspects apparently fired multiple rounds 1689 01:27:48,763 --> 01:27:53,476 at one victim by the name of Christopher Wallace, age 24. 1690 01:27:53,559 --> 01:27:56,312 [news anchor 4] Shakur is also in the mural. Police say… 1691 01:27:56,396 --> 01:28:00,149 [Gwendolyn] Some hospital tried to perform an emergency operation. 1692 01:28:00,233 --> 01:28:01,609 He was pronounced dead. 1693 01:28:03,152 --> 01:28:05,071 I couldn't believe my eyes. 1694 01:28:14,622 --> 01:28:17,667 I can't understand why… 1695 01:28:20,253 --> 01:28:22,755 they had to take away his life like that. 1696 01:28:30,722 --> 01:28:32,724 [P. Diddy] In that last night, we were talking about 1697 01:28:32,807 --> 01:28:34,892 all the positive things we were gonna do. 1698 01:28:35,810 --> 01:28:38,604 He was ready to be who he was destined to become. 1699 01:28:39,355 --> 01:28:42,483 [D Roc] One red light could change your life. 1700 01:28:43,109 --> 01:28:43,985 Forever. 1701 01:28:55,455 --> 01:28:56,789 I was in the car with him. 1702 01:28:57,957 --> 01:28:59,959 If it wasn't meant for me to be there, I wouldn't. 1703 01:29:00,043 --> 01:29:02,253 Clearly, I'm here for a reason. You know what I mean? 1704 01:29:02,837 --> 01:29:04,589 Probably still ain't even figured it out yet. 1705 01:29:23,816 --> 01:29:26,694 [somber music playing] 1706 01:29:44,003 --> 01:29:45,546 [Voletta] Coming from that funeral… 1707 01:29:48,216 --> 01:29:50,051 I felt I was in a dream. 1708 01:29:53,221 --> 01:29:54,472 I wasn't crying. 1709 01:29:55,765 --> 01:29:57,016 That day, 1710 01:29:58,184 --> 01:29:59,769 it was just too heavy. 1711 01:30:02,021 --> 01:30:03,314 I never shed a tear. 1712 01:30:03,981 --> 01:30:05,316 I didn't have any. 1713 01:30:08,236 --> 01:30:10,446 With all those people along the way. 1714 01:30:12,573 --> 01:30:15,827 Sheets out the window, "Goodbye, Biggie." 1715 01:30:20,289 --> 01:30:22,250 When I hit Saint James Place 1716 01:30:23,835 --> 01:30:25,711 and I saw the crowd… 1717 01:30:29,257 --> 01:30:33,511 Oh my God, this kid was well-loved. 1718 01:30:34,178 --> 01:30:35,805 That's when I saw the love. 1719 01:30:37,223 --> 01:30:38,975 But it didn't really hit me 1720 01:30:39,517 --> 01:30:41,269 until when I listened. 1721 01:30:42,228 --> 01:30:44,480 And I only listened to it once. 1722 01:30:45,064 --> 01:30:47,483 Only listened to those albums once. 1723 01:30:47,567 --> 01:30:49,402 I didn't want to listen to it twice. 1724 01:30:49,485 --> 01:30:51,571 I listened to it once. 1725 01:30:53,531 --> 01:30:56,784 The tears came. 1726 01:30:59,078 --> 01:31:01,372 There was a time where I had to get Ms. Wallace on point. 1727 01:31:01,456 --> 01:31:03,833 She was going through it. She just lost her son. 1728 01:31:03,916 --> 01:31:07,128 I just lost a friend. The kids just lost a father. 1729 01:31:09,088 --> 01:31:10,006 Mommy! 1730 01:31:15,511 --> 01:31:17,763 [Big] When I look at my daughter and my son, 1731 01:31:19,056 --> 01:31:21,142 it's like it's something to live for. 1732 01:31:21,851 --> 01:31:23,853 And it's like I'm doing it for them. 1733 01:31:24,312 --> 01:31:26,481 Everything I do, I'm just doing it for them. 1734 01:31:26,564 --> 01:31:28,441 All the way to the back. 1735 01:31:28,524 --> 01:31:30,443 Motherfuckers blowing shit up! 1736 01:31:30,526 --> 01:31:33,696 [Lil' Cease] By the blessing of God, Big had a gifted talent 1737 01:31:34,363 --> 01:31:37,074 that saved a lot of people's lives but his. 1738 01:31:37,158 --> 01:31:38,326 You know? 1739 01:31:41,370 --> 01:31:42,705 It's just hitting me. 1740 01:31:44,290 --> 01:31:48,085 Every once in a while it hits me that I won't see my little buddy no more. 1741 01:31:49,795 --> 01:31:53,132 It's great to see Biggie's murals all around the neighborhood 1742 01:31:53,966 --> 01:31:57,094 and to see how far he has transcended 1743 01:31:57,637 --> 01:31:58,721 into the psyche. 1744 01:32:00,473 --> 01:32:02,266 He's an icon of the world now. 1745 01:32:07,104 --> 01:32:09,273 [P. Diddy] I knew after Big's passing 1746 01:32:09,357 --> 01:32:12,235 that we was in some sort of frequency 1747 01:32:12,318 --> 01:32:17,365 that was having an effect on millions of people across the world. 1748 01:32:18,741 --> 01:32:20,535 He gave me more of a purpose. 1749 01:32:20,618 --> 01:32:23,829 Taught me the importance of life, how short life was. 1750 01:32:25,915 --> 01:32:29,210 Also, the value of that level of belief. 1751 01:32:31,754 --> 01:32:34,840 He had a life that had such a profound effect. 1752 01:32:36,592 --> 01:32:39,095 It really gave birth to the future of hip-hop. 1753 01:32:41,681 --> 01:32:43,307 It wasn't all for nothing 1754 01:32:43,933 --> 01:32:46,519 in that he would live on forever through his music. 1755 01:32:47,687 --> 01:32:50,022 [Big] I've always said I'm like the eyes of the world, 1756 01:32:50,523 --> 01:32:52,733 'Cause I done did all the bullshit! 1757 01:32:54,652 --> 01:32:56,988 But you gotta learn from your mistakes. 1758 01:32:58,447 --> 01:33:00,533 Now it's my time to speak about it. 1759 01:33:01,409 --> 01:33:03,578 Not necessarily about making my story, 1760 01:33:03,661 --> 01:33:04,996 "You shouldn't do this," 1761 01:33:05,079 --> 01:33:06,455 or, "You should do this." 1762 01:33:06,539 --> 01:33:08,624 But just making my story, it's like, 1763 01:33:10,251 --> 01:33:12,128 "This is how it is." 1764 01:33:21,679 --> 01:33:23,306 ♪ Who y'all talkin' to, man? ♪ 1765 01:33:23,389 --> 01:33:25,099 ["I Got a Story to Tell" playing] 1766 01:33:25,182 --> 01:33:26,100 ♪ Uh ♪ 1767 01:33:26,726 --> 01:33:28,853 ♪ Check it out ♪ 1768 01:33:30,146 --> 01:33:33,107 ♪ I kick flows for ya Kick down doors for ya ♪ 1769 01:33:33,190 --> 01:33:35,610 ♪ Even left All my motherfucking hoes for ya ♪ 1770 01:33:35,693 --> 01:33:38,195 ♪ Niggas think Frankie pussy whipped Nigga picture that ♪ 1771 01:33:38,279 --> 01:33:41,324 ♪ With a Kodak, Insta-ma-tak We don't get down like that ♪ 1772 01:33:41,407 --> 01:33:45,119 ♪ Lay my game down quite flat Sweetness, where you parked at?♪ 1773 01:33:45,202 --> 01:33:47,204 ♪ Petiteness but that ass fat ♪ 1774 01:33:47,288 --> 01:33:49,498 ♪ She got a body Make a nigga wanna eat that ♪ 1775 01:33:49,582 --> 01:33:51,626 ♪ I'm fuckin' with you The bitch official though ♪ 1776 01:33:51,709 --> 01:33:53,502 ♪ Dick harder than a missile, yo ♪ 1777 01:33:53,586 --> 01:33:56,631 ♪ Try to hit it if she trippin' Disappearing like Arsenio ♪ 1778 01:33:56,714 --> 01:33:59,550 ♪ Yo, the bitch push a double-oh With the five in front ♪ 1779 01:33:59,634 --> 01:34:02,219 ♪ Probably a conniving stunt Y'all drive in front ♪ 1780 01:34:02,303 --> 01:34:04,639 ♪ I'm a peel with her Find a deal with her ♪ 1781 01:34:04,722 --> 01:34:08,225 ♪ She fuck around and steal, huh? Then we all get laced ♪ 1782 01:34:08,309 --> 01:34:10,895 ♪ Televisions, Versace heaven When I'm up in them ♪ 1783 01:34:10,978 --> 01:34:13,147 ♪The shit she kicked All the shit's legit ♪ 1784 01:34:13,230 --> 01:34:15,650 ♪ She get dick from a player Off the New York Knicks ♪ 1785 01:34:15,733 --> 01:34:18,361 ♪ Nigga tricked ridiculous The shit was plush ♪ 1786 01:34:18,444 --> 01:34:21,113 ♪ She's stressing me to fuck Like she was in a rush ♪ 1787 01:34:21,197 --> 01:34:23,282 ♪ We fucked in his bed, quite dangerous ♪ 1788 01:34:23,366 --> 01:34:26,202 ♪ I'm in his ass while he Playing against the Utah Jazz ♪ 1789 01:34:26,285 --> 01:34:28,954 ♪ My 112, CD blast, I was past ♪ 1790 01:34:29,038 --> 01:34:31,457 ♪ She came twice, I came last Roll the grass ♪ 1791 01:34:31,540 --> 01:34:34,001 ♪ She giggle, sayin' "I'm smoking on homegrown" ♪ 1792 01:34:34,085 --> 01:34:36,379 ♪ Then I heard her moan "Honey I'm home" ♪ 1793 01:34:36,462 --> 01:34:38,964 ♪ Yup, tote chrome For situations like this ♪ 1794 01:34:39,048 --> 01:34:41,634 ♪ I'm up in his broad I know he won't like this ♪ 1795 01:34:41,717 --> 01:34:43,803 ♪ Now I'm like "Bitch, you better talk to him" ♪ 1796 01:34:43,886 --> 01:34:48,015 ♪ Before this fist put a spark to him Fuck around shit get dark to him ♪ 1797 01:34:48,099 --> 01:34:51,644 ♪ Put a part through him Lose a major part to him, arm, leg ♪ 1798 01:34:51,727 --> 01:34:54,397 ♪ She beggin' me to stop But this cat gettin' closer ♪ 1799 01:34:54,480 --> 01:34:57,566 ♪ Gettin hot like a toaster I cocks the toast, uh ♪ 1800 01:34:57,650 --> 01:34:59,902 ♪ Before my eyes could blink She screams out ♪ 1801 01:34:59,985 --> 01:35:04,615 ♪ "Honey bring me up somethin' to drink" He go back downstairs more time to think ♪ 1802 01:35:04,699 --> 01:35:07,451 ♪ My brain racin' She's tellin' me to stay patient ♪ 1803 01:35:07,535 --> 01:35:11,997 ♪ She don't know I'm cool as a fan Gat in hand, I don't wanna blast her man ♪ 1804 01:35:12,081 --> 01:35:15,000 ♪ But I can and I will though I'm tryna chill though ♪ 1805 01:35:15,084 --> 01:35:17,586 ♪ Even though situation Lookin' kinda ill, yo ♪ 1806 01:35:17,670 --> 01:35:19,588 ♪ It came to me like a song I wrote ♪ 1807 01:35:19,672 --> 01:35:22,133 ♪ Told the bitch "Gimme your scarf, pillowcase and rope" ♪ 1808 01:35:22,216 --> 01:35:24,677 ♪ Got dressed quick Tied the scarf around my face ♪ 1809 01:35:24,802 --> 01:35:27,263 ♪ Roped the bitch up Gagged her mouth with the pillowcase ♪ 1810 01:35:27,346 --> 01:35:30,099 ♪ Play the cut Nigga coming off some love potion shit ♪ 1811 01:35:30,182 --> 01:35:33,352 ♪ Flash the heat on 'em He stood emotionless, dropped the glass ♪ 1812 01:35:33,436 --> 01:35:35,438 ♪ Screaming "Don't blast here's the stash ♪ 1813 01:35:35,521 --> 01:35:38,107 ♪ A hundred cash Just don't shoot my ass please!" ♪ 1814 01:35:38,190 --> 01:35:40,151 ♪ Nigga pulling mad G's out the floor ♪ 1815 01:35:40,234 --> 01:35:42,653 ♪ Put stacks in a Prada knapsack Hit the door ♪ 1816 01:35:42,737 --> 01:35:45,197 ♪ Grab the keys to the five Call my niggas on the cell ♪ 1817 01:35:45,281 --> 01:35:47,283 ♪"Bring some weed I got a story to tell" Uh, uh ♪ 1818 01:35:47,366 --> 01:35:50,995 ♪ Yo man, y'all niggas ain't gon' believe What the fuck happened to me ♪ 1819 01:35:51,078 --> 01:35:53,080 ♪ Remember that bitch I left the club with, man? ♪ 1820 01:35:53,164 --> 01:35:54,039 ♪ Yeah ♪ 1821 01:35:54,123 --> 01:35:56,333 ♪ Yo, sticky, yo I'm up in this bitch crib ♪ 1822 01:35:56,417 --> 01:35:58,836 ♪This bitch fucking one of them Ol' Knick ass niggas and shit ♪ 1823 01:35:59,336 --> 01:36:01,756 -♪I'm up in the spot, so you know ♪ -♪ Who cuz? ♪ 1824 01:36:01,839 --> 01:36:04,842 ♪ I don't know, I don't know which one? One of them 6'5" niggas, I don't know ♪ 1825 01:36:04,925 --> 01:36:05,801 ♪ Yeah ♪ 1826 01:36:05,885 --> 01:36:09,513 ♪ Anyway I'm up in the motherfucking spot So boom I'm up in the pussy, whatever ♪ 1827 01:36:09,597 --> 01:36:12,975 ♪ I sparks up some lye Pop Duke creeps up in on some ♪ 1828 01:36:13,058 --> 01:36:14,059 ♪ Get the fuck out ♪ 1829 01:36:14,143 --> 01:36:17,396 ♪ Must have been rained out or something He comes up in the spot ♪ 1830 01:36:17,480 --> 01:36:22,276 ♪ Had me scared, had me scared to death I was shook Daddy ♪ 1831 01:36:22,359 --> 01:36:24,361 ♪ But I forgot I had my Roscoe on me ♪ 1832 01:36:26,113 --> 01:36:28,574 ♪ Always, you know how we do ♪ 1833 01:36:28,657 --> 01:36:31,994 ♪ So boom the nigga comes up the stairs He creeping up the steps ♪ 1834 01:36:32,077 --> 01:36:34,538 ♪The bitch all shook She sends the nigga back downstairs ♪ 1835 01:36:34,622 --> 01:36:36,081 ♪ To get some drinks and shit ♪ 1836 01:36:36,165 --> 01:36:38,709 ♪ Shit gettin' mad nervous So I said fuck that man ♪ 1837 01:36:38,793 --> 01:36:41,629 ♪ I know you was ready to clap him Man nigga, you know how we do nigga ♪ 1838 01:36:41,712 --> 01:36:45,007 ♪ Ransom note style put the scarf Around my motherfucking face ♪ 1839 01:36:45,090 --> 01:36:47,259 ♪ Gagged that bitch up Played the kizzack ♪ 1840 01:36:48,511 --> 01:36:52,139 ♪ Soon as this nigga comes up in the spot Flash the Desert in his face ♪ 1841 01:36:52,223 --> 01:36:53,808 ♪ He drops the glass ♪ 1842 01:36:53,891 --> 01:36:57,645 ♪ Looked like the nigga pissed on himself Or somethin', word to my mother ♪ 1843 01:36:58,813 --> 01:37:02,608 ♪ Motherfucker, this nigga runs dead To the floor, peels up the carpet ♪ 1844 01:37:02,691 --> 01:37:05,277 -♪ Start giving me mad paper ♪ -♪ Oh shit ♪ 1845 01:37:05,361 --> 01:37:06,362 ♪ Mad paper ♪ 1846 01:37:06,445 --> 01:37:10,199 ♪ Yo, I told you that bitch Was a shiesty bitch, cuz ♪ 1847 01:37:10,282 --> 01:37:13,953 ♪ Word to your mama I used to fuck With her cousin but you ain't know that ♪ 1848 01:37:14,036 --> 01:37:15,454 [laughter] 1849 01:37:15,538 --> 01:37:17,248 ♪ You wouldn't know that shit ♪ 1850 01:37:17,331 --> 01:37:18,249 ♪ Really though ♪ 1851 01:37:18,332 --> 01:37:21,460 ♪ I put all that motherfucking money Up in the Prada knapsack ♪ 1852 01:37:21,544 --> 01:37:24,463 ♪ And uh, two words, I'm gone ♪ 1853 01:37:24,547 --> 01:37:25,548 [laughter] 1854 01:37:25,631 --> 01:37:27,633 ♪ No doubt, no doubt ♪ 1855 01:37:28,175 --> 01:37:30,302 ♪ Yo nigga, you got some loud? Y'all got some loud? ♪ 1856 01:37:30,386 --> 01:37:31,303 ♪ No doubt ♪ 1857 01:37:33,222 --> 01:37:34,890 ♪ Yo, you got that dust, baby? ♪ 1858 01:37:34,974 --> 01:37:37,226 ♪ The other day Was a good day for you, baby ♪