In this regard, he was similar to Tupac Shakur, his one-time friend turned bitter rival a contest that spiraled horrifyingly out of control leaving neither man alive to tell the tale. This is what I always tell them: this is wrestling, B. Youre picking characters. His father abandoned the family when Biggie was only two, and his mother, Voletta Wallace, worked two jobs to send her son to a private school. Tupac was struck four times. There were two more posthumous albums using previously unreleased material: Born Again in 1999 and Duets: the Final Chapter in 2005 featuring a host of guests including Eminem, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and, bizarrely, Bob Marley also from beyond the grave and the metal band Korn. Wallaces first single as a solo artist, Party and Bullshit, was released the following year, and his first album, Ready to Die, was released in 1994 under the name The Notorious B.I.G. Ambrosia For Heads: You said that in the beginning, it was Versace-ish. What were the budgets like in the beginning? He aint have nothin to do with what happened to Pac, he said. It was all a dream/I used to read Word Up! Whatever you sayin, lets create this pictureand thats what it was. Possibly because todays rap beefs look like this, the 90s feud that led to the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur remains a subject of endless public fascination, and bottomless bins of tacky, airbrushed T-shirts. 15 on the Billboard 2000, and spawned the Top 10 hit, Big Poppa.. So we started out as urban, and now were completely mainstream. The Notorious B.I.G. real name was Christopher George Latore Wallace. He was also famous from other names as Biggie Smalls, Biggie. He was born on May 21, 1972 at New York City, New York, United States. He was American by nationality. They knew where I lived; they knew my moms.. [His music] is still just as impactful, as if he were this new, dope rapper from Brooklyn, now, Faith told CNN in 2017. That. Ambrosia For Heads: Were you sewing alligators on the shirts, or not that small? Juicy (1994) In 2019, Juicy was voted not just the greatest Notorious BIG track, but the greatest hip-hop track of all time in a BBC poll. Guy Wood, Sr: The only thing Versace was the glasses. In 1994, West Coast gangsta rap artist Tupac Shakur was shot and robbed in New York. 's Final Days and Drive-By Murder in Los Angeles. At the age of 17, Biggie quit high school and lived on the streets. Puff Daddys Victory ft. Because Ive done so much stuffand thats not to be bragging. He survived, but accused Combs and Biggieat one point his friendof masterminding the attack. (Propagation). Sharene Wood: And I am Sharene Wood. He was 24 years old when he was gunned down in 1997 in Los Angeles, a murder that has never been solved. Everything We Know So Far, 54 Times Heidi Klum's Gorgeous, Colorful Fashion Choices Stopped Us in Our Tracks, This Growth Serum Is Restoring Peoples Thinning Strands to The Best Theyve Ever BeenHeres How to Get It For Less, How Black Creators Can Expand Their Network with LinkedIn. Guy Wood, Sr.: Nah, nah. Igor is a SEO specialist, designer, and freelance writer. I began to wonder in my mind, like, How is the public gonna receive him? But once those lyrics came out, that just took over everything. He was shot and killed on March 9, 1997. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. So whenever you saw him, from Juicy to Hypnotize, was all us. That same summer, he was charged with beating and robbing a friend of a concert promoter at a New Jersey nightclub. A Cadillac pulled up alongside them at a stoplight, and an unidentified rider opened fire. And while the bottles were popping at Vibe magazines post-Soul Train Awards party in Los Angeles, he was trying to convince DJ Clark Kent to be his spinning sidekick across the pond. He said, Oh, Im a 2X and Im a 38 pant. So when I bring the clothes, nothing is really fitting properly. As you guys started to change, and he started to wear suits more, he loved suits and hats. I love when he was monochromatic and like had that baby bluethe cap on and the suede jacket. 50 Wonderful Roald Dahl Quotes To Awaken The Kid In You, 100 of the Best Seth Godin Quotes on Business, Education, and Success, Feud with Tupac Shakur and other Legal Problems, tragic and senseless death of Biggie Smalls, and if you don t know now you know biggie, biggie biggie biggie can t you see lyrics, biggie smalls biggie biggie biggie can t you see lyrics, biggie smalls biggie smalls biggie smalls, biggie smalls if you don t know now you know, biggie smalls life after death full album, can t change the world unless we change ourselves, excellence is my presence never tense never hesitant lyrics, first rule never let them change you lyrics, how will they know unless we tell them lyrics, i hope he makes the biggest mistake lyrics, i want to know everything about you lyrics, if you don t know now you know biggie smalls, love is better the second time around lyrics, name ten things you wanna do before you die lyrics, no money no problems notorious big lyrics, sometimes something beautiful happens in this world lyrics, started out with nothing i was hungry lyrics, stereotypes of a black male misunderstood, the notorious big everyday struggle lyrics, we are the people who rule the world lyrics, we can t change the world unless we change ourselves, who owns the rights to notorious big music, you are the best thing that happened to me lyrics, you don t have to change the world lyrics, you re nobody til somebody kills you lyrics. went from wearing bandanas and t-shirts to rocking tailored suits and silk shirts. My first impression of him, of course, was [of] this big fat dude, said Easy Mo Bee. And they went out, and they took too long to come back. His work brought Bad Boy Entertainment into competition with Death Row Records in Los Angeles, and that competition in turn made its way into marketing. The memory of murdered rapper Biggie Smalls was manifestly in the housethe House of Representativesthree years before it was more subtly invoked in He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games. The album was certified diamond in 2000 after selling more than 10 million copies. Alternate titles: Biggie Smalls, Christopher Wallace. A single from that album, "I'll Be Missing You," dedicated to Biggie's memory, won the Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group in 1998 ironically beating Biggie himself, whose "Mo Money Mo Problems" was nominated in the same category. Biggie Smalls, also known as "The Notorious B.I.G.," was a revered hip-hop artist and face of East Coast gangsta rap. The Notorious B.I.G., also called Biggie Smalls, byname of Christopher George Latore Wallace, (born May 21, 1972, Brooklyn, New Yorkdied March 9, 1997, Los Angeles, California), American rapper who was among the most influential artists of 1990s gangsta rap. He had formed the group to mentor young rappers including Lil' Kim, with whom he would have an affair. Born Christopher Wallace in Brooklyn, the Notorious B.I.G. The album was released as scheduled after his death, entering the charts at number one and selling almost 700,000 copies in the first week. I didnt latch on at the endand weve done that with a lot of people, but Bighe was just the one. Im like, wow, we went along for that ride, cause once people have a look, you become part of their brand because they need that look to continue. I came from the ghetto. But they have since reconciled, and Kim appeared on a 2017 album of duets between Evans and Smalls, titled The King and I. The podcast also features interviews with Biggie collaborators. But if nothing else, this news negates our pet theory that Tupacs last words were Please, dont make me into a hologram.. The album, Ready to Die, was certified gold within two months, double-platinum the following year, and eventually quadruple-platinum. So its like, I put you in something that you feel you comfortable. The animosity will prove to be fatal for both Tupac and Biggie some years later. When he says, Throw your Rolex in the sky and wave it from side-to-side, everybody had to have a Rolex. It became the first step toward a successful career in the rap industry. After the fight was over, Tupac and her entourage were engaged in a violent scuffle with a man later identified as a member of the Los Angeles-based Crips gang, per History. following a lawsuit by Calvin Lockhart, who played the character Biggie Smalls in 1975s Lets Do It Again, the inspiration for Biggies moniker joined Combs on the label. The way he would tell vivid stories was perfection. It let me know how much strength I have. You cant keep looking back over your shoulders. After Biggies death the following year, Brooklyns Finest came to represent a passing of the baton. Having grown up in a hard and violent world, Biggies lyrics reflected a gritty realness, and many people responded positively to it. The first two singles, Hypnotize and Mo Money Mo Problems became hits at number one. He didnt want to do Juicy. Im like, Dog, you have to! So I throw on Juicy, and he was like, Yo, turn that s t off. And all of a sudden the people started throwing s t onstage . Its just like you tell your lady or somebody, This is what you want for dinner,and then they make that exact dish, youre like, Wow, this is how my grandmother used to make it. It means something to you. And so it sat there. "He will make you a star." Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Decades later, his case remains unsolved. We trying to succeed. Biggie Smalls, Keep trying. Sharene Wood and Guy Wood Sr: The [July 1995] cover of The Source. And thats what I love about the one-on-one, the bespoke that. gave California some love on the Life After Death track Going Back to Cali: Yall n s is a mess/Thinkin Im gon stop givin LA props/All I got is beef with those that violate me.. So that was the beauty of it. It sounds like a bebop solo sometimes., When Biggie needed a DJ to start playing shows, the rappers then-manager Mark Pitts handpicked Kent. As metamorphic as Bigs life was, his iconic style shape-shifted too. Not only is The Notorious B.I.G. Nipsey [Hussle] was hard. The flip side of that is this album. He spent nine months in jail after he was arrested in North Carolina for selling crack. The relationship kind of dissolved, but were still going to be friends. . We started with 5001 Flavors, we also have a retail store in Harlem: Harlem Haberdasherywe just celebrated 10 years in business. One man against one man made a whole West coast hate a whole East Coast. It is still not known who killed Biggie Smalls. He was like, Ima need it in two weeks, and he needed it. Tupacs supposed final words were about what youd expect. He chose his stage name Biggie Smalls because even as a child he was quite largeby the time he was an adult, he was over six feet tall and at his heaviest he weighed almost 400 pounds. When Biggie Smalls released their last album, I knew I was going to be sad. Thats obviously a debatable Kent and Biggie were taking separate cars on their way to another Soul Train Awards after-party this one hosted by Trackmasters producers Poke and Tone when he was gunned down. A dark-colored Impala pulled up alongside the Suburban and the driver opened fire at the car. Also like Tupac, Biggie would release a double album posthumously, in Biggie's case a mere fortnight after his demise. This portable projector plays your movies in crisp, high-contrast, 1080p detailno matter where you are. Yo, we gotta take it to the next level. Hes not scared of color; he cleaned up well. On Sept. 7, 1996, Tupac was in Las Vegas for the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight at the MGM Grand arena. Bad Boy Entertainment released Biggies first album, Ready to Die, in 1994. Combs went on to set up his own imprint, Bad Boy Records, and by mid-1992 Biggie had joined him. on his 1994 breakout hit Juicy. And three years later, he was living the dream before it all came to a tragic end. Wallace, Biggies son with Faith. You can hear music when you look at the picture; it becomes a billboard. His bodyguard rushed Biggie to the hospital, but it was already too late. And Kent still cant shake the feeling that Biggie should have never gone to that party six months after the murder of Tupac Shakur had escalated the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry. We were together earlier at the hotel talking about things, said Kent. You never really know. We were making history every week, and it was just beautiful. I cleaned up my act and I made this rap thing work for me. Artists continued to emulate him in the decades to come, and many of his associates achieved great success. Biggie told The New York Times in 1994, sharing that he began selling drugs at age 12. Excellence is my presence. It might get old after a while. Biggie Smalls To all the teachers that told me Id never amount to nothing. Biggie Smalls Considered a fool cause I dropped out of high school. I love her. I didnt know he was gonna come to the party. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. On March 25, 1997, Bad Boy released the spookily titled Life After Death. Biggie released Hypnotize on March 4, 1997. It was f ked up., Indeed, the Notorious B.I.G. Pop culture obsessives writing for the pop culture obsessed. Hes telling me, Yo Guy, this is what Im gonna be in two years, or This is how Ima be in five years, or This is what I need to do. Guy Wood, Sr.: It just happened organically. They wed just days after meeting at a photoshoot. We can continue to learn many life lessons from Big's words. Still, that LA trip would prove to be fateful and fatal for Biggie. But the good thing was, it wasnt really about the money. Decades after his untimely death, Biggie continues to resonate within the hip-hop world. The Notorious B.I.G., a k a Biggie Smalls, was killed at the age of 24 in a drive-by shooting while sitting in his GMC Suburban. I arent trying to slack at all. Biggie Smalls, Climb the ladder to success escalator style. Biggie Smalls, And everything you get, you got to work hard for it. Biggie Smalls, Never let no one know how much dough you hold. Biggie Smalls, Its like the more money we come across / the more problems we see. Biggie Smalls, I never thought it could happen, this rapping stuff. Biggie Smalls, You know very well who you are, dont let them hold you down, reach for the stars. Biggie Smalls, Lyrically, Im supposed to represent. Biggie Smalls, Im blowing up like you thought I would/Call the crib, same number, same hood, its all good. Biggie Smalls, Never lose, never choose to. Biggie Smalls, Spread love, its the Brooklyn way. Biggie Smalls, This rule is so underrated: Keep your family and business completely separated. Biggie Smalls, If you dont love yourself, Ill make you see your own heart. Biggie Smalls, Im trying to get other niggas off the streets. Biggie Smalls, 96 is the year of love. When he had, Coogi down to the socks, we had to get Coogi socks. It sparked a war of words between So the whole point was, yo, be real. A young impresario and sometime producer by the name of Sean Combs heard Biggie's early tapes. He just didnt love the song like that. But this wasn't the last that the world had heard from Biggie Smalls. The actor, rapper and comedian Jamal Woolard played Biggie Smalls in a biopic in 2009, which grossed $44 million worldwide. Both before and after the release of the album, he collaborated with a number of other artists, including Mary J. Blige and Michael Jackson. in his name stood for Business Instead of Gain, Death Year: 1997, Death date: March 9, 1997, Death State: California, Death City: Los Angeles, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Biggie Smalls Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/biggie-smalls, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: January 14, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. For most of his education, he attended Roman Catholic school, where he excelled, but he later persuaded his mother to send him to a public high school. He dont want him to die over this; this is wrestling. Sharene Wood: Its history. And it had a lot of personality like a light on his feet kind of big brother., Related: All Rights Reserved. But perhaps the most significant date in Biggie's rollercoaster year was November 30, 1994. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. There would be no closure. It doesnt even matter the size of the person, its the fact that hes clean. So were not knowing that theyre shooting at his car. Biggie was supposed to release his second album, eerily titled Life After Death. It was just terrible all of the s t was lies. When you purchase domain names from register.hostgator.com, check the box next to: "Set Custom Nameservers (Optional)" in the domains cart and add your desired name servers. The domain will be registered with the name servers configured from the start. It Was Far From Simple Back Then. Things came to a head when Tupac was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996. Movies: Now more than ever. You might be a dad, you might be a pastor, you might be a pilot [in] the next movie or the next videothats how I look at life. I mean, maybe the first budget might have been $1,500 for three looks. The shooter and the motive remained unknown. I used to sell drugs, rob and steal. As for why Carroll waited this long to tell everyone that Tupac spent his final breath telling him to fuck off, he says its because no one ever thought to ask himand also that Tupacs murder was an open investigation, so he didnt feel comfortable commenting until after he retired. Biggie was profiled for their Unsigned Hype column and invited to record an album with other independent artists. for legal reasons. And they're not exactly Twenty-five years after his murder on March 9, 1997, the case remains an unsolved mystery. [Laughs]. "You've got to keep that straight face. I understand. [Laughs] But the beautiful thing of it [was that] he was a student. You could sit back and visualize it. I knew where I ultimately wanted to get him: I wanted him to be Big Poppa. Sharene Wood: Plus, sometimes, when I bring that stuff out of the archive, it is fascinating. Who did it? And he was just kind of ignoring me. And whats so beautiful, with Biggie, I have the relationship with a few other guys toobecause, my clients, they trust me. But its not, its making stuff that generations will see. Lil Kim, whose music career was launched in a collaborative project with Wallace, became one of the first female rappers to achieve platinum status. On March 9, 1997, Wallace was leaving a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles when he was killed in a drive-by shooting. WebIt has been 15 years since rapper Christopher Wallace, known as The Notorious B.I.G. This was the day Tupac was shot five times during a robbery in a recording-studio lobby in New York. A Street Is Named After Biggie Smalls (Video), Lil Kim & Lil Cease Make Peace After 15 Years On Biggies Birthday (Video), Whats Real & Whats Not About The Wu-Tang TV Show, J. Cole Teases His New Album On A Knockout Verse, RZA Discusses Losing Hundreds Of Wu-Tang Clan Beats & 2 Albums In Floods, RZA Explains How His Attempted Murder Case Transformed Him. Well be right back. Those were his exact last words. What he was talkin was so [cinematic]; he was making movies with his rhymes. I cant even look back over my shoulder and say what I did [recently]. His parents both hailed from the Caribbean island of Jamaica his mom, Voletta taught preschool; his pop, Selwyn, was a welder and local Jamaican politician. Here are some great quotes from Biggie Smalls: Damn right I like the life I live, because I went from negative to positive. Biggie Smalls, If you feel like its something you dont have to do, you really have to question it. Biggie Smalls, If you hear something about somebody, dont be so quick to be like, I dont like him. He's giving up all his vulnerability.". Biggie Smalls was murdered in the early hours of March 9, 1997. Christopher Wallaceaka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G. I waited until about 2 oclock in the morning, and then I told the engineers, Let me know when the next session is. , If he had lived, perhaps Biggie would have gone on to have had the kind of opportunities and longevity that Jay-Z has had. I wouldve never thought that he would pick colors like that, but he started to want to be seen. I dont even know how to freestyle. Biggie Smalls, I cant never stop nobody, cant knock nobody hustle. Biggie Smalls. (Evans would speak about this many years later in 2014, when she told MTV that Tupac once hit on her after a recording session, "but that ain't how I do business," she said.). Heads watched Biggies fashion transformation play out in real time. Guy Wood, Sr.: Yeah, that one-piece gas station suit in leather. To this very day, he's still respected for having the smoothest, most effortless, classic flow in rap music. Easy Mo Bee, who was a producer on both Ready To Die and Life After Death, had already heard Biggies demobefore he met with the rapper to work on Party & Bulls t for the 1993 Whos the Man? soundtrack. Biggie Smalls Last Words Im having chest pains, Im having chest pains, were Biggie Smalls last words, spoken to his wife Faith Evans moments before His flow, autobiographical lyrics, and pure charisma continue to inspire countless other rappers and artists. Biggie was rough around the edges when we first met. His songs struck people deeply, and to this day he is still considered one of the best rap artists of all time. Biggie lay in an open mahogany casket dressed in a white suit. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He had no serious plans to pursue a career in music "It was fun just hearing myself on tape over beats," he later said in an Arista Records biography but the tape found its way to The Source magazine, who were so impressed that they profiled Biggie in their Unsigned Hype column in March 1992; from there, Biggie was invited to record with other unsigned rappers. Even though he was [rapping about] Versace, it was Versace print. With his murder seen by many hip hop fans as a tit-for-tat killing, Biggie appeared to continue the beef from beyond the grave on the album track "Long Kiss Goodnight." The all-time great MC born Christopher Wallace said it was all a dream, and then he took us on a ride from his time as a stressed-out kid in the streets of Bed-Stuy to when he made that dream a reality by becoming one of the biggest stars on the planet. You see what theyre doing Guy; I need something like that. It sparked a war of words between Faith Evans and Lil' Kim, who was upset at her portrayal in the movie. So if you notice, in the first video, Juicy, he lied about his size. He received a five-year probationary sentence in 1989 after being arrested on weapons possession charges. What I loved about him was all his team members, he would get them fly tooget them gators, get them a silk shirt, get themLil Cease, and Money L, and all these guys that were behind him, people thats on stage with him, he took care of them. And vice versa. Biggie Smalls was the illestBig had a top-notch flow, a booming voice, and lyrics drenched in authenticity and humor. He was shot and killed on March 9, 1997. The B.I.G. Nicknames: The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa, Frank White, Born: May 21, 1972 Died: March 9, 1997 The Notorious B.I.G. You're seeing this page because your domain is setup with the default name servers: ns1.hostgator.com and ns2.hostgator.com. In fact, he became only the second solo rapper inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. Something about his wordplay, his confidence, he was pretty witty and he was intelligent. Biggie was particularly concerned about money around that time because he became a father in August to T'yanna, his daughter, with high-school sweetheart, Jan. His lyrics superseded any thoughts that you could have of, Could he succeed? His lyrical prowess stood out., And in addition to his mastery of language, imagery and storytelling, Light believes that Biggies delivery was as dope as it gets. Adding to that legend, Chris Caroll, a former Las Vegas bike cop who was on the scene at Shakurs fatal shooting in 1996, recently gave an interview to the Vegas Seven, where he recounted what he says were the dying rappers last words. His father left when Christopher was only two years old. 's flow in his music respected, but so are his lyrics. Hours after the violent altercation in the MGM Grand hotel lobby, Tupac was riding in the passenger seat of a car driven by Marian Suge Knight. Nah, you dont have to. Biggie stepped up the drug dealing after quitting school and was soon in trouble with the law. Biggies bloodline continues on, helping to carry his legacy into the new millennium. Twenty-five years after his murder Omissions? "Nah, stay with Puff," Tupac apparently said. The podcast also features interviews with Biggie collaboratorsThe LOX, Lord Finesse,Pharoahe Monch, and photographer T. Eric Monroe, as well as Rapper Big Pooh, Cormega, Meyhem Lauren & Daringer, Diamond D, Joell Ortiz, AZ, Blu & Mickey Factz, Kurupt, Evidence, Skyzoo, Prince Paul & Don Newkirk, Statik Selektah, Lyric Jones, MC Eiht, Havoc, and Duckwrth. was the biggest-selling solo male artist on the Billboard charts not only in hip hop, but in pop and R&B, too. 1. Or did it happen organically? He lived an extraordinary life, and died an extraordinaryand senselessdeath. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/The-Notorious-B-I-G, BlackPast.org - Biography of Christopher G. Wallace. The tragic and senseless death of Biggie Smalls remains a mystery, with many rumors and speculations abounding. And so when we talk about like JAY-Z and Puff, were talking about multi-industry moguls. Plus, you can't talk about people who respect and love the late rapper without mentioning Big's former friend and Bad Boy partner Diddy. He said, Okay. (The story goes that Biggie was with another of his Junior MAFIA protgs, Lil Cease, who was then 16, when he was summoned to the studio to record with Jackson. I mean, certainly, when you look at Jay Zs career everything that thats become above and beyond the music you have to think: Where would Biggie have been able to head with more time?. Those fears became reality when, just six months after Tupacs murder, Biggie himself was shot in another drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After he got out of jail, he made a demo tape as Biggie Smalls named after a gang leader from the 1975 movie Let's Do It Again; also a nod to his childhood nickname. I cant think for the masses because I like to think for one person. As fate would have it, his music made its way to Uptown Entertainment through Sean Puffy Combs. . We just celebrated our 30th year in business [which we founded in] 1992. But Biggie subsequently transferred to the George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School; alumni include the rappers DMX, Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes. His talent for rap, cultivated since he was young, was evident in his records. Then he was in control; that was his Frank White persona. Web1.31994: Ready to Dieand marriage to Faith Evans 1.41995: Collaboration with Michael Jackson, Junior M.A.F.I.A., success and coastal feud 1.51996: More arrests, accusations regarding Shakur's death, car accident and second child 1.61997: Life After Death 2Death 3Posthumous releases 4Musical style Toggle Musical style subsection 4.1Vocals It was on March 9th, 1997 Mr. Wallace was shot four times, in a drive by shooting on his way to his hotel room after attending an awards ceremony and an after party. We have a baby together, and were always gonna love our kids, added Biggie. American rapper, hip-hop producer, and entrepreneur. Sharene Wood: Cause he was Big Poppa. WebChristopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American He didnt want anythinghe called it racketeeringhe didnt want anything off the rack; he wanted to have all his stuff custom. Impressed, Puffy went to sign Biggie to his new label, Bad Boy Records. And then in the fall, he was arrested again, this time for smoking marijuana in his car in Brooklyn. Things had gotten way out of hand. Biggie was shot four times in the drive-by shooting. So me, I had to dress the character that was making theseI was dressing Scarfaceor whoever. It resonated with fans and made Biggie a rap and hip-hop icon almost overnight. This is the story of how those two people helped take Biggie from ashy to classy. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and was certified platinum. That wouldnt make biggie smalls the answer to every question but sure hypothetically that could be done. For us it was a jobit was completing a job so we can get a check, but then I think, ultimately, I started to realize, oh, were making history.