Christopher Wallace burst on the scene in 1993. I remember hearing “Party and Bullshit” from the “Who’s the Man” soundtrack and thinking “who the fuck is that?!?” The dude was dope from day1,no 1 can argue that. We were on tour in 1993, to support Pac’s breakthrough album “Strickly 4 my Niggaz” And there were two albums we had the luxury of hearing before most people. Doggystyle was one and Ready to die (in it’s earliest and rawest form Aka before puffy touched it!) was the other. Without a doubt Biggies shit got the most run on the tour bus. PAC spoke so highly of the dude and was really impressed by his music that by the time we hit New york later that year and finally had a chance to meet him, I felt like I knew him already. I recall being in the Tunnel one night and seeing, even before his album dropped, how popular dude already was in NYC. He had chicks all around and was enjoying his new found fame. But he seemed very used to it like it was only new to us! It gave me the courage, as a overweight dark skinned kid to continue to reach for my dreams and goals in this rap game.
Pac had a great big ol heart and when he loved you, you knew it. His heart was big enough for Biggie as well. There friendship is well documented so I won’t go over that too much, but I will say this, BiG loved Pac as well. I could tell when PAc spoke Biggie listened and soaked up the game just like we did! BIG played “Juicy” for us in the Pac’s room at the Waldoorf Astoria and Biggie didn’t like it! He thought it was too soft or commercial. I remember PAC saying “That record is gonna get u Paid nigga!” “Listen to that nigga Puff, he gon make you a star!” The rest, as the saying goes, is history.
I recall the night we did “Running From The Police”. PAC hit BiG and asked him to come down to Quad. He wanted to get him and us (Dramacydal) on the THUGLIFE lp and figured we could all do a song together. What a night for hiphop history. Doug E Fresh along with Lil Vicious, who was pipin hot at the time, came thru. Heavy D, members of The JM including Cease, Big Stretch and a few others I can’t remember were all in the building. But before they all got there BIG was there first. He actually kicked some of his rap for us before he did it. Flow is impeccable is what I remember thinking. Always humble, we said our verses for him and he gave his approval, which for me was huge at the time! The last time we spoke to BiG, PAC was on the road or locked up, and he was in Atlanta recording that remix he did with Da Brat. The phone rang and his signature baritone came thru. “I’m out here in ATL and can’t find no chronic, waddup!?!” is what he said. Shit we was lookin too and couldn’t help him out. He wanted the address to Thugz Mansion and said when he got some “green” he would come through and smoke us out. We figured he got too busy cause we never heard from him again. Ever. PAC got shot later that year and things were never the same again. Hurt people, hurt people. The venom you hear on “Hit Em Up” is spewed from a hurting person, because he loved Notorious. Too much time has passed to debate on who’s wrong or right and truthfully who cares? 15 years have passed since two of hiphops darkest days were upon us. Both BiG and PAC are elevated to Icon status and every rapper since has paid homage in one way or another.
One my most fulfilling days came earlier this year when we ceremoniously “burried the hatchet” with Lil Cease. We too are linked for ever. We shot a video most of y’all have seen and it felt great being in Times Square spittin bars for our fallen mentors and comrades. Amazingly, some people on both sides weren’t with it. Some people will never let go of the past and eventually become a prisoner of it. We miss BiG right along with PAC. The “game” misses them both. To his children and all the people who loved him, may your pain be overwhelmed By all your fond memories of the man…
Salute!
P.S. For anybody who cares “Sky’s the Limit” is my favorite Biggie song, too cold…
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