Good Saturday Morning People,
This past week we celebrated the life and music of Mr. Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G. It has been a very fast 14 years since hip-hop’s greatest MC of all time left us too soon. B.I.G.’s short life was iconic to say the least.
Before him, getting fly and going out in NY was a risky luxury. After him, getting fly and going out consisted of Kangols, Wallabies and any fresh ‘butta’ soft leather you could get your hands on. Coogie and Phillie Blunts owe B.I.G. a royalty check. I knew kids who never smoked in their life or even saw a Coogie sweater until B.I.G.
Before B.I.G., rap music in the East Coast (although starting to make rumbles again) was largely a ghost town in the heavily flavored “gangsta era” of West Coast rap. B.I.G. defined a new standard in hip-hop music that would usher in an era of greater prosperity for a whole generation of new MCs.
Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, as a neighborhood, was already notorious. Unlike Hollis, Harlem or The South BX, in the 80’s The Stuy wasn’t known necessarily for music and culture. It was known for murder and crack.
But the community was comprised of many good people: from the working class to the hustler to even the panhandler. The social reforms that were taking root in NYC in the late 80s into the 90s only meant police brutality in neighborhoods like Bed Stuy.
Walking down avenues like Nostrand and Tompkins was an adventure to say the least. The strongest, hardest, and sometimes even the smallest dudes would be on every corner of every block doing nothing but maintaining the order of “business.” Timberland boots were on your feet even in the hot ass summer, not for fashion but to help navigate the rugged landscape of the hood.
B.I.G. was from all this. When he got on, he made it his duty to put Bed Stuy on his back. Through him, people worldwide saw the pain of an entire community. He gave people a sense pride all throughout Brooklyn. His vivid tales from the hood were more descriptive than any graphic Stephen King novel.
B.I.G. loved his hood and his hood loved him. People all over the world wanted to take a walk through Bedford Stuyvesant just because of B.I.G. So we should pay homage and respect to greatness. One day they should induct B.I.G. into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. This week, I transcribed the words of several music heavyweights who were a part of making or breaking some of B.I.G.’s most iconic records. These guys knew Biggie back “when it was all a dream….”
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Easy Mo Bee is an artist. Not a rapper or singer per say, but he can paint the perfect picture with his own words when he tells a story. Mo Bee’s production was the canvas in which the “Ready To Die” portrait was painted on. As he described for me how “Warning” came about, he beatboxes the rhythm to me over the phone flawless like Dougie Fresh.
“I knew B.I.G. was going to be a star when we did that record. We had already done ‘Gimme The Loot’ and ‘Machine Gun Funk.’ We were like four or five records in already when ‘Warning’ came about. I let B.I.G. hear how I looped the drums and he just zoned out completely to the beat. When he went to lay it down I never knew what was about to happen. The way B.I.G. told the story and made the characters come to life, it was like a movie script.”
Mo Bee gives credit to Diddy for having the vision to cross B.I.G over into the mainstream. “Puff knew B.I.G. needed to be in the clubs and with the ladies and that’s how ‘Big Poppa’ and ‘Juicy’ came about. Puff chose that sample in ‘Juicy.’ He really knew that’s what B.I.G. needed.”
Mo Bee felt “Juicy” was going to be a hit: “That was B.I.G.’s bio. That was the life he was living. That was his testament in 3 minutes. Like he was introducing himself to the world…”
Easy Mo Bee credits on: “Ready To Die” include “Warning,” “The What” (feat Method Man), “Gimme The Loot”, “Machine Gun Funk”, “Friend of Mine” and “Ready To Die.”
“Life After Death,” “Going Back to Cali” and “I Love the Dough”
Mo Bee’s 5 Most Important B.I.G. Records: “Warning,” “The What,” “Gimme The Loot,” “Big Poppa,” “Juicy” and “Unbelievable”
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DJ Premier is author of a sound that defined Hip-Hop music throughout the entire 90’s well into the 2000’s. From Gangstarr to Group Home, from Aguilera to Afu Ra, M.O.P. to Mos Def; Big L, Big Pun and of course B.I.G., they all saw Premo for his Works of Mart.
Since I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Premier, I know he has always respected dope MC’s and realness. He is a chef, not like Raekwon, but when you see Preme for his services you’re looking for that specific flavor you can’t get anywhere else.
With B.I.G., it was no different when he sought out Premier’s services on “Ready To Die. Preme” talks about how it went down here:
After hearing this story, one could only imagine how “10 Crack Commandments” came about. Peep the story:
Premier already had a name and fame when he met Biggie. Most people were in awe when they met Premier back in those days but not B.I.G. according to Preme: “That wasn’t even his style. B.I.G. wasn’t the type to get gassed easily off of any name. He was just cool and laid back and about his music…”
DJ Premier credits on: Ready To Die include “UnBelievable”
“Life After Death,” “Kick In The Door and 10 Crack Commandments”
“Born Again” “Rap Phenomenom”
DJ Premier’s 5 Most Important B.I.G. Records: “Gotta Story to Tell,” “Niggaz Bleed,” “The What” (featuring Method Man), “Warning,” “10 Crack Commandments”
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Rob Stone is true G in every sense of the word. The G though stands for Genius. If you don’t know about Cornerstone Promotions/ The Fader Magazine, you truly are not apart of what’s next or for that matter what’s now. Even though I sat under his tutledge for 4 years, you don’t have to ask me. Just ask Kanye West, Andre 3000, Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, The Strokes, Hook Mitchell, Brand Jordan, Kevin Garnett, Billboard Magazine or Coca Cola. They have all benifited from Rob’s successful business stratigies. But before any of this, Rob was a radio promo guy for Arista Records. He broke at radio records like ‘Juicy’ and ‘One More Chance’. Rob recalled being on the road B.I.G. and Lil Cease during the infamous B.I.G. Mack tour. “Biggie and Cease were always on time to every radio interview I ever did with them. It didn’t matter if it was 6am or 1am. They were ready. B.I.G. would walk into any station and was the star of the show. He was courteous and cool. When he did his radio drops it was 1 take always. He jusy had that kind of flavor with him at all times.” Rob was also present at Biggie’s first show in NYC at The Muse although, he didn’t know it at the time. “I remember it was Redman, Finsta Bundy, Buckshot and B.I.G. I knew he was something special after that show. When I met him at the label a week later I told him I was at the show. He said to me “Yeah? That was my first show in NY…”
Rob Stone’s 5 Most Important B.I.G. Records: “Party N Bullshit,” “Juicy,” “One More Chance” (original & remix), “Notorious Thugs” and “Kick In The Front Door”
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Rich YoungLord Frierson was the youngest Hittman producer in The Bad Boy camp back in 94 at age 16. The Hittman producers were Diddy’s own production team that worked around the clock producing records for BadBoy’s growing roster.
At the time, YoungLord did a lot of engineering work, so he was present for the famous sessions that produced records like “Mo Money Mo Problems.” “I remember when Diddy brought Stevie J that sample.” He also remembered how cool B.I.G. was to him:
“I worked with the Lox on track called ‘1-2-3.’ One day, I came in the studio and Diddy was in there with Q Tip, B.I.G., DJ Premier and some various eye candies. He screamed on me in front everybody, telling me about how wack the track was. B.I.G. pulled me to the side though, and said, ‘Yo man the track is dope. Keep doing your thing. Don’t let Puff get to you…’”
YoungLord also remembered that the late B.I.G. Pun’s record ‘Carribean Connection’ was originally supposed to be for B.I.G. “Ahh man could you have imagined if B.I.G. got to do that record….” Sadly enough, YoungLord was also present that fateful night in LA. “I just remember leaving the Vibe party with my cousin. We were headed to Kinkos to pick up some business cards I had ordered. We were then headed to the TrackMasters party when I saw fleets of cars stopped near the hospital. I didn’t even realize that it was a hospital at the time. I just saw all the cars of people I knew. I saw Diddy’s security guy and asked him what’s going on. I never will forget him telling me B.I.G. just got shot….”
YoungLord’s 5 Most Important B.I.G Records: “Get Money,” “Story To Tell,” “Your Nobody Till Somebody Kills You,” “The What” and “Everyday Struggle.”
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TNT‘s 5 Most Important B.I.G. Records: “Everyday Struggle,” “Unbelievable,” “Kick In the Door,” “Warning” and “Party and Bullshit”
This story could not have not happened with out the help of these incredible people: Phat Gary (@phatgary), Gem Crates at HeadQcourterz Studio, Uncle Dex (@uncledex), Chanel Jasmin (@chanellyjelly), DJ Soul (@djsoulnyc). Thank you Easy Mo Bee (@easy_mo_bee), DJ Premier (@realdjpremier), Rob Stone (@iamrobstone), and Rich YoungLord Frierson (@richyounglord). Also Big Up to ESPN and the individuals around the upcoming documentary ‘The Fab 5’ which comes on TV tomorrow (Sunday) night. The music in this film is from a golden era in hip hop. A must see documentary for all my music and basketball heads. Next week, back to newest freshest music. Until we read again….
Producer, A&R, Promoter
Holla at him @tnt718
