The new documentary of The Notorious B.I.G. Yet this one, contrary to other projects based on the rap superstar, released a side of the legendary hip-hop artist that no one has ever seen.
Netflix has made great documentaries lately. Michael Jordan’sLast Dance didn’t cease to impress and gather much acclaim.
Yet, when it comes to Biggie, the documentary goes beyond expectations. Unlike many other documentaries, TV episodes, or films, Biggie: I Got A Story to Tell delivers a first-person look into the life of the legendary artist.
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell review
So, his story isn’t really new to the general public. A lot of us know the basics of who he was and where he came from. Yet, Netflix’s documentary works, and does a great job, of exposing more.
There are a lot of elements of his work ethic displayed in the documentary. First, they successfully debated his favorite rappers and their flow; Biggie’s favorite being Big Daddy Kane.
Second, they recounted what songs should be sampled, and how intricate should the rhyme patterns be to tell this story.
Check out Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell on Netflix today
In review, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell is well-worth your time. Especially if you are a hip-hop fan or are interested in the history of the genre in any capacity.
It seems like other music genres care for better when it comes to their history and the greats of their genre that created in their field.
Hip-hop rarely gets that same luxury so when something like this gets released. But here, it’s clear that it was a body of love from everyone who worked on it, it’s exciting for the culture.
Check out the video below for the full review of the documentary and check out the film now on Netflix.
Photographs of our favorite late rappers have graced the culture way before social media. And though they have passed on, they have hundreds of images out there, and many of the photographs of those late rappers hold a special place in their fans’ hearts.
Rappers live the rockstar life, pun intended, as clichés of past music idols are evoked through these artists. The photographer, though, is crucial to humanizing those talents in today’s day and digital age.
Years ago, photographers like Anne Liebovitz toured with rock bands like the Rolling Stones and captured some of the most intimate and public moments from the life of greats who have passed, like John Lennon.
Now with the digital era, photography is diluted and more personal – in a public manner.
Photographers have always released posthumous photographs of late rappers
Ryan Lowry photographed Pop Smoke.
In recent news, Vikki Tobak has launched her very successful exhibit, Contact High: A Visual Story of Hip Hop. Showcasing rappers from all areas of the genre and those who have passed in their quest to be the best MCs, photography is recognized as a key element to hip hop culture.
Contact High chronologically exhibits photography contact sheets from the film cameras of some of the most notable hip hop photographers ranging from 1979 to 2012.
Barron Claiborne photographed Biggie.
Photographers relish the chance to capture rappers, but sometimes they are gone too soon
Photographers want to shed light on their work and hope to capture eye-catching content with your favorite rapper. Sometimes it’s a challenge to get the chance to meet your favorite rapper, and those late rappers weren’t here long enough to give all of us a fair chance at a meet and greet.
So we look to other photographers to give us the peak we need into the lives of our most favored rap artist. The photographers with access are the internet’s blessing to voyeurism.
Christopher Lee photographed Juice Wrld.
Christopher Lee photographed Juice Wrld in Midtown Manhattan in April of 2019, before he tragically passed at age 21, in December of 2019.
Clarke Tolton photographed Mac Miller.
Clarke Tolton captured this photograph of late rapper Mac Miller at his home in July 2018 before we lost him that same year in August.
Ryan Lowry photographed Pop Smoke.
Ryan Lowry photographed Pop Smoke in his neighborhood of Canarsie Brooklyn early in 2020 the same year he passed.
And photographer Apex keeps Pop Smoke’s memory alive with #WooWednesday.
Al Pereira photographed Tupac.
Al Pereira took this photograph of the late rapper Tupac. Here Nas appears in a contact sheet image after seeing Biggie and Pac side by side along with Redman in his circulated photo at the time back in 1993.
Jorge Peniche photographed Nipsey Hussle.
Jorge Peniche photographed Nipsey Hussle for a long time and has been through some real moments with the man, even on the day he was released from his probation.
Barron Claiborne photographed Biggie.
Barron Claiborne photographed of late rapper Biggie and was confident in giving Notorious B.I.G. a persona like no other, like a king, he describes this now-famous image.
The music industry has had the curse of 27 for decades. The 27 Club members include extremely talented artists dying at the age of 27. The ongoing curse would become infamous first with artists like Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison and later Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. While the 27 Club has more of a creepy magical vibe on Hollywood legends, young rap legends have been dying far more frequently and at younger ages.
Many extremely talented rappers see their lives cut short before the young age of 25. Here are a few examples that show a striking pattern.
Tupac
Possibly the MOST beloved rapper of all time, who’s untimely continues to be mourned by hip hop heads old and new. Tupac Amaru Shakur was murdered on September 13, 1996. The manner of his death continues to be a mystery amongst the hip-hop community and music world at large.
Tupac’s influence on hip hop is an everlasting one, which includes iconic hits as well as a budding and strong acting career. His message and activism in the Black community are also what makes him such a beloved figure. Shakur died at 25. RIP.
Biggie
Another beloved rapper with the same huge hip-hop influence realm as Tupac is Biggie AKA Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace, similar to Tupac died as a result of a drive-by shooting in L.A on March 9th, 1997. Biggie Smalls was 24 years old. His legacy lives on in his music, including a posthumous album Life after Death. Forever the rapper that put Brooklyn on the map, RIP Biggie.
Lil Peep
Bringing it to more recent rapper deaths, a stream of high profile passings began with the accidental drug overdose of artist Lil Peep. Born Gustav Elijah Åhr, Lil Peep many credit the artist as being among the new school of rappers that brought emo-rap mainstream. A lethal dose of fentanyl took the life of the SoundCloud rapper whose fans idolized him for voicing their sadness, vulnerability, and mental health battles. He was working on the album Come Over When You’re Sober, Part 2 before his death. Lil Peep died just 2 weeks after turning 21.
Jimmy Wopo
Born Travon DaShawn Frank Smart, Jimmy Wopo was fatally shot on a Monday afternoon in the Pittsburgh neighborhood he helped make famous. Wopo was set to sign a contract with Taylor Gang Entertainment, the label founded by Wiz Khalifa. He died at the young age of 21.
XXXTentacion
A controversial figure in hip-hop, especially posthumously, XXXTentacion was murdered during an apparent robbery. Born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, the rapper was among the rising emo-rap roster of artists. Known for both his emotionally deep music as well as his assaults on women, X died on June 18, 2018, at 20 years old.
Juice WRLD
Another emo-rap legend, Juice WRLD died of an accidental drug overdose and subsequent seizure. Jarad Anthony Higgins often spoke about his struggle with substance abuse in his music. His posthumous album Legends Never Die was released on July 10th, 2020, 7 months after his death. Juice WRLD was 21 years old.
Lexii Alijai
Up and coming rapper Lexii Alijai, née Alexis Alijai Lynch passed away after a drug overdose on January 1st, 2020. She was 21 years old. The Minnesota rapper sought to support her family and her community via her music. She died of a fentanyl overdose before she could see all her dreams accomplished.
Chynna
Chynna Marie Rogers was a Philadelphia model who surprised the world with her rapping skills. Known mononymously as Chynna, she worked with A$AP Mob on the Cozy Tapes and released her album in case i die first in 2019. She died on April 8, 2020, at the age of 25 of an accidental drug overdose much like her mentor A$AP Yams.
Pop Smoke
The latest hip hop death to shock the community is Brooklyn’s Pop Smoke. Born Bashar Barakah Jackson, Pop was viewed as the second coming of 50 cent, with a promising career stretched out ahead of him. The King of New York was shot February 19, 2020, during a home robbery in L.A. His posthumous album Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, was of great fan anticipation and artistic scrutiny. Controversy over the album cover, track selection as well as the posthumously added record-label-chosen features was high. RIP Pop Smoke, he was only 20 years old.
Many of these young rappers died as a result of murder or due to an accidental drug overdose. Their fans were among the most shocked, as they were anticipating hearing much more from the artists. Most had much more life and music to give.
But what do their similar and untimely deaths say about the status of hip hop and rap?
The rap community needs to raise awareness around substance abuse, mental illness, and squashing beef in healthier ways. We don’t want to lose any more young artists to these preventable issues.
Notorious B.I.G. is getting some more respect on his name. A blacktop court at the Crispus Attucks Playground will be named after the late BK legend.
City Councilman Robert Cornegy finally got the green light after making a promise to the rapper’s mother, Voletta Wallace. According to an article from DNAInfo, Cornegy promised to preserve B.I.G.’s legacy. Cornegy said, “I promised his mother, Ms. Voletta Wallace, I would preserve his legacy, so naming this park after him seems very fitting.”
Cornegy will be cutting the ribbon next month at Crispus Attucks Playground on Fulton St. and Classon Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant. According to the Daily News, the councilman was honored,
“This honor is very personal to me. Twenty years later, this comes full circle, this renaming of the basketball courts is in his honor.”
Biggie is partly responsible for putting Bedford-Stuyvesant on the map with his music. B.I.G. never forgot his roots. The rapper always spit hard hitting lyrics reminiscing on the hood he was raised in. According to Cornegy,
“Christopher Wallace’s music put Bedford-Stuyvesant on the map in a billion dollar global industry.”
Before hitting the record stores, Biggie would shoot buckets at the park.
The renaming of the court didn’t come easy and Cornegy had to knuckle up in a contentious debate at a community board meeting. Former public member of the board’s Transportation Committee, Lucy Koteen was one of those haters.
Back in 2013, Koteen opposed the renaming of St. James Place and Fulton Street to “Christopher Wallace Way” because the rapper was “too fat.”
In the latest community board meeting, Koeten pulled up and handed out fliers with B.I.G. lyrics she felt were absurd. According to DNAInfo, she compared Biggie’s legacy to that of Al Capone and Bernie Madoff.
“When we name something, we’re saying this is somebody we should respect or want to emulate,” said Lucy Koteen.
Koteen continued,
“Would we name it Al Capone Basketball Court? Would we name it after Bernie Madoff?”
Koteen why are you legacy blocking? Da fuq did Biggie do to you? I know he had your kids listening to his music and you were tight, huh?
Either way, Koteen and other detractors were straight dubbed!
The renaming ceremony is set to take place within the first couple of days in August. They are looking to hold the event ahead of the annual basketball tournament held in honor of B.I.G. on August 5.
