- Netflix has released a new documentary on the life of iconic rapper Notorious B.I.G. titled Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell.
- The feature-length film tells the story of the astronomic rise and tragic death of the star, giving viewers a glimpse at the man behind the music.
- It includes interviews with his mother, wife and close childhood and industry friends.
- We break down some of the main takeaways from this documentary.
It was all a dream – those words mean so much more after watching Netflix's new documentary on the life of Notorious B.I.G.
The hip hop icon relied on his love of music and incredible skill as a wordsmith to take him from the streets of New York to the stages of the world – all the while knowing everything could come crashing down in an instant.
Biggie, born Christopher Wallace, was gunned down in Los Angeles on 9 March 1997. He was 24 years old.
At the time of his death, I was six. It would be years before I was made aware of his music. And with that awareness came the story of his tragic ending, rumours of a bitter feud and conspiracy theories that still float around the internet today.
Biggie or 2Pac? I remember people asking. Your answer would determine whether you were friend or foe to the individual inquiring. And for a long time, this was the message tied to Biggie's identity – you were either on his side or you weren't. Translation: you either liked his music or you didn't.
As someone who did not grow up listening to Notorious B.I.G. (or 2Pac), I still found myself intrigued by the story of this music giant. I wanted to know more about the man behind the music and Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell offered just that.
Whether you have been a long-time fan or just heard his story in passing, here are some of the main takeaways from this new documentary.
Straight from the source
The documentary was produced by Netflix in partnership with the estate of Notorious B.I.G. Biggie's mother, Voletta, is credited as co-producer of the film, while friend Sean Combs (formerly known as Puff Daddy) is one of the executive producers.
Both appear in the documentary, as they tell the story of Christopher Wallace from his carefree childhood days visiting Jamaica to running the block selling drugs as a teen, and eventually making it big in the music industry before his untimely death.
Several of Biggie's childhood and industry friends also appear in the doccie, including his close friend Damion "D-Roc" Butler, who was reportedly responsible for filming most of the footage of Biggie seen in the film.
The picture they paint of this music legend is not perfect by any means. Voletta speaks openly about her son's struggles, not listening to his music and disagreeing with many of his life choices.
But perhaps the most fascinating part is getting to hear those concerns from Biggie himself. The film is laced with archive footage of the star – from rap battles, to live shows, to interviews. We get first-hand accounts of the troubled life of the rapper, witnessing his highs and lows.
From selling drugs to selling out shows
The film plays out as a timeline, extremely focussed on Brooklyn and the neighbourhoods where Biggie spent most of his childhood. We meet his friends along the way, getting accounts of who he was at every stage of his life.
If you're here for the drama, you're not going to find much of that. I'll admit that's part of what drew me in. I wanted to know more about the superstar who recently landed a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I also expected to be enthralled by epic retellings of violent battles between the East Coast and West Coast.
What I received was much better – an understanding of the human behind the headlines. Knowing that Biggie's story went beyond just his art or his death, this film fills those blank spaces in between.
Let the music speak
Music is the thread that holds it all together, and when you delve into Notorious B.I.G.'s world, magnifying both the good and the bad, it enhances your understanding of his sound and lyrics.
The rapper saw the release of only one studio album before his murder – Ready to Die. With dark themes like suicide, Biggie explained in one clip that he was done making happy music. This after the murder of one of his closest friends.
"See, I had to do a happy song because that was a happy movie," he said about his track Party & Bullshit, making it clear that he had moved into a different space.
His music acted as a loudspeaker for his life, amplifying the things that mattered to him. What may have seemed like just another dope track or party anthem to some was, in reality, a chance for him to speak his truth, no matter how dark.
For those who "really want to know" what life on the streets of Brooklyn was like in the 90s, "you can listen to the music, see the real everyday struggles," Biggie said.
"Some artists you really having to talk them into sharing their truth; sharing everything about their lives. From day one, he raps and always rapped like he had nothing to lose," Sean Combs revealed in the film.
"Ready to Die is an uncomfortable album. Everything it stands for, from the first record down to the last record where you hear an attempt at suicide, you hear somebody going so low that they actually gave up. The whole album was kind of jarring to people like that," he added.
Biggie's second album, Life After Death, dropped just 16 days after his slaying.
2Pac beef
Although very brief, the film touches on Biggie's relationship with fellow rapper Tupac Shakur toward the end.
Tupac was murdered in 1996 at the age of 25.
"I specifically remember him calling me crying when Tupac was killed," Biggie's wife at the time, Faith Evans, shared.
In his last interview before his death, Biggie opened up about his relationship with Tupac, revealing that they started out as friends but claimed everything changed after the California Love hitmaker was wounded in a shooting in 1994.
When reports surfaced that Tupac thought Biggie was responsible for the attack, which he denied in his final interview with KYLD 107.7 San Francisco, it all allegedly went downhill from there.
"It really broke his heart when everything kind of went left," Sean revealed.
Four days after that interview, Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in a drive-by shooting.
Aptly named, this film does nothing more than try to tell the story of Christopher Wallace – a talented rapper with the dream of making it big.