RealTalkNY Responds To An Article Questioning Notorious B.I.G.’s Legacy
But Notorious never examines this moral seachange—the very filth Voletta Wallace lamented. It lacks the moral intelligence that Charles Stone III brought to Paid In Full. “My frustration turned into rhymes” Biggie claims, but when he acts tough, he’s as self-destructive as Lil’ Kim turning her own frustrations into sexploitation, grabbing her crotch and spitting whorish lyrics in the Junior Mafia hit “Get Money.”The filmmakers drive-by the horrible irony that Black American culture reached its lowest, self-demeaning point through hip-hop celebrity.
Notorious endorses the ghetto fallacy: “If you make it, we all make it.”This materialist notion replaces Up From Slavery,The Souls of Black Folks, Black Boy, Invisible Man, Letter From a Birmingham Jail,The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Sounder, Killer of Sheep and, most recently, Akeelah and the Bee.The final image of a funeral procession that celebrates success is appalling. Understand Notorious as an epitaph for an entire culture.
Full Article: Drugs-to-Bitches: Notorious
Biggie’s life mirrors human life: it is complex. But the power of Biggie’s story is that his life and his artistry speak to this complexity… in a Hip-Hop way. The authenticity of Hip-Hop is exactly this: that it is complicated. That is why Christopher Wallace is also “Biggie Smalls,” “Frank White,” and the “Notorious B.I.G.”
So when we re-tell Biggie’s story, we can not be irresponsible and under-express it’s problems: misogynistic, sexist, violent, and even amoral. Yet we can not underestimate the great positive force Hip-Hop culture induces: skill, wit, determination, and…success. Biggie’s life is not an archetype, it is a truth; it is a truth because the urban reality of poverty, inequality, and injustice are lived…not imagined. While B.I.G. may have lacked political ambition or a social justice orientation, he unquestionably embodies a human sentiment: the desire to not be poor anymore. And if you’ve lived the urban, ghetto experience, escaping poverty is a sentiment you’ve undeniably felt. How to escape is complex; the path to escaping is complex. But the sentiment and desire is without question authentic. B.I.G symbolizes this, in rhyme and reason; and in Hip-Hop culture. That is why “Biggie Smalls is the illest.” That is why Biggie Smalls represents BK to the fullest.
So fuck the haters. It’s all good baby babyyyyy.
Long live Notorious… Movie In Theaters January 16th…
- Michael Partis
Tags: Notorious B.I.G.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
y ppl hating big poppa legacy ?….+ y the movie dont get support from
ppl like oprah ?
we know she dont like hip-hop ….y she dont give lil credit to Mz wallace
last time i cheked she the voice of the woman riite
i guess curtis was riitte
January 14th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
WELL EVERYBODY WONT RECIEVE THE MESSAGE OF BIGGIES STORY THE SAME BECAUSE THEY CANT RELATE.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
BIG POPPA..Letter 2 BIG. We’ll always love u Big Poppa
January 14th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
thats whats beautiful about life. You can change and rewrite history things can change from BIG, Jay Z, 50 cent and Obama are all heros in our eyes because they over came odds.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
the drugs to bitches article was all over the place, has the author never heard of a thesis??
anyhow, this is THE question facing hip hop at the moment- whats keepin it real and whats being yourself, being human?
rappers seem to have the fantasy as a mask to shield pain, sensitivity, human emotion….and on the one hand that kind of pathology is necessary for survival in a brutal, poverty stricken environment- and in that sense its authentic and honest.
but what is art if it isn’t a process of self-discovery and excavation? this is what rappers like kanye and andre 3000 complain about, wayne is kind of on his way there…the human rapper is rare. BIG is the best rapper of all time but he was a man of his time
January 14th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I believe this is what the author of the article meant how ever your are right about his lack of a thesis. My question is. Yes this guy was a talented rapper, but due to his very shortlived career in which he stood for nothing more than party and bullshit how do we then call him a legend? How do we call him a hero. An inspiration at most.
As crazy as Mr Shakur might have been my hat goes off for him I believe he has done way more to to the different dimensions of not just an artist or a black man but a man period. Someone struggling to stand for something and to find balance in his life.
He made songs that touched the hearts of people world wide. I dont not intend to take any thing away from Mr wallace I just believe he is truly over hyped andm made to be this mythjological creature but he is not. He was an entertainer thats it.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
biggie wasn’t THAT INFLUENTIAL for him to be written a movie about; thats a fact; i dont give a fuck what the rest of you dick-riders say.
this nigga was jus a rapper from NY that jus happend to be really good, end of story. He will nevr be an icon like Pac
January 14th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
I like the response, and feel that the author of the anti-NOTORIOUS review is hyper-analyzing the life of Biggie Smalls through the lens of a Hollywood film. It’s not fair, and it just shows that when you get overly academic with music and/or film you can make anything look or sound negative. Check Big talking about his mind state recording Ready To Die. He was going through some ish, and it was a CREATIVE way for him to express that anger. http://rapidiot.com/post/70439891/notorious-big-interview
January 14th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
As far as BIG being the best rapper of all tim I feel as though JAY Z has far surpassed the skills of biggie smalls. But I know the man wont get his Due until hes gone.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
@6
big is a RAP legend because of his flow. period. this is an old discussion, but the man had the best flow of all time. pac was a revolutionary, a poet and a force in and of himself, i dont think he was particularly special as a rapper tho, above average but not the best- he revolutionized black manhood but not so much the ART of rapping, technically, how to ride the beat and so forth.
they cannot be compared.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
@9…
u know what, u may be right. i’m not the biggest jay fan but i’ve come to appreciate his genius. but i dont like what jay has become at the same time, the corporate stooge and all that, so that clouds my judgement.
I see Jay as super heady (pause) and cerebral. BIG always came off as more natural to me, like he just talkn to u. U also have to consider that BIG never had a chance to evolve as a man in the way that Jay. But its true that Jay is the most fully developed rapper alive, he’s a master
January 14th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I sort of agree with u # 10 I am not arguing about the Lyrical ability or Flow riding I know big had that locked and pac was a good rapper but he didnt stand out for rap acrobatics but his heart felt rhyming ability was un matched his a bility to make you feel that music in your heart and souls. I agree with you 100% there is nothing to compare they are two phenominal rappers in thier own lanes I just feel that Tupac has done more to garner the word legendary.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
One cant help to wonder what these two rappers might have become if given the chance right? I guess thats why it’s not healty to live in the past cause we will never get these answers. I also agree i dont like what Jay has become . Its kind of an oerchestrated deal with him every thing is so calculated you dont know when hes being real. What does he stand for as a man. You know ?
January 14th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
RIP Big,Now I read the article and for years people have been saying this about him for a decade now.I think PDiddy and Bad Boy exploited him and hip hop and that is when the music lost its credibility as the voice of the Black youth.It became the voice of the black cop out,flunky,loser,thug,criminal,rogue.It is sad because NY had so many rappers that needed to be heard.Now because if you are not a gangster you will not sell.Hip Hop is officially dead Thank Big and Puff.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:02 am
R.I.P
January 15th, 2009 at 1:08 am
BOTH PARTIES ARE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN RESPECTED PERSPECTIVE.
BIGGIE, PAC, WE ARE ALL PAWNS NO MATTER WHAT. THE TOP PLAYERS OF THIS FUCKIN GAME ARE DOING JUST THAT. PLAYIN THE ENTIRE MUTHAFUCKIN WORLD. KEEPING US IGNORANT. JUST BY GIVING THIS LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE I’M A TARGET. PUBLIC ENEMY ON SOMEONES SCOPE.
FUCK IT IF NO ONE STAND UP WHO WILL?
THIS IS FOR BIGGIE, PAC, ALL OF OUR FALLEN AND INCARCERATED SOULJAS, OUR MUTHAS MOURNING AND SUFFERING THE LOSS OF THEIR CHILDREN, THIS IS FOR OUR CHILDREN, THIS IS FOR ALL 6 BILLION OF US ON THIS LITTLE PUTO BLUE PLANET FLOATING IN A CIRCLE AROUND A STAR. THIS IS FOR THE STUGGLING.
SMOKE A BLUNT TO THIS, DRINK YA DRANK TO THIS, IF YOU NOT DOING NOTHING BUT SITTIN IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER BULLSHITTIN……………watch BOTH MOVIES.
^
^
^
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ (THE REASONS WHY ALL OF US ARE SLAVES STILL PICKING COTTON, SUGAR CANE, MINING GOLD AND DIAMONDS, SELLING DRUGS ON THE CORNER OR THE TRAP, EVEN WORKIN THE MUTHA FUCKIN 9 TO 5)
YOU DREAM OF TRUE MUTHAFUCKIN FREEDOM WATCH THIS SHIT. CAUSE IT’S THAT SHIT!!!!!!!!!!
COLOMBIANO SOUL-JA
SANTIAGO ROJAS
KUSH!
January 15th, 2009 at 1:24 am
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc275/thehousenextdoor/2007/White%20Power/ArmondWhite.jpg
no disrespect to dude,but i saw a pic of him and I don’t think he looks like he would understand the movie
January 15th, 2009 at 1:26 am
fuck u haters.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:26 am
If u dudes youtube Pac and BIG tracks you’ll see Pac got him fuck the flow hear the word hell water flow but the currents is deadly and that’s Pac.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Pac could touch more ppl through his lyrics for he was more a poet than a rapper but when anyone listens to Biggie spit bars they cant help but say “daaamn!”
January 15th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Pac could touch more ppl through his lyrics for he was more a poet than a rapper but when anyone listens to Biggie spit bars they cant help but say “daaamn!”
January 15th, 2009 at 5:55 am
WOULD SUM BODY TELL DESE NIGGAZ DAT B.I.G WUZ DA ILLEST
PAC WUZ NOT BETTA DEN BIGGIE
B.I.G WUZ N STYLL IZ A LEGEND IN DA HOOD
R.I.P MUH NIGGA
January 15th, 2009 at 9:53 am
BIG was the illest, heartthrob never/black and ugly as ever/however/I stay Coogi down to the socks/u got to give my nigga his props! Holla! He was only twenty four years old when he died, what was Malcolm doing when he was twenty four. He never got the chance to evolve. We were robbed of him and Tupac’s full legacy. I can’t wait to see the movie tomorrow.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:16 am
As a youth i often wondered why my mother would always say biggie smalls aka big poppa has done nothing that warrants him to be a legend of anything but ignorance and often used ryhmes such as smoking blunts with my peeps all day as an example. It is ashamed that he did die at such a young age leaving a void in his family and friends and childrens life that cant be filled as this movie releases the question arises again what has he done to warrant a movie about his life. If you go see the flick you will learn alot about life and the wicked ways of life and how the lure of money, fame, and the fast way of living end in nothing but death and should be an example to our youth that those things in life are not to be cherised theyre the very things that will destroy you the same things looked upon so highly by alot of youth in the black community. He was an entertainer who conveyed his vision of his world as seen through his eyes and what he has had to experience somewhat becoming a product of his enviornment he was good at his craft which was using words to paint vivid pictures and tell stories of what he has encountered but in all honesty ask your self is he a true legend? what is sad is that he never had a chance to rid himself of the very evils he rapped about.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:19 am
i wasnt feelin the response by Michael partis, it seemed like you was trying to get vote from the people on this one…. the article about B.I.G.’s legacy made some good points…it seems as though the film does not expose BiIG’s faults….i see this movie as propaganda…this movie is purely promotional, to make money, its not very artistic….they want to beat it in your head that B.I.G. was the greatest of all time, which he may be to some but lets be real he is not the greatest….he only had two albulms, plus we never got the chance to see any growth… lets say if BIG was alive, do you think he wouldve grew up and be more conscious of what hes doin to his own people.. I doubt that, he wouldve still been killin niggas, sellin coke, money , hoes, and clothes all that..so bottom line The Film Notorius ( NOt BIggie Smalls himself)..is poison.. i cant put it in any other term….this movie is gonna be the factor in a young kid going to school and pursuing a rap career that is a pipe dream…I’m watching this shit on Bootleg holla!! lol
January 15th, 2009 at 10:21 am
if you base rap on what i do pure lyricism how is jayz not the greatest of all time to bigs credit he never had the chance to evolve but jay is the truth in 96 jay z was rapping about stuff alot of yall are just finding out about now in 2009 thats how far ahead of the game jay is and some of yall dont even really understand his lyrics and dont even catch on to what he really is saying thats why yall dont see the genuis jay is
January 15th, 2009 at 10:23 am
I thought that article was much more attacking the movie’s portrayal of things, not insulting BIG himself. I might be wrong tho…
check out ZP Boy Wonder’s hot remix of Kanye West’s Say You Will: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkbO4yMqrqA
January 15th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Wow…I usually never respond to these articles but I’m loving the commentary that I’m reading on this. GREAT points by #’s 10, 11, 13 and 14 among others. I’ve argued for a long time that Puffy (aka Diddy) was one of the worst things to happen to hip-hop. Much respect for his business acumen, but he lead the exploitation of hip-hop to unprecedented levels. Hopefully as he gets older and wiser, he will use his riches and influence to redeem himself and actually do something spiritually and educationally uplifting for the culture…more than just some Vote or Die PSA’s.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:45 am
B.I.G. DISPLAYED TALENT, SKILL N AMBITION…THA DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A LIFE OF SELLING DRUGS TO APPLYIN HIMSELF AS N ARTIST N WORKN ON HIS CRAFT TILL HE BECAME ONE OF THA VERY BEST. B.I.G’S MUSIC IS A REFLECTION OF THA STREETS URBAN ENVIRONMENT N THOSE THA ARE A PRODUCT OF THA ENVIRONMENT…EVEN IF B.I.G. REALLY DIDNT LIVE THA LIFE HE RAPPED BOUT, HE REPRESENTED N WAS A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO DO…SO ON JAN 16 LETS NOT 4GET THA LEGACY OF NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
R.I.P. CHRISTOPHER “B.I.G.” WALLACE
January 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Its Truth To That Article..
Yall Kill 50 Cent For The Very Content Biggie Used His Whole Career..
O He Needs To Change..O He Raps About Gangsta Shit All The Time..Sorry To Tell U But Both Of Biggie Albums Were The Same Way..Now They Wanna Say Gangsta Rap Is Dead..HOW WHEN UR SO CALLED GOATS OF RAP HAD THAT GANGSTA MUSIC..NO ONE OTHER RAPPER GIVES US THIS AGGRESSIVE CONTENT IN THE MAINSTREAM BESIDES 50 CENT..HES NOT THE LYRICST AS BIGGIE, BUT ITS THE SAME CONTENT..DRUGS MONEY HOES ROBBERY AND MURDER..
SO YALL STOP KILLIN 50 CENT FOR CONTENT WHEN OUR GREATS DID THE SAME SHIT..
AND U CALL THEM GOAT..
NOW GO BACK AND LISTEN TO READY TO DIE LIKE I DID LAST WEEK..
U WILL SEE BIGGIE WAS A GANGSTA RAPPER.. NO IF ANDS OR BUTS ABOUT IT..
FUCK UR SWAG IN 2009..WE TAKING THIS SHIT BACK TO 1993..
GIMME THE LOOT!!!GIMME THE LOOT!!!
FAGS LIKE KANYE AND WAYNE TRYING TO CHANGE OUR CULTURE..FUCK THAT..
LIKE THEY GOD HIMSELF….AND GOT ALL YALL ASSHOLES CO-SIGNIN THEM..(KANYE IMA BREAK ALL RULES OF HIP HIP) WTF????? POSING NUDE…….MANE PAC AND BIGGIE WOULDNT HAVE THAT SHIT…….O BUT KILL 50 CENT FOR SAYIN WHAT WE KNOW IS TRUE..
MAKE YA MIND UP PPL..
^^^^^^^YEA IM RANTING CUZ THE SHIT AINT RIGHT MANE..
January 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Can Someone Tell Me The Difference In Content On These Tracks???????
Biggie ( Gimme the loot ) Classic..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7g7pkkq1Hs
50 Cent ( Curtis 187 ) Off A Album Niggas Say Was Ass..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB8pdoWCwEc
RIP B.I.G..
Gangsta Rap Lives………..
January 15th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I’ll have to see the movie before I can totally agree with the author. But based on his review, I get the feeling that the movie stays conducive to what the record companies have been doing for the past decade. They’ve been glamorizing, and over exaggerating certain elements of street life, and subliminally encouraging black men to get money by any means necessary while shelving and repressing the socially responsible, mature, and morally conscious hip-hop music.
The author seems upset that the hip-hop community keeps accepting and perpetuating these sensationalized images of black men. His point is that there was more to Biggie’s story than this movie portrays, and the shit they chose to portray only sensationalizes BIG and reinforces the stereo typical get money, have sex, party and bullshit mentality that a lot of us have bought into. That is not what real life is about, and BIG had figured that out before he died, but the movie doesn’t touch on that.
January 15th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
i agree with #31…and to #28 what does watching a hollowood movie called Notorius have to do with showing respect and remembering B.I.G.s legacy? that movie isnt helping B.I.G. in No way, are his kids even getting paid for this?
January 15th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
yo 2shooters get the fuck outta here wit that bullshit, thats blasphemy dont u ever ever ever compare 50 cent to BIG. Biggie skill is off the charts, story tellin reflecting, metaphors, flow, big black and ugly had bitches on his dick, witty all that. curtis couldnt roll up biggie’s blunts let alone get on a mic wit him wit that lazy i’m gangsta and i shoot everybody everyday cuz i’m a killer and i’m the best even though aint no bodies being found i still kill everyday
rtny is wrong for even responding to this article, 2 arguements i promised i would never have again, the skills of big, and the skills of hov. everybody else can be debated all day, but i dont argue those 2 anymore, if u dont know u wasnt meant to know.
even if the movie is wack i’m supporting it, not for ny, but for brooklyn, for the fact that biggie’s greatness had jayz trying to compete wit a dead man for 10yrs. he still rhyming in competition wit big. thats love for the game, and respect for the illest mc, please yo tell big he’s unbelievable friend or foe biyatchhhh