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Where Were You When You Learned of Biggie’s Death?

blame it on JES7 March 9, 2014
notorious-big1

We lost one of our greatest emcees seventeen years ago to the day. If Biggie were still alive, he’d have been 42 years old, and who knows where the state of Hip-Hop would have been.

For those old enough to remember, where were you when you learned of Biggie’s death? Do you remember where you were and how you reacted? Personally, I vaguely recall (because, you know, drugs) learning about Biggie passing the day after, which was a Monday and a school day. I do remember that at the time, I was a junior in high school, attending an alternative learning center called “Highcore Program” in an attempt to catch up on missing credits so I’d be able to graduate on time.


Heavy D – A Buncha N*ggas f. Guru, Biggie, Third Eye, Rob-O & Busta Rhymes

I learned of the news from a friend at our old spot where we all used to converge before school started: in front of a Dairy Queen on California Ave. in Wahiawa. He’d learned about the news from our local radio station’s morning show, and we were completely speechless. This was at a time when the internet was a very rare commodity, especially in Hawaii, so we didn’t have that same instant access to learn all the details immediately.

Instead, we’d gradually learn about the events, and the ensuing chaos that followed, through MTV News (Kurt Loder and Serena Altschul, anyone?) and by way of magazines like The Source & Rolling Stone, piecing everything together over time. It was a bit overwhelming as Biggie’s untimely passing followed not too long after Pac’s, and happened smack dab in the middle of the East Coast/West Coast beef.


Da Brat – Da B Side f. Biggie


Biggie – The What f. Method Man

Although he may be gone physically, Big’s legacy still reigns supreme through artists and friends like The LOX, JAY Z, DJ Premier and a host of others.


Red Hot Lover Tone – 4 My Peeps (Buckwild Mix) f. Biggie, M.O.P. & Prince Po