Monday, December 11, 2017

Who Killed Biggie Smalls? James Lewandowski

Image result for Biggie smalls
 

Who shoot the great Biggie Smalls? There are many theories on who killed the great rapper after a Soul Train Award after party. It is possible that the FBI killed Biggie so it would put an end to the East coast vs West coast rap rivalry, also did P. Diddy have something to do with Biggie'sdeath. There are even people who believe that he is still alive, but all of the evidence points toward Suge Knight ("The Mysterious Death Of Biggie Smalls | Part 2").

Biggie Smalls was born on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. Biggie's real name was Christopher Wallace but also went by Notorious B.I.G. The twenty four year old rapper was gunned down in 1997 in Los Angeles in his car while leaving a after party. Biggie Smalls lived a short but an eventful life ("Biggie Smalls" 1). Biggie was a big man as Rolling Stone described him him as " a mountain of a man, 6 ft 3in, 280 lbs, black as tar, with a W.C Fields scowl and a lazy left eye" in an interview in 1995(1).

Biggie smalls is a very friendly and caring guy. People think he is mean and dark by his lyrics or even by his appearance, but mostly everyone he knew, he became friends with. " I was passing by and he just said 'hello'. We started talking and it grew into a friendship" ("Biggie small: The Voice that Influenced A Generation" 1).  Biggie was sometimes a pain to his mother Voletta Wallace, but he was always respectful to his mother " He was a son that every mother always wanted" "My son was my best friend" ("Biggie Smalls' mother remembers her son" 1). Biggie was friendly and respected anybody who respected him.

Biggie also was very inspiring. He inspired people around the world, but mainly inspired Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Nets held a ceremony for Biggie for how he inspired the town. " if one person can bring so much love together for others. It warms my heart. He is not here and I am saddened by it, but I am thrilled to know how much love he brought to the community." his mother said at the ceremony ("Biggie Smalls' mothers remembers her son" 1). "Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart's in it, and live the phrase sky's the limit"("27 Best Biggie Smalls Quotes and sayings" 1). Biggie inspired not only Brooklyn but the word by his words, lyrics and actions.

Biggie Smalls was also a good business man. "Wallace is seen as a cornerstone of a business and is relied upon to do his work efficiently and expertly. He has strength and respectability." "he has learned to respect a dollar. He is concerned about security of his future and those he loves."("The Notorious B.I.G" 1). Biggie always was about making money. When he was a kid he started dealing drugs which isn't the best was to provide, but he found a way to provide. But later in life found a better way and safer way to make money for his family, his talent, which was rapping.

Biggie was a hard worker. " And everything you get, ya gotta work hard for it" Biggie said("27 Best Biggie Smalls Quotes and sayings" 1). Biggie was always determined. It goes back to him being a business man but he always worked hard for everything he did, even when he was dealing drugs he wanted to be on the top of the city, and same goes to when he was in the rap game. He would never take time off, he would always be doing something to make his game and himself better.

Biggie was a brilliant a guy. "he excelled in class and won many awards as a english student"("The Notorious B.I.G." 1). Biggie was a really smart kid and he was also a very good student. Which it was hard to be a good student when you grew up in a rough neighborhood and he was a drug dealer getting good grades, you don’t hear about that often. Also with him being such a good english student you could tell in his lyrics. He's really creative with his lyrics. Him being creative and also being educated in english just put a good touch on Biggie's music which in my opinion made him one of the best rapper in the game.

Biggie Smalls was a really good guy. I wish I could of meet him, not only for him being one of the best rappers to rap. But also just to have a good conversation with him because of how nice of guy everyone said he was. He cared about his loved ones and would do anything for them. He worked hard and was always trying to make money, which I hope to be the same in that way.

Biggie Smalls was leaving a Soul Train Music award afterparty on March 9, 1997. While stopped at a red light, a Chevrolet Impala pulled up next to Biggie's green GMC Suburban ("20 Years after the Notorious B.I.G Death..." 1). The driver in the Impala was a unidentified black male wearing a suit and bow tie. He put his window down and fired a 9mm pistol at Biggie; four of the shots wounded him (1). Biggie was taken to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to go into surgery, but soon after Biggie was dead (1).

Conspiracy theory #1 involves Sean "Diddy" Combs. Retired Los Angeles Police Department detective Greg Kading led a task force investigating Biggie's and Tupac deaths ("20 Years after the Notorious B.I.G Death..." 1). Kading claimed Diddy, the mind behind Bad Boy Records, which is Biggie's record label, paid a member of the Crip gang one million dollars to kill Tupac and his manger (1). Kading claimed that Marion "Suge" Knight, who is the Death Row Record CEO, retaliated by hiring a member of the Blood gang to kill Biggie for 13,000 dollars. Suge and Diddy have both vehemently denied claims about their involvement (1). This conspiracy is based on hearsay only and has no actual evidence to back it up.

Conspiracy theory #2 involves Marion "Suge" Knight and the Los Angeles Police Department ("20 Years after the Notorious B.I.G Death..." 1). The theory was spread by a former Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole, who claimed Suge recruited a police officer to kill Biggie as an act of retaliation for the death of Tupac (1). Months after Biggie's death, Suge told ABC News he would "absolutely not" snitch if he knew the Tupac killer (1). "I don’t get paid to tell on people" he said in the interview (1). In 2015, Poole suffered a heart attack and died after going over the cold case of Biggie's death (1). "'Ain't that some shit?' RIP B.I.G.," rapper Busta Rhymes wrote on his instagram at the time, seemingly siding with Poole's theory (1).  This seems to be the most likely theory on Biggie's death and will be discussed in more detail at the end.

Conspiracy theory #3 involved the FBI. Josh Potash claimed in his book from 2008 "The FBI War on Tupac Sharur and Black Leaders" that the FBI was behind the deaths of Biggie and Tupac ("20 Years after the Notorious B.I.G Death..." 1). "Citing 12 years of research, hundreds of interviews and many court documents, Josh claimed that the FBI wanted to end the violent rap game of the '90's and counterintelligence programs to target musicians" (1).  In Josh's book, he connected with Tupac's mother Afeni, and with the Black Panther Party (1). Tupac's lyrics about self-empowerment and the FBI's Cointelpro Project, which surveilled, infiltrated and shut down political organizations and national threats like the Panthers (1). The FBI released the files from its two years investigation into Biggie's death in April 2011(1).  The associated press said at the time that informants told the FBI that Biggie's death may have been aided by police officers. The LAPD denied claims about its involvement (1). While there is evidence about this theory, there is not as much evidence as for conspiracy theory #2.

Conspiracy theory #4 suggest that Biggie and Tupac are still alive ("20 Years after the Notorious B.I.G Death..." 1). One of the most discussed conspiracy theories claims that Biggie and Tupac are still alive out of the spotlight (1). In the past years, countless doppelgangers have showed up in different cities around the world, making theory escalate (1). Not too long ago, a Biggie look alike was photographed at a bachelor party (1). "I don’t know if I was too drunk last night, but I swear Biggie came to my party... Biggie is still alive" the groomsman, Nass Kitojo, said (1).

Were Suge and the LAPD involved with Biggie's death ("The Mysterious Death Of Biggie Smalls | Part 2" 1)? The most likely scenario was conspiracy theory #2, Marion "Suge" Knight and the Los Angeles Police Department were involved. There is strong evidence behind this theory (1). Sergio Robleto commented on how strangely uninvolved the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division was in the case:

They were there that first night, but they were gone by the next morning and didn’t come back to the case until an entire month had passed. In 30 years, I had never seen that: a murder case involving a major celebrity that wasn't taken over by Robbery Homicide right out of the gate. (1)

That also happen with the Tupac murder (1). Suge's motive was to avenge Tupac, his artist from Death Row Records, who some say was murdered by Biggie (1). Members of the LAPD were on the payroll of Death Row Records of which Suge is the CEO (1). One of the officers on the payroll was officer David Mack (1). Mack was at the party the night of Biggie's death and owns a black Impala (1). Also, Mack was affiliated with hit man Amir Muhammad who was one of Mack's college friends (1). Amir matched the description of the shooter (1). Which points to Suge hiring Amir Muhammad to kill Biggie.

The death of Biggie Small's is still a mystery. The murder of Biggie went to four different theories:

1.      Sean "Diddy" Combs was involved.

2.      Marion "Suge" Knight and the Los Angeles Police Department was involved.

3.      The FBI was involved.

4.      Biggie is still alive.

I also walked around College of the Mainland to do a survey on who was involved with Biggie's murder and 66% of the people choose that Marion "Suge" Knight and the Los Angeles police department was involved. Also there is a lot of evidence behind that theory as well and not as much on the other three theories. So hopefully Biggie's death can be confirm so the person behind the murder can be brought to justice. 

Image result for Biggie smalls
 


Works Cited

“Biggie Smalls.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 3 Oct.            2017, www.biography.com/people/biggie-smalls-20866735.

“Biggie Smalls' Mother Remembers Her Son.” YouTube, YESnetwork, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ist0PtQk-4Y.

Hautman, Nicholas. “20 Years After Notorious B.I.G.'s Death: Theories on His Murder.” Us Weekly, 15 Oct. 2017, www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/20-years-after-notorious-bigs-death-theories-on-his-murder-w471171/.

Kelley, Frannie. “Biggie Smalls: The Voice That Influenced A Generation.” NPR, NPR, 2 Aug. 2010, www.npr.org/2010/08/02/128916682/biggie-smalls-the-voice-that-influenced-a-generation

“The Mysterious Death Of Biggie Smalls | Part 2.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssj7RIUnjbY.

“27 Best Biggie Smalls Quotes and Sayings.” WealthyGorilla, Dan Western, wealthygorilla.com/25-biggie-smalls-quotes-sayings/.

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