Notorious Big - interview with late rap star Notorious Big - Interview

Interview, June, 1997 by Havelock Nelson

HN: But why be jealous of them? You're still making money. And it's all legit.

TNB: But it's not the same. Until I get to the point where I want to be, where I'm selling crazy records and I can bring all my niggas with me, I'm doing all this shit by myself. I'm lonely. I'm bored. I've got my one little man with me - Little Caesar - he's part of Junior M.A.F.I.A. I put him under the wing and he'll come up.

HN: Tell me about deciding to leave the streets behind to go make records.

TNB: I didn't really leave the streets behind. I try to chill with my niggas as much as possible.

HN: But what about those guys who aren't as cool anymore, the "playa haters"?

TNB: My niggas only act that way towards niggas that don't show no love, you know what I'm saying? My niggas know I'm always gonna be there. I gotta help my niggas now, because they were there for me before all this rap shit came. Those are the niggas I was representin'. None of those other crazy motherfuckers would take a bullet for me. I feel like my manager, Mark Pitts, is the only nigga who would probably go all out, 100 percent, for me. And Puff [Combs] too. I can't even front on Puff. He ain't no wimp-ass nigga.

HN: How do you feel now that the record's doing so well?

TNB: I'm just charmed.

HN: What's your favorite song on the album?

TNB: My favorite is "Everyday Struggle," 'cause that's just me.