Planet Ill:What new rappers are you feeling?
B.I.G.: I fucks with Kanye, I like duke. I like how Joelle Ortiz reps the BK. Those Odd Future kids are crazy, they remind me of when I was running wild and fresh in the game.
Planet Ill:Anybody you’re targeting in your new music? No beefs on the new record?
B.I.G.: It ain’t no beefs it’s just niggas gotta understand where they stand in this rap game. And as long as they understand they can’t fuck with me there will never be any beef. Now if there’s a misunderstanding we’ll just get that shit corrected and move on.
Planet Ill:You’ve been able to successfully branch out into other areas outside of rap. What’s it like juggling so many different businesses in your life?
B.I.G.: Shit is crazy because you gotta really be on point. Signing artists, opening restaurants, selling clothes, and making movies all sounds good until you have to do it and you see what hard work is you know what I’m saying? Plus I got a charity I run with my moms and Mrs. Shakur so there’s definitely a lot on my plate.
Planet Ill: Is there anything you love as much as rapping?
B.I.G.: I would say Big Things, my production company. Throughout my career I’ve kinda been known as a storyteller so to produce movies and tell stories for like a global audience is kinda crazy to me. Especially for a kid from Brooklyn you know?
Planet Ill: And what about the women in your life? TMZ reported you were seen in Miami at Prime 112 with…
B.I.G.: I don’t talk about none of that man. It’s whatever, I’m just trying to get this paper.
Planet Ill: Well, when you do ever settle down have you thought about having more children?
B.I.G.: Nah, I’m good with what I got. Kids is kinda expensive you know?
Planet Ill: Most hardcore artists try to avoid the crossover label. What made you name your third album “Crossing Over”?
B.I.G.: For me “Crossing Over” was the only place I could go because as much as “Ready to Die” changed my life, “Life After Death” changed my career musically. We set out to make history with that album and after we did, it was like where the fuck we go from here you know? I was talking to Puff when we was on tour and I was like “Yo Diddy there ain’t nothing once you get past life after death except maybe crossing over.” Then he laughed and was like, “That’s that shit right there.” It was also kind of an inside joke for all the haters out there who was saying we crossed over and went commercial with the shit we did on Puff’s album.
Planet Ill:Frank, Storytelling, the concept album told from the perspective of Frank White, your gangster alter ego was criticized for its violent imagery. Is there anything you regret about that album?
B.I.G.: Nah, not really. I made that album to be a movie on wax. From opening credits to outro I wanted that shit to be a movie that you throw on your iPod or whatever and just zone out to. You know, the same way niggas sit back at the crib and throw on “Scarface” or “Hoodlum” or some shit. At the same time, the life of a gangster is glorified so much that I wanted to show how ugly it could be. I wanted to make people understand that for people out there living that life, there may be money, women, cars, and jewelry or whatever but at the end of the day that shit is built on blood. So when I recorded the track about duct taping duke’s daughter and killing her, I knew it would be a problem with the controversy or whatever. But I knew I had to be true to what I was trying to do and that was putting a movie on wax you know what I’m saying?
Planet Ill:The Frank album seemed to mark an end to the Mafioso rap era. Is that what you intended?
B.I.G.: The gangster shit had gotten so outta control I just wanted to put the shit to bed you know? And I figured what better way to end it than to have Frank White die at the end of the movie or album or whatever you wanna call it.
Planet Ill: You actually had your son rapping on the track where he kills Frank. How was that recording process?
B.I.G.: It was cool, you know. Little man hopped in the booth liked he’d been there before. He didn’t want to spit his rhymes off no pad or nothing he just wanted to do it off the top. I just let him rock though. I told him if he fuck up my track no video games for a week.
Planet Ill: That’s crazy. How did Faith feel about Lil Chris killing you on wax?
B.I.G.: Faye was cool. But moms wasn’t having that. She wouldn’t speak to me for like a week after that joint dropped. Moms was bugging. We speak everyday so when I called she would just do this thing where she wouldn’t say nothing. I would just be having these one way conversations until finally she just broke down and told me to shut up because I talk too much. We both just busted out laughing and that pretty much deaded it.
Planet Ill: So after everything got worked out with Ms. Wallace, was that when Lil’ Chris told you he wanted to be a rapper?
B.I.G.: Yeah, CJ said he wanted to get in the game. It’s in his blood or whatever so I just let him rock. But I had to have a talk with him. I told him there’s a lot of expectations and people will want you to fail. Then shorty just looked at me like, “But dad, I won’t.” And I just had to laugh like this little motherfucker has no idea what he’s getting himself into but if he’s with it then I’ll help him.
Planet Ill: How did that make you feel when Lil’ Chris went platinum?
B.I.G.: For him to go platinum first time out the gate was crazy. It was probably the proudest moment of my career not only as an artist but as a father you know? But now I have to tell him don’t get it twisted. You still have to finish your homework and do your chores. Can’t have his little ass walking around the crib like he a bigger star than his pops yo. Never that. Plus now he has to make sure he comes correct on his next album because that’s all people care about is your next joint. They have a pretty short memory in this game.
Planet Ill: After that you went into a little mini retirement. What was that about?
B.I.G.: I wouldn’t say it was a mini retirement it’s just there were so many joints I was working on. I did the Commission album, the Goodfellas album, another Junior Mafia joint, Puff’s second album, Kim’s third, Charlie’s second, Cam’Ron’s third joint, shit just got real crazy and I didn’t have no time to do me. After a minute you look up and it’s been a while since you went into the booth and did something just for you, know what I’m saying?
Planet Ill: Is that why you came so hard on your next album? There’s a lot of people who believe it was your best work.
B.I.G.: With “King Stay King” I wanted to put the rap game on notice that they shouldn’t get it twisted by the concept album and all the collabo shits I was putting out. I could still bust ’em in they head and can’t nobody fuck with me. See, when I got deep into my real creative joint I felt like dudes was trying to come for my spot. So I had to get on that King Kong shit, put the rap game in my hand and climb the Empire State Building on these niggas. Just start pounding my chest to let them know what it is. It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had recording because I was just in there spitting and getting at dudes for thinking shit was sweet. At the same time I was feeling like MJ a little bit on some don’t put that joint out until it’s ready shit. Like he had years in between “Thriller”, “Bad”, “Dangerous”, “History”, and “Invincible”. He always wanted to make sure everything was just right before he dropped and I was kinda feeling like that too.
Planet Ill: What was it like recording with Michael Jackson?
B.I.G.: Shit was crazy. Like, I remember when I first met duke. Getting that phone call to work with Mike was one of the highlights of my career. And he was so down to earth, so humble. So later on for me to be in the position to reach out to him for my “King Stay King ” joint, that was real important to me. And it ended up being one of the biggest hits of my career. My heart goes out to his kids man because he loved them so much and I know it’s hard not having their pops around.
Planet Ill: Tell us a little bit about the new album you’ve got coming that has everybody so excited.
B.I.G.: The new joint is called Still Ready. Recording has been just like hitting the reset button and getting that hunger back you know? Taking it back to that real gutter BK shit I came in the game with.
Planet Ill: So you don’t worry about raising expectations? Ready to Die is still bumping in a lot of decks. Titling your next album Still Ready opens yourself up for comparisons.
B.I.G.: Yeah but I ain’t never really had a problem delivering on high expectations, you know what I’m saying? For me, Still Ready is just a return to the beginning. I just wanted to get back to that mentality after all these years and see if I could spit with that same hunger. At the same time I wanted to show these n***s that this shit is real and I am still ready to die for this shit. I’m ready to die again if that’s what it takes to prove that can’t nobody fuck with me.
In another time and space…
