My rating: 5 of 5 stars
While this book veers off into digressions on the history of crack and long details of ancillary stories like the founding of Death Row Records, it is still an excellent book for specifically the reasons the author stated at the beginning. No conspiracy theories just the REAL culminated from taped interviews with Biggie himself and the friends & family of Biggie.
The early chapters do indeed veer off too much into the history of Brooklyn and such, but do contain the info about Biggie’s childhood and everything before he became a rapper and thought he might have a career as a recording artist.
Each chapter from Chapter Four until the end of the book is great and only stumbles in the last chapter (Chapter 10: 'Who Shot Ya?') with all — and I mean ALL of the people suspected of the Biggie murder. The people named and their possible link to murder was extremely hard to follow.
Perhaps the BEST chapter was Chapter 5: ‘What's Beef?’ It really detailed the circumstances and environment in which, as I stated in my Status Update—
November 29, 1994. A Tuesday, a robbery, an event that would change hip hop forever...the night of the Quad Studios shooting of Tupac Shakur.
— Nov 12, 2011 03:57am
I also liked how each chapter was titled as a line from or name of a Biggie song. In order the chapters were:
Chapter 1: ‘Dolly My Baby’
Chapter 2: ‘Things Done Changed’
Chapter 3: ‘It Was All a Dream’
Chapter 4: ‘Gimmie the Loot (I'm a Bad Boy)’
Chapter 5: ‘What's Beef?’
Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems'
Chapter 7: ‘One More Chance (The Remix)’
Chapter 8: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You'
Chapter 9: 'The Long Kiss Goodnight'
Chapter 10: 'Who Shot Ya?'
Epilogue: 'Sky's the Limit'
"If You Don't Know...Now You Know" A Discography
As I stated at the beginning, a lot of interviews occurred with the people close to Biggie, but curiously, while Biggie’s mom Voletta Wallace is interviewed extensively as is his inner circle there are little to no interviews with “Biggie’s women”. There are interviews with his children’s moms, but none with his “dalliances” specifically Charli Baltimore and Lil Kim. Of course they are mentioned and referenced quotes from other interviews, but not anything specific for this book.
While an interesting life, Biggie WAS only 24 when he was murdered, TWENTY FOUR! There isn’t a lot of life story there to tell, but the essence of what lead to his success and eventual death are the most potent parts of the book. If you are a fan of hip hop in general, the book intricately details what is was like on one side of the East Coast/West Coast feud. The book is so thoroughly detailed (and sourced) it could be used for a college course on hip hop.
View all my BOOK reviews
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ADDENDUM
 |
| Promotion poster |
Reggie Rock Bythewood) for the 2009 film Notorious, the
biopic of the Notorious B.I.G. (poster pictured left)
As a filmmaker I understand the portions of the
film that were changed from not exactly how they occurred in real life (as
recounted through interviews in the book of course). I also think the director George
Tillman, Jr. did a good job at conveying some major stories in the book to
film. From the real locations of the street in New York
You can read my review of the film Notorious here
Cool Black's Mad Commentary: Personally I
don’t think this feud was really hyped all that much by the media. To me this
seemed personal on a street tip. You know “word on the street” type stuff.
Frankly these street types don’t really read or watch the news so I don’t see
the relevancy in that argument.
Cool Black's Mad Updates:
Since I like to use the also use the Goodreads website to keep track/notes on what I’m reading electronically, I also updated this book more than any other I’ve read thus far. Below is a copy of ALL my updates in chronological order.
- Page 9 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished the FOREWORD by Biggie friend Bönz Malone and the INTRODUCTION by author Cheo Hodari Coker, who explains in true Biggie style about what you will & WON'T find in this book. No conspiracy theories just the REAL culminated from taped interviews with Biggie himself and the friends & family of Biggie in truth Christopher Latore Wallace, ALL listed & credited at the end of the book. Mad props 2 him 4 that.
— Oct 29, 2011 02:54am
- Page 25 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished Chapter 1 "Dolly My Baby". In it the author recounts Biggie's mom Ms. Wallace flight from Jamaica and even the setting environ of Brooklyn back in the same time period I was born there (cool! Biggie was born 8 months after I was). He goes on to recount Biggie's early childhood and his desire to escape the harsh control his mother placed on him to keep him safe from the streets.
— Nov 01, 2011 01:16pm
- Page 71 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished Chapter 3 "It Was All a Dream" and the book is not what I thought it would be, at least thus far. More on that later. (in the NEXT update)
— Nov 03, 2011 02:06am
- Page 73 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
About to start Chapter 4 "Gimmie The Loot (I'm a Bad Boy), but so far the book digresses widely what is supposed to be the subject Notorious B.I.G. Through well researched data, the author recounts the history of Brooklyn, the history of hip hop, the history of crack, the history of Def Jam Records, the history of Uptown Records & the history of Sean "Puffy" Combs w/ some Biggie sprinkled in there. It's supplemental, but too much details away from what is supposed to be the main subject.
—Nov 03, 2011 05:34am
- Page 95 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
In the middle of Chapter 4 "Gimmie the Loot: (I'm a Bad Boy)" which starts off STRONG w/ Biggie's start w/ Puffy when he was w/ Uptown Records and everything that happened after that into the formation of Bad Boy Records. Now it has veered off again into the formation of Death Row Records. To tell this story you need background, but the author spends an inordinate amount of time on the ancillary background stories.
— Nov 05, 2011 09:36am
Actually still pg 95 & this section in Chapter 4 "Gimmie the Loot (I'm a Bad Boy)" starts off "The Chronic hit the rap world like a 10-megaton bomb on December 15, 1992."
— Nov 06, 2011 01:25am
- Page 98 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOAH! BOTH rappers on 'Gimmie the Loot' was Biggie doing a separate voice? Gotta put this book down RIGHT NOW and listen to the song. "Right now gee?" Motherf...
— Nov 06, 2011 01:39am
- Page 109 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
"Just the mention of her name made Wallace smile sheepishly" THIS is the page where the author explains how Biggie met Faith Evans.
— Nov 06, 2011 01:48am
- Page 117 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Finally finished the BEST chapter in the book thus far- Chapter 4: Gimmie the Loot (I'm a Bad Boy). The chapter chronicled Puffy's rise & fall @ Uptown Records, the start of Bad Boy Records, the recording of 'Ready to Die', the meeting & marriage with Faith Evans, the success of 'Ready to Die, the hovering of Suge Knight and @ the end hanging with someone he was tight with for over a year - Tupac Shakur.
— Nov 06, 2011 02:21am
- Page 126 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
WOW, as indicated Chapter 5: "What's Beef?" starts of STRONG with how Biggie met 2Pac, how their friendship formed and dovetailed into details of the sexual assault 2Pac was accused of. I've heard about it, but only peripherally, never read the details. WOW.
- Page 138 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished another great chapter & here is what I learned in Chapter 5: "What's Beef?" Most paramount: Be careful who you associate yourself with. Tupac was paranoid as hell after he was arrested on a rape charge, buying a "spy microphone" to record conversations with women (sexual consent with groupies) and any other conversation he deemed worthy. (CONT)
— Nov 12, 2011 03:44am
- Page 139 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
More of I learned in Chapter 5: "What's Beef?" (CONTD 2 of 3) Tupac was also BROKE while on trial for rape (November 1994). He couldn't get film work because no one would insure him. He couldn't get TV work because no network would sanction it. He was taking "chump change" to appear on other people's records (the reason he was @ Quad studios that fateful night) (CONT)
— Nov 12, 2011 03:55am
- Page 140 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
More of I learned in Chapter 5: "What's Beef?" (CONTD 3 of 3) November 29, 1994. A Tuesday, a robbery, an event that would change hip hop forever...the night of the Quad Studios shooting of Tupac Shakur.
— Nov 12, 2011 03:57am
- Page 142 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' Starting off great recounting the success of 'Ready to Die'. Biggie wanted 'Machine Gun Funk' to be his lead single, but Puffy wanted radio friendly singles like 'Juicy' (which eventually was the 1st single) More on that later.
— Nov 13, 2011 05:14am
- Page 150 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' You wanna know how 2 friends could go to being bitter rivals? 1 is having career highs flossing in videos with fancy clothes, beautiful women. At the same exact time, the other is in jail on a rape charge, can't afford the $1.4 million dollar bail because all of his money is going to lawyers, having rectal searches before AND after meetings with said lawyer stewing on bitterness.
— Nov 13, 2011 06:03am
- Page 183 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' " 'Hit 'Em Up' was perhaps the most scathing battle rhyme ever committed to tape" (Summer of '96) I couldn't agree more! In my "Afros talk": If'n there is I ain't be heard none. ("I ain't be got no weapon" Hollywood Shuffle) THIS is the page where the author describes Biggie's reaction.
— Nov 20, 2011 03:19am
- Page 192 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' these pages starting with 190 describing the night of Tupac's shooting and ending with "Tupac Amaru Shakur drifted into permanent sleep on Friday, September 13, 1996, just after 4 P.M. He was 25 years old."
— Nov 20, 2011 04:17am
- Page 197 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Jus finished, finally finished Chapter 6: 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' & WOW! It details "the intricate plot" of the East Coast/West Coast beef w/ the "major & minor figures" involved, ending with the crazy car crash that injured Biggie's leg. Another GREAT chapter.
— Nov 20, 2011 04:55am
- Page 213 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Started Chapter 7: One More Chance (The Remix). It details Biggie's stint in rehab, for his crushed leg, and the beginning of the recording of 'Life After Death'.
— Nov 25, 2011 04:36am
- Page 217 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished Chapter 7: One More Chance (The Remix). It finished telling the story of the recording sessions of 'Life After Death' with interviews with the producers involved and ends on the talk of the heavy promotion coming up. The chapter ends with these 2 sentences. "But in order to make the plan work certain things had to happen. First of all, Wallace had to go back to Cali."
— Nov 26, 2011 10:24pm
- Page 220 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Starting Chapter 8: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You'. Biggie is in California & while he's there he's doing major promotion & the 1st video for 'Life After Death'.
— Nov 27, 2011 03:12am
- Page 226 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
As stated on this page of Chapter 8: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You' : "With Tupac dead and Suge Knight off the streets, Bad Boy was making its presence known—in Los Angeles recording studios, in the clubs on Sunset Boulevard, and on local radio stations. The message being sent wasn't subtle—while our enemies fall, we stand tall."
— Nov 27, 2011 03:25am
- Page 232 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Chapter 8: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You'. At this point in the chapter, they JUST finished shooting the 'Hypnotize' video and the ridiculousness you witnessed on screen doesn't compare to the behind the scenes ridiculousness.
— Nov 27, 2011 03:45am
- Page 239 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
The chapter just stated how the last things Biggie recorded were the guest verses on 'Victory' and 'All About The Benjamins' IMO some the illest rhymes he EVER spit. THIS page starts recounting that fateful night @ the Petersen Automotive Museum.
— Nov 27, 2011 04:15am
- Page 245 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
WOW! Just finished Chapter 8: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Kills You'. The last pages of the chapter details much of Biggie's last hours and ends on the phone call to Biggie's mother Voletta Wallace, to try to state what was just stated on the previous page: "Christopher George Letore Wallace was dead. It was 1:15 A.M. He was 24 years old."
— Nov 27, 2011 04:35am
- Page 253 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Given how the the last chapter ended, Chapter 9:'The Long Kiss Goodnight' starts off GANGBUSTERS! Reactions coast to coast from fans, the hip hop artists who were there, Biggie's inner circle, Puffy and the "morgue of moms". The gathering of Biggie's mom Voletta and the moms of his children, Jan and Faith gathered to identify his body in the morgue.
— Nov 27, 2011 09:09am
- Page 258 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
This section of Chapter 9:'The Long Kiss Goodnight' details Biggie's funeral and final procession through Brooklyn in great detail down to "Lying in a velvet-lined coffin made of beautifully polished mahogany, Wallace was dressed in a white suit with a matching derby—an outfit worthy of his status as a man of respect."
— Nov 27, 2011 02:08pm
- Page 265 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished Chapter 9:'The Long Kiss Goodnight' and the rest of the the chapter details the recording of 'I'll Be Missing You', the song and video, the release and chart success of 'Life After Death' (10 Million copies by 2000), the 1997 MTV Awards performance with Sting and ends with the somber filming of the video for 'Mo' Money, Mo' Problems' with Biggie's Mom & daughter on the set.
— Nov 27, 2011 02:37pm
Page 285 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
WOW Just finished the last official chapter in the book Chapter 10: 'Who Shot Ya?' and what lies wherein is a dizzying array of suspects and informants. The story presented is worthy of Oliver Stone's 'JFK'. The written account is rather confusing and in bad need of a power point or something to connect all the dots. Interesting and intriguing information, just confusing as hell.
— Nov 27, 2011 09:07pm
Page 299 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Just finished the Epilogue: 'Sky's The Limit'. It basically had newer interviews with Biggie's mom as she was with Biggie's kids as they were swimming in the pool @ the house Biggie started building for her before he died. Plus interviews with DJ Première & Lil Cease. The chapter ends with some nice thoughts from long time Biggie friend Hubert Sams. "It wasn't his time, man," Sams says. "It just wasn't his time."
— Dec 01, 2011 02:45pm
Page 302 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Starting "If You Don't Know...Now You Know" An extensive, and I mean EXTENSIVE, Biggie Discography by Chairman Mao. It starts with his 1991 demo "Blind Alley Freestyle"; "Guaranteed Raw"; "Don't Love No Ho". The demo that got him in 'The Source's' "Unsigned Hype" column.
— Dec 02, 2011 11:02am
Page 308 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
THIS is the page where Chairman Mao starts to talk about READY TO DIE. Before this he talked about AND listed all, and I MEAN ALL, the singles, promo and otherwise, Biggie appeared on.
— Dec 03, 2011 03:03am
— Dec 03, 2011 03:03am
Page 318 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
On this page of "If You Don't Know...Now You Know" Discography by Chairman Mao. Mao starts talking about LIFE AFTER DEATH the 1997 double album. Haven't started reading what he said yet, but thus far Mao is taking NO shorts when describing the various tracks calling out any other weak/wack MCs on callabo tracks and such. LOL
— Dec 03, 2011 03:27am
Page 324 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
On this page of "If You Don't Know...Now You Know" Discography by Chairman Mao. Mao states about the 1997 album BORN AGAIN: "The premise of this posthumous album—collecting unheard or old but forgotten Biggie vocals, and retooling them alongside new tracks and guests—was flawed from the jump." I couldn't agree more. I'll probably say such (more) later. — Dec 03, 2011 03:43am
-Ok here are my comments on BORN AGAIN. Like Chairman Mao stated, it was just a bad idea. It seemed like an obvious attempt to cash in on Biggie’s posthumous legacy. I was never going to buy that album and only downloaded that single with Eminem ‘Dead Wrong’. Unfortunately the posthumous scavenging didn’t stop with 1999’s BORN AGAIN. There was 2005’s ‘DUETS: THE FINAL CHAPTER’. I can’t be mad at Puffy because the executor of his estate, his mom Voletta, co-signed everything. So if she’s happy with it, who am I to say anything. — Dec 05, 2011 09:52 AM
Page 331 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
WOW, Chairman Mao went ALL IN in "If You Don't Know...Now You Know" Discography. Mao called out all the ridiculous posthumous Biggie releases & gave props to some of the, actually the very few, gems in the bunch. He states: "Nearly seven years after his death, the very rhymes that introduced Biggie Smalls to much of the world are still being tapped for inspiration. If that's not being ahead of your time, what is?" — Dec 03, 2011 04:06am
Page 334 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Trying to finish this book so starting 'Brooklyn's Finest' Videography by Ralph Daniels where he talks about then lists all the videos Biggie appeared in. — Dec 03, 2011 04:15am
Page 339 of 368 of Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
Even though there's ACKNOWLEDGENTS (pp. 346) from the publisher Editorial Director Rob Kenner, Vibe books, page 339 is the actual end of the book ending with the AUTHOR'S NOTE and the obligatory ABOUT THE AUTHOR—CHEO HODARI COKER. The rest of the book is ALL the credits for the many, many sources. Major props to him for including that. — Dec 03, 2011 04:40am
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