Biggie has a catalog filled with classics, but according to one of Diddy‘s Hitmen producers, one of his biggest records almost wasn’t his.
During the premiere of her Iconic Records visual podcast series, legendary host, Angie Martinez sat down with Nashiem Myrik, a member of Diddy’s Bad Boy production team, The Hitmen.
AD LOADING...
At one point in the conversation, the pair discussed some of Biggie’s biggest tracks, like “Juicy” and “Big Poppa” from his debut album, Ready To Die.
According to Myrik, Biggie initially showed no interest in these records. “Big didn’t want to do certain songs, like Big Poppa. He didn’t like that record. Juicy? He didn’t like that record [either],” he said. “He [just] didn’t want to do them records, but Puff knew he needed singles, and those were them.”
AD LOADING...
Specifically, when it comes to “Big Poppa,” which Myrick created with another hitman producer, the late Chucky Thompson, he explained that Diddy suggested giving the beat to the Lost Boyz, because Biggie “refused to do it.”
Myrik said he eventually got the track back, and traded it for the beat that would be used in the Lost Boyz’s “Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz” from their Legal Drug Money album.
Iconic Records launched its premiere episode with Myrick on April 29. For its first season, Martinez interviewed 25 subjects for the series over five days, discussing the late Brooklyn rapper’s life and legacy, as well as his final album, Life After Death.
Lil Cease, Fat Joe, Pusha T, Rick Ross, Too $hort and more are expected to appear.
“I’ve pivoted in my career. At this point, I want to do things that I’m truly passionate about… Things that I want to leave on the table,” she told Billboard in April.
She continued: “Celebrating B.I.G. and 25 years of this album in a different way was exciting. That’s because some of the people we talked to weren’t the traditional people we see or hear from and who had different types of viewpoints on him.”
AD LOADING...
Iconic Records arrives courtesy of WMX (Warner Music Group’s creative content division) and will be available to be streamed on the WMX Hip Hop channel on The Roku Channel.
