4/5
Reborn Again.
Listen up, I got a story to tell. The King of New York died March 9th, 1997. So to mark the month of mourning on March 1st, Biggie has a 'Story To Tell' too like the last track off his 'Life After Death' definitive, double disc classic. At least they waited a day though. February 28th crosses the point on the calendar New York lost one of its greatest Knicks. The pioneer of the Point Forward position (what's up Draymond Green, Julius Randle), Anthony Mason. Not the same Mase that was a Bad Boy too, but one that used to shave 'Dogg Pound' into his dome for games like Rodman spray canned his hair and according to the rumor that Fat Joe a few years ago perpetrated was the victim of the events of the song 'I Got A Story To Tell'. Which apparently wasn't a story, but a track by track take and account of a real life scenario (although this heresay hasn't been confirmed by anyone close to Big). One that Christopher Wallace on the wax lyrical song says took place in the home of a New York Knicks NBA player, in bed with his wife. An event that ended with the player coming back earlier (the game must have been, "rained out or something" the Notorious one hilariously remarks about the Worlds Most Famous (indoor) Arena of Madison Square Garden), to which a desperate Biggie improvised by getting dressed Fresh Prince (how about that Vegas, "Gimmie the loot. Gimmie the loot" reference?) quick. Instead of opting for the penthouse window-ledge, B.I.G. then proceeded to throw on the wife's scarf like a ski-mask, grab a pillow case and put his pistol to her head, pretending to be sticking her up (s###...he kind of was). Pretending and then proceeding to actually rob the athlete who was giving up "mad paper" like when the Knicks re-signed Houston for mo' problems. Sure Biggie tells this story better than me, but releasing this documentary the morning after the day Mase died in anniversary lacks tact. But we just hope this was as much a coincidence as we believe this story to be a fabrication for fun and not based on factual events.
Netflix have a story to tell too though. And the streaming service that have given us moving music documentaries from 'Quincy' to 'The Two Killings Of Sam Cooke' do it B.I.G. with this Notorious one. And stripping away the Hollywood hype like movie mythology we get in buoyed biopics (like the pretty good 'Notorious' which always had mo problems being named after one of the greatest movies of all-time...let alone rappers), this one takes it back to the Brooklyn born roots of the rapper that lie in Jamaica. Not Jamaican, Queens, with all due respect, but the actual beautiful land of Jamaica for the kid (he passed ages 24...can you believe that in all its senselessness?) who became the King of the five boroughs like the crown of that famous red room photo Oscar winner Marhershala Ali posed under for Netflix and Marvel's 'Luke Cage'. Or even the epic and iconic Source material cover of this man taller than the Twin Towers. But, "blowing up like the World Trade" it was all good and 'Juicy' baby, baby like "Super Nintendo. SEGA Genesis" for Big Poppa. One who spread love the Brooklyn way when he wasn't sipping champagne when he was thirsty before he fell years prior to the towers. Still you best believe if this man was still here there would be, "sold out seats to hear Biggie Small speak". You can see it in the yellow Bad Boy basketball jerseys that are still rocked like fictional Bel-Air High ones that "pass it to Will" in the same color. Or the love Brooklyn spread and paved his way down the streets of his funeral precision. When tears were replaced with cheers for the man who just wanted to keep dancing on that 'Party and Bulls###', as that classic catalyst joints producer Easy Mo Bee drove this Notorious thug down the belt of New York City late at night in harmony like Bone.
'Ready To Die'? Nah this young gun was 'Ready To LIVE' like the t-shirt of his man Damion Butler in this film. The best friend of the Bad Boy for life who documented it all on a hand held camcorder like these moments golden should be immortalised so we can always hold them. All for some profound personal and private snapshots of this young man's short life...oh and on that note, it turns out Will Ferrell's Robert Goulet, he CAN croon. Now back to it. When it came to Biggie's dominant debut and absolute hip-hop classic he just wanted to show you how it really was. From "f### the world, my mom's and my girl", to the last dial tone of his fallen body and phone on the last shot of 'Suicidal Thoughts'. Quite possibly the deepest and darkest rap track of all-time when it comes to personal power. Hearing him formidable frame thudder like thunder off the chair still puts a cold chill down this die-hard fans spine. Netflix cross their streams with everything these days from shows series in season, to Oscar contenders. But to their credit they don't tell Biggie's story with a view to make money off his passing, but to document a true tale off his passion. It's not all about the Benjamin's this time as all his albums play back-to-back from CD changers to Spotify playlists. You don't have to make this a movie. The rap Godfather who looked older and game wiser than his less than a quarter century time in his iconic presence lived his life like one in a Bond villain bowler hat. Shooting like 'Scarface' in the mansion with his little friends, to the red dots on your head that served as a 'Warning'. And like they say with P. Diddy by his side like Pacino and Coppola, or Scorsese and De Niro, this producing director and star power dynamic duo like Shaq and Kobe (can't wait for THAT Netflix documentary) was no act like Eric B and Rakim were no joke. Sean Combs offers inspired insight here without ab-lib, "take that, take that, take that" taking over the show. As does Christopher Wallace's mother Voletta. From laughing at who was going to take care of her son ("this guy called Puffy...Puffy"), to her moving memories that will leave as many dry eyes as Biggie's comedy punchlines ("I get more butt than ashtrays"). Wallace's wife, the legendary Faith Evans, family, friends and members of Junior M.A.F.I.A like Lil' Cease are also on hand. But milk cartons are out for luminaries like The LOX and the relationship with Lil' Kim. This disappoints a little for the over an hour and a half documentary that also glosses over the beef with the late GOAT Tupac Shakur a little too much (but we all know why that is) and the still unsolved double murder investigation. Still seeing these two rapping together as friends will live in the love of our memories longer than the pain of what lead to their passing and to this stories credit it doesn't try to make excuses, hits or money off including 2Pac's name. The same goes for the Notorious protege you may know about. He goes by the name Jay-Z and is just seen here in a classic, throwback photo you'll love like the dough, "gassed off Shaq". They used to say who is the best rapper Jay-Z or Nas, like they did Big and Pac', but this film isn't about the life of hip-hop. It's a story about one of its greatest rappers, dead or alive's lives. This is Notorious' to tell and it doesn't get much bigger than this. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Notorious', 'Biggie & Tupac', 'The Two Killings Of Sam Cooke'.
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