Biggie Smalls [music]

Calvin

Welcome to Headstones and Microphones where we use AI to step into the past through a researched, first-person simulation of history's most interesting people. I am your host, Calvin. While we’ve added some creative storytelling, our goal is to inspire your own study of these fascinating lives. Now, let’s meet our guest. I am absolutely thrilled to be sitting down with a true titan of the game, one of the greatest storytellers hip-hop has ever known. Welcome to the show, Biggie.

Black Male

Yo, what’s happening, man? Let’s get into it.

Calvin

For those who may somehow not know who you are... who are you?

Black Male

I’m Christopher Wallace, but the world knows me as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or just Biggie. I’m just a kid from Brooklyn who turned his reality into rhymes.

Calvin

When and where were you born?

Black Male

I was born on May 21, 1972, right in the heart of Brooklyn, New York.

Calvin

What was your given name at birth?

Black Male

Christopher George Latore Wallace.

Calvin

Is there a story behind your birth name?

Black Male

Not really a deep story, just my parents giving me a strong name. Christopher. It always had a nice ring to it, you know?

Calvin

What was your hometown like growing up?

Black Male

Brooklyn was intense. It was everything all at once. You had the noise, the hustle, the beauty of the streets, and the danger. It forces you to grow up fast, but it also gives you a perspective on life that you just can’t get anywhere else. It’s gritty, but it’s home.

Calvin

What was your family life like?

Black Male

My mom, Voletta, she was everything. She worked two jobs as a preschool teacher to make sure I had what I needed. My pops wasn’t really around much after I was two, so it was just us. I always had love, even when things were tight.

Calvin

What kind of kid were you?

Black Male

I was a smart kid, actually. I loved English class—I was winning awards for it in middle school. But I was also getting curious about the streets early, trying to figure out how to navigate the world around me.

Calvin

What did you dream of becoming as a child?

Black Male

Man, I just wanted to be something better than what I saw. I didn't have one specific job in mind, but I knew I wanted to be somebody, you know? I wanted to make my mark.

Calvin

What were some of your favorite activities in school?

Black Male

Like I said, I was an English guy. I loved words. I loved the way stories were put together. That’s why the rap stuff came so natural later on—it’s all about the storytelling.

Calvin

What was your first job?

Black Male

I started hustling on the corners pretty early, around twelve. That was the reality for a lot of us back then, just trying to get that extra cash.

Calvin

What’s a decision that changed everything for you, but felt small at the time?

Black Male

Getting that demo tape out. I was just recording for fun, practicing, trying to get better. Then Mister Cee got a hold of it, and it ended up in The Source. That felt like just another step, but it opened the door for Puffy to hear me. That was the turning point.

Calvin

What was your biggest break?

Black Male

Getting signed to Bad Boy Records. That changed the trajectory of my entire life.

Calvin

What were some of your biggest struggles before success?

Black Male

Just the everyday grind, man. Trying to make ends meet, getting in trouble, the constant stress of the streets. It’s hard to focus on a future when you’re just trying to survive today.

Calvin

Were there any specific daily habits or routines that you feel are essential to your success?

Black Male

Writing, constant writing. I was always thinking of bars, always jotting down lines in my head or on paper. You’ve got to stay sharp. If your mind isn’t constantly working, you’re not going to stay at the top.

Calvin

What job would you have had if fame never happened?

Black Male

I don’t even know. I like to think I’d have found a way to use my way with words, maybe something creative, but the streets had a strong pull.

Calvin

What was your life like before fame?

Black Male

It was a hustle. Every day was a new challenge. You didn’t know what tomorrow was going to look like.

Calvin

Did fame bring happiness?

Black Male

It brought opportunity, that’s for sure. It brought a way to take care of my family, which was always the goal. Happiness is something you carry inside, but fame definitely made life easier in a lot of ways.

Calvin

What was the downside of becoming famous?

Black Male

You lose your privacy. Everyone wants a piece of you, everyone has an opinion on your life. And the expectations? They’re through the roof. People forget you’re human.

Calvin

What misconceptions did people have about you?

Black Male

People see the "Biggie" persona—the "King of New York"—and they think that’s all I am. They don’t see the guy who loves his kids, who wants to laugh, who just wants to live. They think because I rap about the rough stuff, that’s all I am.

Calvin

What was your darkest moment?

Black Male

There were plenty of nights, especially before the success, where you feel like there’s no way out. Just the weight of everything closing in on you. I put those feelings into the music, especially on Ready to Die. That’s why those songs felt so real.

Calvin

Who had the biggest influence on your life?

Black Male

My mom. Seeing her work so hard, day in and day out, to raise me—that’s where I get my work ethic from.

Calvin

What was life like in your final years?

Black Male

It was a whirlwind. I was working constantly, touring, recording, being a father. I was trying to build a future, trying to take everything to the next level.

Calvin

What were you working on in your career before you passed away?

Black Male

I was finishing up Life After Death. We were deep into that, putting everything into those tracks to make sure it was perfect.

Calvin

When and where and how did you pass away and how old were you?

Black Male

I passed away on March 9th, 1997 in a drive by shooting incident in Los Angeles, California. I was 24 years old.

Calvin

What’s a random fact about you most people have never heard?

Black Male

I used to love chocolate milk and buttercrunch cookies growing up. It’s the little things, you know? Even when you’re trying to be the toughest guy in the room, you’ve still got those childhood comforts.

Calvin

What’s the craziest rumor ever told about you?

Black Male

Man, people talk. Especially once you’re in the spotlight, the rumors are constant. I don’t even like to give them energy, honestly.

Calvin

What was your favorite food?

Black Male

A T-bone steak, cheese eggs, and a Welch’s grape. That’s a classic, man!

Calvin

What advice would you give people chasing success?

Black Male

Keep your eyes on the prize, stay focused, and don’t forget where you came from. You’ve got to have a plan, you’ve got to work harder than the next guy, but most importantly, you’ve got to believe in yourself when nobody else does.

Calvin

That’s solid advice. Biggie, do you have any closing remarks for our listeners?

Black Male

Just keep listening, keep growing, and keep pushing for what you want. Much love to everyone who supported the music. Thanks for having me, Calvin, it was a real good time.

Calvin

Thank you so much for joining us, Biggie. It was an absolute honor to talk with you. And that wraps up another conversation from beyond the grave. Thanks for joining us on The Headstones and Microphones Podcast. Remember—legends may die, but their stories never do. Please help spread the word by sharing and following the pod.