The deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. remain one of the defining moments in the entire history of hip-hop. The East Coast vs. West Coast beef grew to such massive proportions that it ended up claiming the lives of two of the greatest rap artists of all time.
However, according to TMZ, things may have worked out differently for Biggie, if he has listened to some smart advice. Biggie and Diddy were in L.A. during February, 1997, shooting the video for Biggie's hit song, "Hypnotize." While they were there, they received a surprise visit on set from James Prince, the CEO of Rap-A-Lot Records.
Prince warned the two of them that there had been a lot of chatter on the streets about pulling off a revenge hit on Biggie. Tupac has been shot and killed in Las Vegas six months earlier, in September, 1996, and because of the ongoing East Coast/West Coast feud, Biggie and Diddy were prime suspects in the shooting.
Prince was concerned for their safety, especially when he noticed how lax the security on the set was. Biggie and Diddy didn't seem too concerned with a possible hit, preferring instead to focus on finishing the music video. A few weeks later, on March 9, 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. was shot dead outside of L.A.'s Peterson Automotive Museum.
This anecdote will be among many other behind-the-scenes looks at the rap game in Prince's upcoming book, The Art and Science of Respect, which releases next month.
It's crazy to imagine what could have been if Big and Diddy would have just listened to him.