Diddy's ongoing legal issues have led to a wide array of deep dives into his character, as well as his past conduct. According to a new report in Rolling Stone, Biggie planned to leave Diddy and Bad Boy Records in the days leading up to his untimely death. Although no one can confirm this information 100 percent, eyewitnesses and sources close to the famed rapper offer quite damning evidence against Diddy's cause. The report is fairly comprehensive and outlines an alleged pattern of behavior from Diddy that would likely drive any self-respecting rapper such as Biggie to depart the Bad Boy label if true. So, let's dive into the available information and unpack the story.
The Issues Stem From A Financial Dispute
Long before this new report about Biggie hit the web, Diddy and Bad Boy Records had been maligned for being cursed. Many hip hop fans have noted throughout the years that droves of Bad Boy signees have fallen on hard times. This includes financial disputes, physical violence, and lengthy prison sentences. The so-called Bad Boy curse famously affected Shyne, a Bad Boy rapper who received a 10-year prison sentence for a nightclub shooting that involved Diddy. In the case of Biggie, it seems that he was in a fight with Diddy and the mega-label during his final months regarding finances and publishing rights.
Per the Rolling Stone report, Biggie was in the process of lawyering up before his passing in 1997. When pressed about the publishing at the time, Diddy is quoted as purportedly saying, “I will never give it up until I’m dead and my bones are crushed into powder.” So, there was allegedly bad blood developing behind the scenes. Biggie and Diddy always appeared to get along well in public settings, though Tupac Shakur's negative view of the Bad Boy head honcho is one of the main contributing factors to the explosive East Coast vs. West Coast beef.
Biggie's Mom Weighs In
The Notorious B.I.G.'s own mother has recently come out to condemn Diddy, specifically stating, "I hope that I see Sean one day and the only thing I want to do is slap the daylights out of him." While her strong words aren't necessarily related to Diddy's relationship with her late son, it seems clear that Volleta Wallace wouldn't offer such strong words regarding the Bad Boy founder if she believed that he and Biggie had ended things on good terms.
According to a write-up in People, it seems that Wallace's wish to slap Diddy stems from her knowledge that he allegedly abused his former girlfriend Cassie on camera and held a great deal of jealousy regarding Biggie's friendship with Tupac. While speaking with the press, Wallace continued, "I liked him. I didn’t want to believe all the awful things, but I’m so ashamed and embarrassed."
Diddy Took Biggie's Spot On The Rolling Stone Cover
To further indicate the growing animosity between Biggie and Diddy, former Bad Boy partner Kirk Burrowes claims that Diddy refused to let Biggie take his place on the cover of Rolling Stone shortly after the "Who Shot Ya" rapper's death. Apparently, Diddy was scheduled for a July 1997 cover shoot, though Burrowes and Rolling Stone agreed that the space would be better reserved for the recently slain rapper, arguing that Diddy would have plenty of chances to appear on the cover later.
Diddy refused and took the cover position for himself, apparently stating, "No, he’s dead. I’m putting out No Way Out in July. I need to be on the cover of Rolling Stone,” according to Burrowes. Indeed, there were many growing tensions at the label, which fans were not aware of up to this point. As more information comes to light about Diddy's ongoing legal and personal drama, stories like this will likely continue surfacing.