In The Documentary’s liner notes, The Game credits Big Fase 100 for “moldin’ me into the man I am today.” However, Fase, paternal blood brother of Game, says he’s through with Black Wall Street – a company he helped found. Fase charges that he and others in his tightly knit Compton community rallied behind The Game only for the wildly successful rapper to turn on them. Meanwhile, the Game alleges [click here for statement] that he’s been financially abused to the sum of $1.5 million and other expenses.

The Cedar Block Piru Blood remains committed to a career in entertainment with or without Game’s cosign. Big Fase 100 has started My World Management, steering the careers of Glasses Malone, Life and other rap artists. With their rift widening, is this a case of "Game & Abel" or sibling rivalry waiting to heal itself? AllHipHop.com spoke to Big Fase 100 in search of some insight.

AllHipHop.com: Well, first of all, tell people who you are.

Big Fase 100: I’m The Game’s older brother, basically the inspiration behind The Game.

AllHipHop.com: So, you are like the O.G.?

Big Fase 100: I’m about to be 30 years old, so I can’t say O.G. I just went from being a young n***a with O.G. homies, to being an older homey. I didn’t start anything. Speaking on that G thing, I’m the one that people recognize when Game says what he says. If somebody needs go back and say, "Is this guy for real’" I’m the one they say, "If that’s his brother, then he’s for real."

AllHipHop.com: Did you used to rap?

Big Fase 100: Basically, I used to rap from ‘89 all the way to ‘95. I kinda cut it out because s**t got real bad for me out in the streets, so I had to go full-time with my hustle and as a father.

AllHipHop.com: What were things like for you as a rapper?

Big Fase 100: As a rapper, its funny, because the way s**t came about I was always into rap. I have so many CD’s and I always collect everybody’s s**t. As a rapper, I found it hard, it was like when Death Row was poppin.’ I always been right here in Compton, but it never made out to nothing for me. I guess it never got to the right people.

AllHipHop.com: Was Game a passing of the torch for you?

Big Fase 100: Game, with him being my little brother and everything, he always pushed the basketball thing and I wanted more for us so I pushed that in his direction. Once that didn’t happen, whether it was [his] attitude or getting in trouble with the authority, his basketball career didn’t flourish. And he hit the streets with me as a grown man and he got a lil’ hands on and he started hustling with me. Um, I don’t know, I don’t know’ We had the lil’ spot and he ended up getting shot. The Documentary tells this story. His whole hustle was born out there out there. We was grindin’ and it was grimy. He ended up getting shot after that. Contrary to him sayin’ it was just an attempt [on his life], basically what happened was somebody came to our door at 2 AM. The way we had it set up, we shut down at 12 AM – the whole spot. Him opening that door at 2 AM was not the business. That wasn’t what [I] had planned. That wasn’t the way big brother set up the rules’ as far as the hustle went. I hate to say it, but he may have gotten shot out of greed. He don’t at those type of things when he tells that story. Two in the morning, it had to be [greed], I don’t think it was no b***h.

AllHipHop.com: Were you in the house at that point’

Big Fase 100: No, I spent the night away with my kids. When I had got the word in the morning, because I got one of those baby mommas where you gotta leave your phone in the car. So, I didn’t get the call that woke me up in the middle of the night like most people. Once I found all that out, I went to the house and everything was in real shamble.

AllHipHop.com: Right.

Big Fase 100: Another thing he said and it kind of hurt me that he said it ‘ that I didn’t come and visit him in the hospital [after he got shot]. Now, that is true, I got to the apartment that next morning and saw the s**t in shambles and he got home a couple hours after that. I got my brother shot, I got f***in’ guns missing, I got cash, police probably got weed. Being a smart man, I can’t run to the hospital. He ain’t spend no days in no coma. What was it a 30-minute coma’ He was out of the hospital the next day. I wouldn’t be saying this unless he said I didn’t come see him in the hospital.

AllHipHop.com: When did you stop hustling?

Big Fase 100: I stopped when The Documentary dropped.

AllHipHop.com: What’s your role with The Game now?

Big Fase 100: Zero. None.

AllHipHop.com: What do you mean "zero?"‘

Big Fase 100: I have no role.

AllHipHop.com: Have you talked?

Big Fase 100: We haven’t talked in months.

AllHipHop.com: What happened with your falling out with Game?

Big Fase 100: Basically, like I told you, I quit my hustle when The Documentary dropped. The way it was put to me, this is what we were doing and "our" life was about to change. Basically, what I’ve done is I’ve set the stage and I created the backdrop for The Game. I mean, his n***as that have been visible for the past year, those have been my n***as. Basically, what I did, I provided the background story for Game. I got so much love where I am, and you know me and you never heard of my brother – you love him too. We don’t share the same mother, we share the same father. For lack of a better word, I certified his gangster. A year later, me and everybody that loves me, we’re left out here with nothing.

My hood, which is Cedar Block, ain’t never been like the big gang where there are 200-300 n***gas. My hood is real family based. We got our perimeters. I don’t say have, because we really not that no more. The gang is the gang, but the opportunity that was before us was the possibly and the opportunity to turn all this into positives. And somebody that opposed me said, "Why would you let your brother represent your hood when he wasn’t really from there’" I did it to bring closure to this gang s**t. My focus was positive. I had no other goals, no hidden agenda.

AllHipHop.com: When was the last time you saw The Game?

Big Fase 100: The last time I saw my brother was in Vegas – we flew to Vegas after the VMA’s. Miami was the where the VMA’s were. The whole VMA weekend. He had me fly out a bunch of our guys for the whole numbers look. There’s strength in numbers. He wanted to fly everybody that could make it. The treatment’s changed as time has gone one. We are on one year’s time. Everything has been changing, but it all boiled down in Miami. Let’s say for one instance, we met with Suge on the beach.

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, I heard about that.

Big Fase 100: Somebody told us he was down the street at a hotel. There about 20-something n***as. We walk to this hotel. Eastwood sees Petey Pablo and he tells Petey Pablo, "Go get Suge." He went in the building and he didn’t come out. My brother turns to me and he says, "Fase, it’s your call. Do we go in and talk to this n***a or what’" I’m like, "Dog, this n***a is not going to give you no real s**t. He’s going to tell you what you want you hear. You not going to get no man-to-man. I don’t see the point in talking to this man at all." He been trying to talk to me since The Game was about to come out. Through the streets, [Suge said,] "Tell Fase to holler at me," I’m not hollering at you. He wasn’t trying to holla at me [now, ’cause he wasn’t] when I was a rapper. Suge wasn’t never f***in with me, so I didn’t feel the need to satisfy him in a conversation. Basically it’s our turn. If we gonna fall,we gonna fall. We don’t need Suge’s help whatsoever – he didn’t offer it. Regardless of what I said, five minutes later we up in there and he’s having this one-on-one with Suge, but five minutes before, it’s, "Fase it’s your call."

AllHipHop.com: You haven’t tried to reach out recently, have you?

Big Fase 100: I gave up. When I left, I emailed him, I said, "respect is everything to me and I don’t see that anybody from you or the people involved in this. And it didn’t used to be this way and before I let anybody disrespect me, I’ll just back totally up from the Black Wall off." Next thing I know is, "Fase quit" and everybody [down with me] is given an ultimatum "You quit too’" I never wanted a free ride. I very useful, I’m not just a gangster in the street. I’m a guy that just happens to be a gangster.

AllHipHop.com: There seems to be talk specifically about his new website…

Big Fase 100: At the beginning of The Game and me setting the backdrop for the game, my partner insisted that he get a website, aside from what Interscope had set up. We promoted, we took over and we made relationships to where other websites. For example, if you hit AllHipHop.com for those couple days, you would get our site [theblackwallstreet.com]. We got up with these people to get this type of promotion. We provided that for him. A month or so ago, I didn’t see it getting no better. I reached out to sell the website to Game just so we can feed our families. So, why don’t you buy this from us and, in return, we won’t slur you on this website. We won’t go out of our way to let the people know you aren’t the man you say you are. He opted not to do that. Now, not only do they have the blackwallstreeteast.com, they have the therealblackwallstreet.com. The Game didn’t care about the internet. I told him to name his price. Just give us what you think is right. That’s how broke we are over here. He’s doing his best to make his big brother look like a peon, which I’m not.

AllHipHop.com: Will you ever return to rap?

Big Fase 100: I don’t think that it’s something that I will do. I penned something [but probably won’t release it]. It came out kinda hot, but I’m not recording that s**t. I’m not no rapper. I build rappers. I’m okay with that. My brother didn’t just start rappin’ after he got shot either. He didn’t start rapper when he got shot. I recall being in that house and telling him, the bills are due and you sitting these writing raps. This is before he got shot. I also recall being in the middle of my little rap career and leaving out the house and coming back in and my rap book being missing. "Lil’ bro, where did my papers go?" He came and he brought them to me with them balled up and say "I found them in the trash." He was taking my raps. He was really interested in it. He would go to school and say my [raps] in his words. His younger sister, she’s rapping too so I’m hoping to do something with her too. This is an actual gift from my dad. I don’t see this getting resolved. If it gets resolved, it won’t be coming from me, because I made a decision that I would die before I reach out to my little brother.

AllHipHop.com: That’s strong.

Big Fase 100: Yeah, that is strong. I’m a man, [The Game] can’t die with that money.

AllHipHop.com: He’s said he put a lot of money into his team and website…

Big Fase 100: He says something like he flew us around the country and spent $1.5 million, which is a lie. Just like you brought this block that you will never come to, which is a lie. I ain’t had $50,000 in my pocket since this s### started. His Ford truck that he gave me got repossessed last month. When all this first began, he said, “Big bro, we gonna be rich.” Also, my nephew is a new life and he’s coming up in the middle of this. I may never really get to know my nephew. I have three children; my son is younger than his. At the same time, my daughters were here before the Game came into existence. On "I don’t need your love," [Game], he says "I got nieces to feed." I can get them a better Christmas last year off my hustle money than this year off my brother being out in one year’s time and selling all the records he sold.

AllHipHop.com: Would you say that The Game’s Documentary is your own life and not his?

Big Fase 100: My documentary would say, he’s been rappin’ since ‘89 and in the streets since ‘88 non-stop. My brother says on "Westside Story," that "I caught cases." I would ask him, "What cases do you catch’" Yeah, you got shot. I caught cases with a key and three pounds of weed and in the evidence room. I set the stage and the backdrop and he’s living my life, basically.

AllHipHop.com: What is your opinion of something of that things Game has done over the year, like say the butterfly tattoo? That was interesting.

Big Fase 100: The butterfly tattoo, the butterfly tattoo is part of me losing my brother. Our understanding and our common bond. That is the mark of s**t changing. He said its representative of a new life… that his brother had nothing to do with, that I was not included in. It ain’t gangsta at all, but when he got it, I was right by his side. It put me in an awkward position, but [I told people] you think he soft, f**k with the n***a. He put a butterfly on his face – f**k with the n**a. He’ll f**k ya a** up. He ain’t no punk n***a, but something ain’t right that he doing his folks like this.

AllHipHop.com: This is crazy. I didn’t think it was gonna be like this.

Big Fase 100: It’s real bad. And I been still caring about my brother and my brother’s career. After hearing his [mixtape song] music, I realize this n***a must don’t give a f**k about me. I don’t know what’s to become of it all. I doing what I gotta do and I’m pushing forward in the new year.

Mo Money, Mo Problems, To All My Fans…

I know all of my fans are wondering what the f**k is going on with The

Black Wall Street. Hear it from the horse’s mouth: I was forced to

switch the domain of my former website theblackwallstreet.com to

therealblackwallstreet.com due to the disrespect shown towards me from

ex-employees who decided to turn their backs on me and my imprint, because

they felt they weren’t getting enough money out of me. In the past year

[2005] I have spent over $1.5 million dollars on my homies and employees

of The Black Wallstreet label. I bought n***as new cars, gave n***as

thousands of dollars in cash daily, paid for n***as to go on trips that

hood n***as will never be able to go on in their lifetime. I took care

of n***a’s kids, paid n***a’s rent, gave n***as jewelry and a lot of other

s**t that I didn’t have to do. All that, and I HAVE NEVER ASKED FOR

ANYTHING in return from them. I let n***as live, let them make money off

ME using my name, selling my s**t all without asking for a cut, and gave

them the opportunity of a lifetime to do whatever they want, opening the

doors very few ever see to get in the business and giving them the

chance to make something legal, positive, and legit out of their lives.

All you n***as had to do was be men and apologize for trying to f**k over

a good n***a!

There came a time when I felt like I was being taking

advantage of by the people closest to me – and like anybody else would, I

got fed up. A lot of my homies and former employees have continued to

disrespect my company and my name by selling my t-shirts and mixtapes behind

my back, making thousands of dollars and keeping 100% profit without

cutting myself or anyone else in [even after they sent in resignation

notices from the Black Wall Street] and talking s**t about me. This

whole situation has been a total f**kin’ nightmare for me. But as a man, I

will deal with this as I have every other obstacle that has surfaced

since the beginning of my career. I never thought my own family and homies

would turn their back on me, but Dr. Dre told me that this day was gonna

come three years back. For my fans on theblackwallstreet.com, I have a new

website which is therealblackwallstreet.com. If you wish to e-mail me

about this matter or any other, you can e-mail me personally at

[email protected]. For the fans and people who decide to

stay on the old site, I wish you guys the best but I will not be

affiliated with the old site EVER. I don’t and never did hold any

grudges with the n***as that tried to f**k me and take food out of my son’s

mouth [I always let them be and do them and never stopped them], but I

will never ever forgive those who turned their back on me. I came in

this mothaf**kin’ world by myself and I will die BY MYSELF!

N***as can

say whatever they want about me behind my back, but when I see ’em, they

curl up like little b*tches. If that last sentence offended you, then

that means you one of the n***as who tried to f**k me. TRY AGAIN

MOTHERF**KER !!! I will close this letter by saying, I ended Joe Budden’s

career, smashed what was left of Memphis Bleek, waisted the Young Guns and

killed G-Unit ALL by myself! There is no one else worth beefing with.

Oh yeah, f**k Spider Joke and all them fake ass G-Unit Crips…….. Again

F**K SPIDER JOKE AND ALL THEM FAKE ASS G-UNIT CRIPS! Spider, please stop

trying to fool these fans into believing you’re a factor in this L.A.

Gangbangin’ s**t. You don’t even come outside, and I know 100 Crip and Blood

gangs lookin for yo’ buster ass, n***a. How you gone be from a Crip gang

in L.A. and then be from G-Unit Crip [and get G UNIT tattooed on your

body before you get your OWN gang]? Now 50 is the leader of a Crip

gang? Huh? Ha ha ha ha ha 50, aint NEVER puttin’ yo s**t out, n***a.

And I been had a diss record ready for you in the vault, but your s**t

was such garbage, it ain’t even worth puttin’ out and givin’ you any shine.

I’ve never before heard a rap n***a TRY to bang as hard as you do on

records and in interviews, it’s obvious the reason your around them cops

is because 50 is “tryin to start a war on a coast he aint from” between

Bloods and Crips, and capitalize off it while innocent n***as die in the

middle, and he laughs all the way to the bank. Don’t let someone throwin’

a little money your way change who you are. Loyalty first. Open your

eyes……….. G-UNIT is DEAD! As for Lil’ Eazy, you will never be

ya father, you little disrespectful s**t……… R.I.P. Eric “Eazy- E”

Wright. Funny how you were cheesin on my DVD six months ago, but now that

your album about to come out, and single has gotten NO play [EVEN in L.A.

radio stations -YOUR home town], you decide to take the 50 route and try

to get attention and sales by sparking up beef. The public sees right

through you and your ghostwriter. Keep dissin’ me, you n***as is crazy !

I single-handedly brought the West Coast back and opened the doors for all

you punk ass n***as and this how you act. I ain’t even talkin s**t, I’m

stating facts: who is the ONLY rap artist in the past ten years to go

even Platinum from the West besides Dre, 2Pac, and Snoop? Put ya album

out, the whole world will laugh at you n***as. N***as in the streets

keep threatening my life, but everyday I wake up breathing. I walk wit’ GOD

n***as, and I will die before I let another n***a take food from Harlem. And

remember, if you comin’ to kill me there is a 50% chance you might not

make it out, so COME ON N***A! I’M OUT HERE EVERYDAY!

So there it is, The Black Wallstreet C-E- Mothaf**kin’ – O. N***as tryin’ to sue me ’cause

I switched sites, and they can’t make no more money off me behind my back

AFTER they already quit [if they quit, why they still usin’ my name and

everything I built single-handedly?] Give me a reason to write “400

Bars” I’m beggin you n***as. Mo’ money, mo’ problems…suck my d*ck!

– The GaMe

A plethora of albums and singles were released in 1995, a year of diverse sounds and rhymes. AllHipHop.com assembled some of those songs, albums and artists for older fans to recall an arguable better year than 2005 and younger fans can get acquainted with some Hip-Hop they weren’t exposed to as youth. For those that were there, 1995 was a helluva year. Read and hear about it all here (clicks the links)! –Houston Williams

THE ALBUMS

Artist: Raekwon featuring Ghostface Killah

Album: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Original Release Date: August 1, 1995

Think of them as the cocked and squeezed [pause] Hip-Hop hood version of Batman & Robin, except they favor colorful Versace robes and Lo wear over snug superhero attire. But the true star may have been the RZA’s flawless sound barrage of soul jarring samples that made Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, a truly cinematic experience for the ears. From the menacing “Incarcerated Scarfaces” to the silky, Nas assisted “Verbal Intercourse”, the purple tape’s coke raps are often imitated but still can’t be touched, and ten years later it’s still tasty like marble cake. "Ice Cream." – Aqua Boogie

Artist: Dogg Pound

Album: Dogg Food

Original Release Date: October 31, 1995

Dat N***a Daz and Kurupt entered the game with a mouthful to say. After three years backing up Snoop, this debut, mixed by Dr. Dre, showed a new, futuristic spin on G-Funk production, and censor challenging lyrics. Though "New York, New York" is heavily remembered for its subtle coastal declaration of war, fiery moments such as "Respect" and "So Much Style" is not to be missed. All in all, this album is the final chapter in the Death Row years before 2pac. A decade and a reunion later, fans still yearn for the follow-up to the p###-and-vinegar debut. – Paine

Artist: Onyx

Album: All We Got Iz Us

Original Release Date: October 24, 1995

All We Got Iz Us was Onyx’s anticipated return to rap after ushering the "Mad Face Invasion" via their debut, 1993’s Bacdafucup. What fans received was a dose of reality that they may not have been prepared to digest. Ignoring the radio, Sticky Fingaz, Fredro and Soncee feverishly rhymed about the New World Order, societal ills and completely captured the jagged grit of New York City. Joints like "Walk In New York," "All We Got Is Us (Evil Streets)," "2 Wrongs," and "Betta Off Dead" were hauntingly aggressive. The now-classic album, in theory, could have propelled the trio into the upper echelon, but was commercially ignored, despite backing by Def Jam Records. With Sticky maintaining as lyrical leader, Fredro moving as a producer, and Soncee anchoring, this effort is one that deserves a slot in every rap fan’s collection. – Houston Williams

Artist: Big L

Album: Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous

Original Release Date: March 28, 1995

Like KMD’s "Sweet Premium Wine", this debut aged well compared to its small, but cult success a decade ago. Harlem’s Big L packed one of the wittiest albums ever recorded under the tutelage of D.I.T.C.’s Lord Finesse and Buckwild. "Da Graveyard" remains one of the most lethal posse cuts in rap history, as Big L’s first and best album show his phenomenal abilities at such an early age. Slept-on classic. – Paine

Artist: Mobb Deep

Album: The Infamous

Original Release Date: April 25, 1995

Hav and P made it look easy. They set the streets on fire with the timeless anthem "Shook Ones Pt. 2" and followed it up with another banger in "Survival Of The Fittest." Though the demeanor may of switched, the duo also matured a great deal going into the sophomore album. Havoc used this opportunity to become one of the baddest producers on the planet, with eerie organ chops and pounding bass. The Infamous shaped the New York streets and brought the Dunn Language to life. Queensbridge had another classic to place next to Illmatic.- Martin A. Berrios

Artist: 2Pac

Album: Me Against the World

Original Release Date: February 27, 1995

Arguably Tupac’s most adult, wisest album. Released while ‘Pac was in prison, this album featured the timeless smash, "Dear Mama". His acclaimed love song, "Temptations" also appeared, as well as a tribute to early Hip-Hop records and influences, "Old School". This album aligned ‘Pac with former mentor Shock G, as well as Notorious B.I.G. and Miles Davis producer, Easy Mo Bee. The following year, ‘Pac would release an album that fired more singles and controversy, All Eyez on Me, though Me Against the World is quite comparatively, Hip-Hop’s answer to What’s Going On? – Paine

Artist: Redman

Album: Dare Iz A Darkside

Original Release Date: November 22, 1994

Redman departed from his own blunted, yet animated style displayed on Whut? Thee Album for an excursion into the galaxy called Dare Iz A Darkside. Although this album actually dropped in 1994, it deserves mention, because it impacted 1995 tremendously. Of the Newark, New Jersey native’s catalogue, Dare is the most experimental, as it highlighted Reggie Noble as a demented conceptualist and organic producer. In hindsight, only Red’s most dedicated fans got it. The album ranged from the drugged out funk of "Da Journee" to the light-hearted "Can’t Wait" to the utter gall exemplified with "We Run N.Y." With this one, Red not only dared to be dark; he had the audacity to defy conventions of the average Hip-Hop. – Houston Williams

Artist: Ol Dirty Bastard

Album: Return to the 36 Chambers

Original Release Date: March 28, 1995

What? You thought he was waxing nonsensical? Stupid, he was Unique Ason, keeping planets in orbit. Take the time to wrap your perception around the gravity of darts like "Brooklyn Zoo" or "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and you’re witness to near genius at the off-kilter, drunken monk flow. His time was too short on this earth, yet there is no father, brother or any other kin to his style! Baby, come on – baby, baby, come on! – Aqua Boogie

Artist: Goodie Mob

Album: Soul Food

Original Release Date: November 7, 1995

This album is definitive in Atlanta’s role in Hip-Hop history. This compassionate album dealt with societal problems "Fighting" as well as Southern pride, "Dirty South" and the title cut. Organized Noize handled the production which would shine well into the following year’s ATLiens chapter. This was the birth of the Dungeon Family, and showed this foursome in a light that they’ve forever tried to keep burning. Soul Food gave Georgia a proud Hip-Hop identity, and previewed what was surely on the way. – Paine

Artist: Smif-N-Wessun

Album: Dah Shinin‘

Original Release: January 10, 1995

Smif’N’Wessun: 1995 marked the heyday of this Brooklyn duo who ushered in a unique sound with their moody, bass-heavy beats courtesy of Black Moon’s DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt. Best known in ’95 for the street hits "Bucktown" and "Sound Bwoy Burriel", their debut album, Dah Shinin’ was reflective of the gritty East New York street life. A few years later, Tek and Steele would reinvent themselves as the Cocoa Brovas and make some noise with the hot joint "Black Trump" featuring Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon the Chef. Ten years later though, they returned to their firearm moniker, still releasing albums with Duck Down. It is this debut that is forever endeared by the Hip-Hop masses as an end-to-end "stomp ’em out" album. – Danielle Stolich

Artist: LL Cool J

Album: Mr. Smith

Original Release: November 21, 1995

After the misfired 14 Shots To The Dome, LL needed a comeback. He did just that with Mr. Smith.Though the album broke LL from long-time producer, Marley Marl, it was a crucial reinvention. L was able to keep the ladies loving him with "Hey Lover" and the monster hit "Doin’ It." Sultry videos drew men and women into his sphere of lyrical sex. The "Loungin’ Remix" remains one of the rawest LL video moments in history. He also sealed the deal with the "I Shot Ya Remix." The posse cut was harder than concrete and steel mixed – so much that LL tried to recreate it two years later on "4,3,2,1" and couldn’t come close. – Martin A. Berrios

Artist: The Roots

Album: Do You Want More!?

Original Release Date: January 17, 1995

Though they’ve since shuffled their line up more times than Larry Brown, Cool Papa Quest on sticks, Scott Storch on keys, Hub on bottom, Black Thought at work, Rahzel on the beatbox and Malik B chasing cattle in the steeple is The Roots at their finest (Okayplayers…insert hate here). The made “Proceed” into a mantra for neophyte MC’s and rocked frikkin bagpipes on the title track. Check your credits, while most were clones, this band’s co-sign, no matter how inadvertent, helped Jill Scott, Eve and that Mack from Sigel Street eventually get down. Not bad for a Hip-Hop band. – Aqua Boogie

THE SINGLES

"Sprinkle Me" – E-40 featuring Suga T [produced by Mike Mosely]

This Bay area classic introduced the word to 40 Fonzerelli’s slang editorial, as well as his monstrous hustle. That hustle was eloquently sprinkled on the listener with blood-sister from The Click Suga T chimin’ in hers, "E, they tryin’ to test your testicles…" This song impressed 2Pac enough to solicit E-40 and Mike Mosely in going into his album the following year. Before Jive Records was blowing bubblegum, it was straight Sik-Wid-It. – Paine

"Keep Their Heads Ringin’"- Dr. Dre [produced by Dr. Dre]

Aside from "California Love", this was Dre’s parting shot from Death Row. A rare solo verse, using Boogie Down Productions samples and truck-thumpin’ bass, this remains one of Andre Young’s finest lyrical moments. Assisted on the boards by Sam Sneed of K-Solo fame, this was a crucial piece to Friday’s film success. – Paine

"Sugar Hill" – AZ [produced by L.E.S.]

A smooth opus to vivid dreams amidst harsh realities. AZ’s imagery was extremely sharp as he suggested that considering his goals compared to a drug high. To many, this is the same vibe that friend and collaborator, Nas wanted in on when he penned "If I Ruled the World" a year later. Whatever the case, this gem helped make AZ a household name, and ten years later – many of his dreams are probably realities. – Paine

"Gangsta’s Paradise" – Coolio featuring L.V. [produced by Doug Rasheed]

Former Maad Circle hype-man Coolio crossed over big with this Dangerous Minds soundtrack single. Though the hair made a statement, poignant lyrics revealed the tragedies of ill street blues dreams in this ballad. With an Aaron Neville-like frame, LV crooned over the hook to extract listener compassion. After going solo, 1995 was very much Coolio’s year, and he proved to be capable of being the life of the party and the funeral. – Paine

"Fast Life" – Kool G Rap featuring Nas [produced by Buckwild]

The young Nas collaborates with who many critics considered his greatest influence, Kool G Rap over the re-flipped Surface beat. The chemistry was strong as G Rap premiered his career without DJ Polo, and closed down his major label era with what many consider to be his most complete album. This single boated, "more rocks than Amedeus" and showed that it’s nothing to keep the lyricist torch burning bright in any part of Queens. – Paine

"Player’s Anthem" – Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring Notorious B.I.G. [produced by Clark Kent]

As leftovers from Ready to Die still found listeners, Biggie dropped a gem on ’em with his click. With club and frat boy appeal, this song freaked both sexes love of the chase. "Players Anthem" also had everyone feeling grown and sexy, and proud to show their wealth. The song ushered in the "baller" era, and reminded partygoers of what it meant to be fly. For those that were ballin’ on a budget in ’95, both Big and Kim were understanding. – Syreta J. Oglesby

"Labels" – GZA [produced by RZA]

Emphatically stating Tommy ain’t his boy, or De La Soul’s for that matter, is how Genius/GZA began his lyrical dance with record label names, most of them suspect. "Labels" was the precursor to his highly underestimated, but nevertheless classic Wu-solo Liquid Swords. With his cousin RZA providing a lyric-scape of grungy chords and gun clap snares, heads became record label experts while rhyming along. –Aqua Boogie

"Broken Language" – Smoothe Da Huster featuring Trigger Da Gambler [produced by DR Period]

Blood brothers Smoothe Da Hustler and Trigger freaked ill imagery in this lyrical volleyball game of MC bravado. The Brownsville MC’s flipped words in new ways, and managed to secure a strong single in the tradition of G Rap and Tim Dog. Hard lyrics, a pounding beat from future "Ante Up" producer DR Period made this certified crack. Ten years later, now with Ice-T, Smoothe and Trigg stick to the same script. – Paine

"Whatchu Want" – Nine [produced by Rob Lewis]

A staple on BET’s Rap City, the video and sing-songy call-and-response chorus made this song a favorite among East Coast Hip-Hop heads. Shortly after the single’s release, Nine’s popularity waned. But for one year, everybody was spelling ‘murder’ backwards, and imitator’s vocal chords ain’t been right since. – Danielle Stolich

"Nod Factor" – Mad Skillz [produced by The Beatnuts]

Before Timbaland’s electro sonic blitzkriegs or the Neptunes bling sounds (sup Skateboard P?) a slight but deft rapper named Mad Skillz helped firmly establish VA on the rap radar. A nod must be given to the Beatnuts, who factored into the Richmond native’s success by expertly snipping Johnny Guitar Watson’s "Superman Lover" into an uptempo neck pain inducer. The result was Skillz proving Virginia is for rappers too. – Aqua Boogie

"Supa Star" – Group Home [produced by DJ Premier]

Hate on. But Melachi the Nutcracker and Lil’ Dap were good for a verse, or two or even three, here or there. Besides, this is Premier on the beat people. Premier. Your favorite rapper AND producer’s favorite producer. Opening with a soul intro before it was fashionable, it launches into a staccato chopped synth romp outfitted with door knocking kicks that made it a soundtrack to the streets. –Aqua Boogie

"West Up" – WC and the Maad Circle feat. Ice Cube and Mack 10 [produced by Crazy Toones]

Believe it or not, at one time, it was fairly simple to determine what part of the map an artist was from. Aside from the dead-giveaway in the title, everything about this song, from the addicting hook to the references to Dayton rims and hydraulics, oozed Cali swagger. From WC and the Maad Circle’s sophomore release Curb Servin’ "West Up" brought Dub C and his future partners Ice Cube and Mack 10 together to create an anthem for the West Coast and prelude to future disses that Westside Connection would hurl at the east. – Bill Zimmerman

"I Got 5 On It" – Luniz [produced by Tone Capone]

Before Puffy raped the 80’s loops heavy, Yukmouth and Knumskull snagged The Timex Social Club’s#### bassline and smoked a jam than would make Woody Harrelson and Willie Nelson get down. This tribute to bluntin’ on a budget remains the duo’s best work. Likewise, the unified Bay remix laid a blueprint for geographic posse cuts that the South lives by ten years later. – Paine

Ten years can change a lot in the course of history. 2005 marks the age of technological ease, political strife across the globe, and flossy mega-entertainers. Just ten years ago, in 1995, Hip-Hop culture and music was steadily evolving with the fast-moving times. In fact, it can be argued that, compared to now, Hip-Hop back then represented a more vocal, forward-thinking movement. "Let’s take a second to look back…"

By 1995, the world knew the power of Hip-Hop culture, especially rap music. That year, rap represented 6.7% of sales among all genres, with about 500 rap albums released. In contrast, 2005 has been a ghastly year for music sales, with rap being hit the hardest. A recent University of North Carolina study entitled "The Effect of File Sharing on Record Sales" theorized that sales in Hip-Hop are lower compared to Jazz and Country these days because Hip-Hop fans download music more than the typically older fans of other genres.

One phenomenon in 1995 that spurred rap sales was that rappers and R&B artists combined forces with rap verses on nearly all successful R&B singles. Two big collaborations were Method Man and Mary J. Blige’s "You’re All I Need to Get By," and Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Mariah Carey’s "Fantasy" remix. Today, Meth and Mary are seasoned vets with families and newfound perspectives on life. O.D.B. is now deceased, and post-nervous breakdown Mariah was the comeback queen of 2005.

1995 was also the year of well-established regional sounds, ushering in the age of reppin’ one’s hood. On the East Coast, raw lyrical MC’s were mostly from New York, led by Bed Stuy’s Biggie Smalls and including veteran KRS-One, Puerto Rican rapper Fat Joe, Redman and Keith Murray, AZ, and Nas. Crews and cliques reigned supreme, such as Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Group Home, Channel Live, Smif-N-Wessun, Junior M.A.F.I.A., and newly conscious Onyx. These days, East Coast rappers aren’t as much trendsetters as they are artists struggling to keep their regional identity in a genre that is growing much faster in other parts of the country.

Early on in 1995, the South showed its rap prowess, with songs about the slower, more celebratory living down below. Just before the rise of the ‘Dirty South’ the eclecticism of Goodie Mob shined on Soul Food, and Outkast was named "Best New Rap Group of the Year" at the 1995 Source Awards. Now in 2005, the South leads the country, with artist cliques hailing from Houston to Miami and ‘crunk’ being the overriding rule of thumb.

The Midwest followed suit in 1995, churning out its own unique flavor including the rapping/singing of Bone Thugs N Harmony, who gangster-crooned their way to domestic sales of over five million on 1999 Eternal. After mentor Eazy E’s death, the group dedicated the " Tha Crossroads" to his memory, earning them a Grammy and breaking The Beatles’ 32-year record for fastest rising single. Ten years later, Common, Twista, and Kanye West continue to stand for the Midwest’s versatility and nostalgic flavor. And after falling off the radar for a while, Bone Thugs N Harmony is performing again, most recently at the Chicago House of Blues in mid-December.

The West Coast had also grown into an unstoppable force by 1995. Gang life permeated most of its material, led by favorite son Tupac and anchored by Dr. Dre protégé Snoop Dogg. 1995 also showcased the gang-affiliated sounds of Coolio, DJ Quik, and WC and the Maad Circle, among others. Actually not much has changed in the way of West Coast lyrics and living over the past decade. However, after witnessing so much violence over the past ten years, many West Coast rappers like Snoop and Ice Cube have since taken on kinder, gentler, peace-seeking images.

But, the West was more than gangsta rap. Some rappers took on eclectic styles in 1995 that sounded more like that of rappers in other states. With almost-fun themes revolving around heavy references to liquor and weed, artists like E-40, The Alkaholiks, The Pharcyde, and The Luniz [with their cult classic "I Got 5 On It"], proved that West Coast rap wasn’t just about pimps and gangs. With the exception of E-40, the eclectic, mainstream West of 1995 has seen the rise of multi-cultural rap cliques such as the Black Eyed Peas.

Flare, uniqueness, and raw talent characterized the heavy-hitting Hip-Hop artists of 1995. Most notably, Staten Island’s militia of nine, Wu Tang Clan, released several solo projects during the year, belting out classics that still stand today, such as GZA’s Liquid Swords, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and Method Man’s Tical. In 2005, the Wu [minus the late O.D.B.] is still performing and recording, but the output of music has dwindled. Meth has since emerged as the most marketable of the crew, starring in slapstick movies and television with longtime pal and collaborator, Redman.

By mixing rap, R&B, and ‘girl power’ in 1995, the group TLC reached sales of 11 million with the singles "Waterfalls" and "Creep" in a Hip-Hop landscape largely void of women. These days, women like Remy Ma and Trina have more a presence in Hip-Hop, though they are still largely under-represented. Topping the female rap news of 2005 was Lil’ Kim of former Junior M.A.F.I.A. fame – even while in jail, her single "Lighters Up" ignited the Billboard Hot 100.

Cali rapper Coolio scored a huge success with 1995’s top single "Gangsta’s Paradise" from the soundtrack to the motion picture Dangerous Minds and rap’s two fallen soldiers, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, rose to the top of their respective coasts with Ready to Die and Me Against the World respectively. The albums were noted as some of their best work by music critics for their poignant portrayal of the duplicity of Black male, urban life. Now, after nearly a decade, Biggie and Tupac remain rap heroes and the victims of senseless, unsolved murders. Coolio has gone on to become one of the most recognizable figures for the mainstream rap audience, but hasn’t seen a hit in years.

In 1995, Black Hip-Hop, sports, and political icons were involved in just as much scandal, crime, and notoriety as the stars of today. 1995 marked the advent of sex crime allegations against Black entertainers, including boxer Mike Tyson who was released after serving time for raping a beauty pageant contestant. The late Tupac Shakur was found guilty of sexual assault against a female fan and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in Riker’s penitentiary in February of that year. While he was in jail, Tupac’s Me Against the World hit number one, and he became the first rap artist to top the charts and get married while incarcerated.

In 1995, Hip-Hop artists were among the outspoken celebrities who protested such things as the incarceration of former journalist and convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. On the minds of everyone including rappers was the most memorable trial of all time, where O.J. Simpson was acquitted of double murder in October 1995. In 2005, lawyer Johnny Cochran, who had been a savior to Black entertainers with legal trouble like O.J. and Diddy, passed away from cancer.

Just as in 2005, political events also rocked the country a decade ago, changing people’s views about war, equality, and issues of morality. The U.S. sent troops to Bosnia on a peacekeeping mission, and in April, domestic terrorist and veteran Timothy McVeigh showed his disdain for U.S. policies by bombing the Oklahoma City Federal Building, killing 168 people. This year, rapper Kanye West was the most outspoken opponent of U.S. policies, announcing before a live audience of millions that President George Bush "doesn’t care about Black People."

Bill Clinton, the so-called ‘Black president,’ won his second run for top office in 1995, just before the Monica Lewinsky scandal. As much a ‘Teflon Don’ as Clinton, Marion Berry rose from the shame of being caught smoking crack in a seedy motel and was elected mayor of Washington, D.C. for the second time. And from across the country in October, scores of Black men were urged by the Nation of Islam’s controversial Louis Farrakhan to converge on the U.S. Capitol for the Million Man March. Compared to now, people seemed more willing to listen and forgive 10 years ago, and the themes that mattered were ones that affected all Americans.

The millions were flowing in other ways years ago. Rappers were slowly being recognized as highly marketable entities. Sprite and Reebok were two giants who capitalized with rap-inspired commercials in 1995. In film, rapper Ice Cube and DJ Pooh wrote and starred in one of 1995’s highest-grossing movies, the weed cult classic Friday. Still today, marketing and advertising campaigns lean heavily on rap and sports icons to set the standard for styles and slang.

Just as Hip-Hop was finding its place in corporate America in 1995, rap labels were showing that they were forces as well. After being released from jail, Tupac Shakur made what may have later become an ominous decision – signing to Suge Knight’s Death Row record label. Another giant, Def Jam celebrated its 10th anniversary. At 1995’s 2nd Annual Source Awards in New York, Notorious B.I.G. received four awards, and Suge Knight publicly attacked Puff Daddy for hoarding his artists’ spotlight. The night’s events helped increase tensions between the East and West Coasts, and the awards show did not return until 1999.

In a sad move for the Hip-Hop hungry American audience, the popular show Yo! MTV Raps was cancelled in 1995. During its successful seven-year run, the show had pumped rap music straight into the homes of MTV’s mainstream white audience, helping Hip-Hop veejays Doctor Dré, Ed Lover, and Fab 5 Freddy become household names. Sadder still, former N.W.A. member Eazy-E and X-Clan member Sugar Shaft both succumb to AIDS during the year. Since 1995, the world has also mourned the loss of several Hip-Hop stars, including Big Pun, Jam Master Jay, O.D.B., DJ Screw, Big L, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Aaliyah.

Longevity and immortality define the careers of many stars of 1995. From Wu Tang to Snoop to L.L. Cool J and others, a large percentage managed to remain the trendsetters up to today. In the past decade, those same artists and Hip-Hop businessmen have acquired more rap labels, erected fashion houses, created music publications, starred in sitcoms and major feature films, and served as spokespersons for global corporations. The stars of 2005 are diversifying in an industry that now requires them to be much more than just rappers.

While 1995 may have seemed a more empowered and creative time for hip-hop expression, one thing is certain. What happened back then still defines what’s cool today, and while ‘bling’ and misogyny did exist in 1995, they are more blatant than ever in today’s rap music and videos. Rap content in 1995 was also heavily street-inspired, but some like Onyx discussed atypical topics like the Illuminati. The threat of the ‘new world order’ loomed large in the minds of some rappers then, but in 2005, despite the Patriot Act and other invasions of privacy, rap is significantly void of talk about moral issues and conspiracy theories.

Today’s rap music still draws negative attention and criticism from political pundits, and its growing global diversity is sometimes considered the ‘watering-down of rap.’ However, ten years later, it is undeniable that rap, the voice of the streets, is still driving a force behind pop culture.

After his mother’s

death, an eight-year-old Jackson moved to his grandmother’s house on 161st

Street in South Jamaica, where he fell under the hustlers’ spell.

“I looked

up to them because they had everything that we was looking for,” Jackson

told New York magazine “When you grow up without finances it starts to

feel like finances are the answers to all of your problems. And when you’re

like twelve years old and you’re having a hard time in school and they’re

telling you, ‘You can do well in school for eight more years and have

the things you want,’ a kid’s curiosity leads him to the ’hood.

And he finds someone who got it and didn’t go to school. They persuade

you, they tell you, ‘No, you can get paid like this.’ You go off

into a whole other zone, it’s, ‘This is how I gotta do.’ And

even if you’re only generating enough finances to purchase a vehicle,

you’re still taking care of yourself better than your people can. . .

. So I had to tell my grandmother I was in an after-school program; it gave

me a few hours to be doing whatever I had to do.”

In stark contrast

to the days of the Supreme Team’s reign, when drugs were sold on the busy,

densely populated blocks of Guy R. Brewer, Jackson hustled alone on the boulevard’s

more desolate stretches. If the multi-tiered Supreme Team was structured like

a Fortune 500 company, Jackson’s two-person crack cocaine and heroin dealing

operation resembled a corner store.

Jackson and his

sixteen-year-old partner Taiesha Douse had a simple hustle down pat—customers

would approach Jackson for drugs and he would flash his fingers at Douse indicating

the number of “nicks” (five dollar vials of crack) the customer

requested, and then Douse would bring the drugs over.

Just after 11 PM

on June 29, 1994, Jackson and Douse were working their usual hustle near 134-25

Guy R. Brewer, and just as they had done so many times before they repeated

their workmanlike scheme. This time, however, Jackson and Douse’s customer

was a Queens Narcotics officer named Kathleen Kragel. The pair were cuffed,

brought to One Police Plaza in downtown Manhattan, and booked on charges of

criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.

But Jackson’s

problems with law enforcement were just beginning: A few weeks later, a search

warrant was issued for Jackson’s home at 145-40 Rockaway Boulevard and

cops seized seven bags of crack, an envelope containing heroin, an air gun,

and $695 in cash.

It was a small

bust that brought modest time—seven months in a shock incarceration boot

camp—and Jackson admits that he was most upset about disappointing his

grandma, especially as he had been caught with nicks at high school just prior

to the bust.

“After I

got caught I had to tell my grandma,” Jackson told Playboy. “She

asked me if the charges were true and I don’t lie to my grandma. As crazy

as it sounds, I felt like I got caught because I was hiding it from her. I told

her I did it and I told her I was going to keep doing it. . . . She said, ‘Don’t

call here when you get in trouble.’ ”

Jackson’s

arrest on charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance had chastened him;

it was time, he realized, to find a more legitimate hustle. So Jackson began

writing rhymes and rapping as “50 Cent,” a name he borrowed from

a stick-up kid named Kelvin Martin who was raised in the Fort Greene section

of Brooklyn during the eighties.

Taking the name

of a Brooklyn hustler may have seemed an odd choice for an aspiring rapper from

southeast Queens, but Jackson felt a kinship with his namesake that went beyond

the boundaries of the five boroughs. Martin robbed Brooklyn businesses with

a sense of fearlessness that bordered on the psychotic; it wasn’t unusual

for him to hit several liquor stores in one day, often on the same block.

Martin was a street

legend, but his hustles were often comically unsophisticated; friends would

watch, dumbstruck, as he would put on a Halloween mask just before robbing a

mark. Unlike the street CEOs of southeast Queens Martin was eminently approachable,

too, and he was well-liked in his neighborhood even by the rappers he robbed.

“If I was

going to take a gangster’s name,” Jackson wrote in his autobiography

From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside, Queens, “then I

wanted it at least to be that of someone who would say ‘what’s up’

to me on the street if we ever crossed paths.” Jackson’s move stood

in sharp contrast to his hip-hop peers who had assumed the names of drug cartel

and Mafia bigwigs. “I couldn’t see Gotti or Escobar giving me the

time of day.”

Jackson sought

to apply Martin’s antiestablishment attitude to hip-hop’s iced-out

icons like Puffy, who were growing smug and increasingly removed from the streets.

“50 the street

guy didn’t care about anything and 50 the rapper wanted to be the same

way,” explains Jimmy “Henchmen” Rosemond, who served time

in a juvenile facility with Martin.

50 also looked

to Brooklyn for his rhyming style, imitating the boastfulness and fast-paced

flow of Jay-Z. He soon found this more derivative than inspired, and he sought

out a mentor at home in southeast Queens to help him refine his art.

In a stroke of

good fortune, he ran into Jam Master Jay on the streets of Hollis. “He

said he was developing his label and looking for new artists and I was like,

‘Yo, I’m a new artist,’ ” 50 remembers. “I was

hustling my way into it with conversation. I didn’t have anything to show.

But then he gave me a beat tape and I wrote some rhymes to it. He loved the

rhymes but some of them weren’t right. One was too long, one was too short.

And I was stopping when I felt like the statement should stop. He taught me

how to count bars, the song structure; all that comes from Jam Master Jay.”

Jay also cautioned

50 to resist the lure of the drug game, which 50 had yet to leave behind. “Jay

was like, ‘Stay focused,’ ” 50 remembers. “ ‘Focus

on your music if this is what you want to do.’ ”

Click

to purchase Queens Reigns Supreme : Fat Cat, 50 Cent, and the Rise of the Hip

Hop Hustler.

Voletta Wallace is a living Hip-Hop martyr, albeit one bent on bringing murderers to justice. Christopher Wallace, professionally known as The Notorious B.I.G., was brutally stripped of life almost a decade ago, forever wounding her soul. But there is hope for Ms. Wallace’s spirit to be mended. Healing may come as Ms. Wallace moves extremely close to finding justice for Biggie. Seemingly single-handedly, she’s moving mountains and uncovering an alleged Los Angeles City underbelly that makes Film Noir look like Disney. But as Voletta Wallace challenges these forces, she also takes time to release celebratory tributes to her son. Her book, Biggie, along with the well-received Biggie Duets album are keeping her son’s incredible life in perspective.In between all this activity, Biggie’s mother took time to share some of her reactions to recent media coverage, some insights to her book, and some of the difficulties of running the estate of Brooklyn’s forever burning-bright star.

AllHipHop.com: Can you tell us a little bit about the book that we might not know on the surface?

Voletta Wallace: It tells the story of myself as a little girl and growing up in Jamaica. I was born in Jamaica. I write about America. I see America. I see Paris. I see London. And I see other islands, but I was attracted to the United States. It painted a beautiful picture of a country that I wanted to come to. I wanted to come here to further my education, to get a life, to marry and have lots of children. But unfortunately, it didn’t happen. It tells of my life with my son, my little baby, growing up. What I wanted for him and what he wanted for himself. And I’m sure, as a mother, I was disappointed. Then it went on to tell about his friends and his associates and his business, which at first I never approved of. But in the end, I [learn] to accept it, and grasp it and give my blessings and my love. But for some reason at the pinnacle of his career, at the point where he was supposed to make it big – it never happened. He was was gunned down and that’s the sad part.

AllHipHop.com: Do you regret coming to America?

Voletta Wallace: Oh no, no, no. I don’t regret coming to America. I grew up here. I matured here. I became a woman here, I went to school here. Jamaica is…education was very expensive. Here in this country, you can get a High School equivalence, and enroll in college through a variety of grants. And if you work, you can pay your way out. I had my family here. So I have no regrets. If I had to do it all over again, I’d put a little dot up there and cross my t’s a little longer. But I’m very comfortable with my life.

AllHipHop.com: How are his children these days? We see them smiling in the awards shows and video shows…

Voletta Wallace: His children are wonderful. CJ is 9. He just turned 9 on the 29th of October. And Tiana is 12. She turned 12 on August 10th. They are healthy and happy and wonderful children.

AllHipHop.com: As you write this book, how do you feel about the existing books on your son’s life?

Voletta Wallace: That’s another reason why I wrote the book: there are so many books out there, and I was never a part of it. And I was asked a question in regards to the book and but I was not a part of it. So I said hey what better person to put out a book. This book is the truth. The honest truth that came from the heart.

AllHipHop.com: What about some of the documentaries? I know there was one in particular that was called Tupac and Biggie. You where in that one with Nick Bloomfield.

Voletta Wallace: Yes, I helped Nick ’cause from the time when he was doing it because it was a project that was going to help solve the murder. And believe it or not that documentary opened a whole can of worms. And some of the information that was in Nick’s documentary, we used some of that in [case]. ‘Cause he interviewed [hard to reach people], and he’s been to places that police officers never went.

AllHipHop.com: On that note, Rolling Stone just published an incredible story, a long story…

Voletta Wallace: I read the story.

AllHipHop.com : What did you think about it?

Voletta Wallace: I wasn’t in shock. ‘Cause I would say that most part of the article, I was very much aware of and it was bought out in court. There where few things that shocked me in the piece but it just to show you, who can you trust. And when your suppose to be putting your faith and your trust in someone to help you solve the crime they are the ones who are the criminals.

AllHipHop.com: What shocked you the most about it?

Voletta Wallace: There was a name that was brought out that was affiliated with one of the crooks. And it was shocking to know that this person knows that person.

AllHipHop.com: Now in Hip-Hop there is an unwritten rule, and this is in the streets in general, there is a code of silence. Rolling Stone suggested taht Diddy and some other dudes where involved in that code of silence. How do you feel about that?

Voletta Wallace: Ronald Sullivan asked me that same question. If, Puffy, Diddy, Sean Combs, knows something about my son and is trying to hide it, it will be brought to justice. It will be exposed. And as a friend of my son, I’d consider him lower then low. If, he was involved in it or anyone! Anyone that I’m associated with and I considered a close friend or associate who is suppose to be Christopher’s friend and if they know and they are not talking…Now if they know and they are not talking because their lives are in jeopardy or in danger. I think the least they could say to me…’cause I remember once I approached someone and they said they don’t know much but even if they did they wouldn’t even say because their children’s lives is being in danger. So at least he was honest. But this was a life that was taken and people are dying because of that. If you know something you need to come forward.

AllHipHop.com: That story said you might bankrupt the city if your suite is successful…

Voletta Wallace: We’ll see…we’ll see. All I want, all I ever wanted is justice for my sons death. All I ever wanted was the truth. And that’s not asking too much.

AllHipHop.com: What happened to the film on Biggie’s life?

Voletta Wallace:The film on Christopher Wallace, the Notorious B.I.G., we will start production early next year. It’s funded through Fox/Searchlight and direct by Antwon Fuqua – a very nice director. He’s very talented. Who is gonna play Biggie, I don’t know yet. Who is gonna play me, I don’t know yet. But we are in the process of casting now. So hopefully soon.

AllHipHop.com: So I guess Guerrilla Black is out?

Voletta Wallace: Oh please! Out!

AllHipHop.com: So how’s your relationship with [Lil’] Cease. I heard you on the radio a couple of weeks ago…

Voletta Wallace: Telling Cease to mind his damn business. And I will tell Lil’ Cease to mind his damn business among other people. And anyone that puts their nose into my business, I will tell them to mind their own damn business. Because trust me, like I said, the estate is challenging, but I can handle myself. I can handle my business and if I need help, trust me, I’ll seek professionals to help me. But Lil’ Cease, he talks, he doesn’t think. But he comes around, and he apologies. Because he put his foot where it didn’t belong and shouldn’t belong. And I gotta speak my mind. And Puffy is not too big that I can’t handle him. I can handle Puffy. And you gonna ask about Lil’ Kim. Lil’ Kim is in jail, and I’m sure she is nice and warm and comfortable. And I wish her well.

AllHipHop.com: Don’t you think most of those people are trying to do the right thing but in there own way so to speak. I mean they all love Biggie…

Voletta Wallace: In their own way. But sometimes when you love, you show that love in ways that’s nauseating. She loves comes from here and when you love someone you don’t hurt them, you don’t hurt the family. If you love you don’t hurt you think.

And what they where doing, those many people who claim to love my son. they where not thinking of the the family. Christopher is my son. And he’s not here to defend himself. So if you love him, do that and get on with your life. The world does not need to know that you’re having sardines for dinner, or caviar. Get on, spit some good music and let us all dance and enjoy and stop giving us headache for crying out loud.

AllHipHop.com: How was the industry changed you? You can’t come into the industry without it changing you.

Voletta Wallace: It’s turned me into a nasty mean old woman. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer and get business done. Get to know people. I know a lot. People don’t know it but I do. It makes me stronger. I’m a good business person.

AllHipHop.com: Last question, so what’s the current status of the lawsuit. I know there was a mistrial.

Voletta Wallace: Yes it was declared a mistrial in summer. So our attorneys are starting all over again based on the information that was brought to light. So hopefully by early next year we will be out there.

AllHipHop.com: They’ve held over the documents?

Voletta Wallace: I hope so.

AllHipHop.com: No chance if you letting us know what was in them?

Voletta Wallace: No, come to court. You’re gonna get a lot of juicy stuff in court. It’s gonna be a shocker.