Photographer Recalls Biggie “Hitting The Blunt” As Shots Fired In The Club
Writer and photographer, Loupy D, recalls “hitting the blunt” with the Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls as shots fired in the club.
In 1991, Loupy D started as a writer for “No Sellout, an underground hip hop magazine. It wouldn’t take long for the California native to get his first article published as he interviewed L.A. DJ Michael Mixxin Moor. Unlike other publications in L.A., No Sellout covered political, socio and economic issues in hip hop.
Loupy D would branch off outside of the L.A. hip hop scene, which led him to Wu-Tang Clan and Biggie Smalls interviews with the Chronic magazine. Although a huge fan of the iconic hip hop group, the writer tells Seize The Moment podcast, Biggie Smalls is by far his favorite interview of all time.
Hours before ‘Ready 2 Die‘ was about to drop, Loupy D was able to interview Biggie at a hotel in L.A. “He was such a humble brother. I interviewed him the night his first album was dropping,” Loupy D explained on Seize The Moment podcast. “I remember after the interview was over, Biggie said, ‘Man, if this album doesn’t do nothing, Ima just be right back on the streets.'”
Luckily for Biggie, his 1994 debut album ‘Ready 2 Die’ was an instant classic propelling the Brooklyn rapper to stardom. The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and since its released has reached 6x platinum status.
Biggie Smalls never forgot Loupy D. In fact, whenever the flamboyant rapper touched down in L.A. he reached out to the writer. During his interview with STMPodcast, Loupy D reflected on the conversations he and Biggie Smalls had. “We talked mostly about the music. About how he got started. Some of his earlier work prior to him being signed and some of the things he had to go through. Like, there was another Biggie Smalls. Another rapper named Biggie Smalls. He was like, ‘Man, I don’t f**k with no lawyers. So, I’m the Nortorious B.I.G.'”
Loupy D also recalled the time he and Biggie “hit the blunt” while shots were fired. After the interview, Loupy head over to the club where Biggie and Craig Mack performed. “After the performance, Biggie was like, ‘Yo. What’s up? You got more of that chronic?’ So, me and my publisher, Lil Cease and Biggie found some kind of corner down at the stairwell,” Loupy D revealed. “We down there hitting the blunt and all of a sudden you hear gunshots upstairs.” Surprisingly, they all finished the blunt, as the those in attendance scattered out the club. Shortly after, they exit the empty club as Diddy awaited with a limo yelling at Biggie and Lil Cease to hurry up.
Since then, Biggie and Loupy D kept in touch whenever the rapper came to L.A. Unfortunate for Loupy D, he did not see Biggie on his last visit to L.A. at the infamous 1997 Vibe after party. According to the writer, he and Biggie were going to meet the next day for a sneak preview of his upcoming ‘Life After Death‘ album. The meeting never happened as Biggie was gunned down the day before.
In celebration of Biggie’s 50th birthday, his estate has released limited edition Metro cards and a new song ‘G.O.A.T.‘ featuring Ty Dolla and Bella Alubo. An upcoming Biggie biopic is also in the works.
Fast forward to 53:43 to watch Loupy D talk about Biggie Smalls.