Some myths are too powerful — too necessary — to ever be fully undone, no matter the facts gathered to address them.
Such is the case with the still-officially-unsolved deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac and Biggie, gunned down six months apart two decades ago, a cruel extermination of hip-hop’s elite.
They became martyrs, and also — as the years passed and their killers were never brought to justice — symbols of a kind of institutional neglect, failed originally by the genre they loved and, in death, by the police.
So the most conspicuous aspect of “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.,” a lightly fictionalized 10-part limited series on USA that has its premiere on Tuesday, is its certainty. Here is a show that offers answers, a ticktock of the various investigations into the killings that have resulted in no arrests but not, if “Unsolved” is to be believed, in no answers.
The series is inspired by “Murder Rap: The Untold Story of the Biggie Smalls & Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations,” a book by Greg Kading, who led a task force investigating the shootings in the late 2000s. (There is an accompanying documentary as well.) In that book, Mr. Kading lays out his theories about who pulled the triggers, and why.
Hollywood star Tom Sizemore told FBI Suge Knight 'arranged to have Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls' killed and offered to wear wire to try crack the case. Knight, who ran Death Row Records, has. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), known professionally as the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or Biggie, was an American rapper. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Christopher Wallace, a.k.a Biggie Smalls, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., is shot to death at a stoplight in Los Angeles. The murder was thought to be the.
Yet somehow, seeing those theories brought to dramatized life — seven episodes were provided for review — gives them more power.
“Unsolved” is equal parts appealingly pulpy and workmanlike, sometimes paced like a procedural and sometimes like a prestige drama. It weaves together three story lines — the friendship between Tupac (Marcc Rose) and Biggie (Wavyy Jonez), which soured and ultimately collapsed; the original L.A.P.D. investigation into Biggie’s murder, steered maniacally by the detective Russell Poole (Jimmi Simpson); and the task force convened a decade after the killings, helmed by Mr. Kading (Josh Duhamel).
The love story here isn’t between Biggie and Tupac, though ample screentime is given over to their early friendship. It’s between the two detectives who never meet: Poole and Kading, who both begin to unravel in the face of a complex investigation, institutional pressure and family problems.
In this telling, Poole is the true detective, wholly and distractingly absorbed by the case. Mr. Simpson plays him as an impatient savant, forever sternly exhaling and chafing against his superiors. (It should be noted, though, that in the “Murder Rap” documentary, Mr. Kading makes short work of Mr. Poole’s theories about the murders.) By contrast, Mr. Duhamel’s Kading is blank. Better is his extended team, which includes Daryn Dupree (a grounded Bokeem Woodbine) and Lee Tucker (Wendell Pierce, testy as ever).
Mr. Jonez captures the gentle grandeur of Biggie (born Christopher Wallace), and Mr. Rose has Tupac’s familiar seductive glint in his eye. But this show about murdered rappers is really a cop show. What’s more, “Unsolved” did not secure licensing rights for either rapper’s music — though some lyrics are sprinkled into conversation — making them feel even more distant as subjects.
In capturing the two investigations, though, “Unsolved” is effective in an unglamorous, no-frills way. And yet, as the episodes toggle between the ostentation of the hip-hop world and the grayness of police headquarters, it’s hard to overlook that a story of this historical significance is rendered in such proletarian fashion.
Add to that the fact that Mr. Kading’s book and documentary were self-released, and that “Unsolved” isn’t on a vanity platform like HBO or Netflix, or delivered with the luxe production values of the “American Crime Story” series, but rather on USA, a basic cable staple.
You would think that a show that advertises a convincing theory about these killings would be lavished with funding, be loudly publicized not just as art, but also as news. But instead, “Unsolved” remains in the shadows. Myth has a way of enduring.
The mother of Biggie Smalls, aka Notorious B.I.G., has spoken of her anguish on the 20th anniversary of the hip hop legend’s unsolved murder, revealing that the pain of losing her son has never gone away.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Voletta Wallace, 64, admits she hurts 'every single day' knowing that she will never see her son again and that his killer is still at large.
And in a shocking claim, the matriarch of hip hop reveals that she and LAPD detectives investigating the murder DO know who is responsible for her son’s death but a 'conspiracy' prevents the case from ever being solved.
This comes as a source who was in Biggie'sinner circle tells DailyMail.com that the rapper may have been the unintended target of the shooting.
Voletta Wallace, 64, the mother of Biggie Smalls, aka Notorious B.I.G., has spoken of her anguish on the 20th anniversary of the hip hop legend’s unsolved murder, revealing that the pain of losing her son has never gone away
Wallace, 64, claims that LAPD detectives investigating the murder do know who is responsible for the death of her son, also known at Notorious B.I.G., but a conspiracy prevents the case from ever being solved
Biggie, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was gunned down in cold blood on March 9, 1997 in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, aged just 24. Pictured, the car and crime scene where he was shot and killed
Biggie, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was gunned down in cold blood on March 9, 1997 in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, aged just 24.
The ‘Juicy’ singer had earlier delivered his final performance at the Soul Train Awards before he was killed after leaving an after-party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in a two-vehicle convoy.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Wallace admitted she hurts 'every single day' knowing that she will never see her son again and that his killer is still at large
Trailed by fellow artist P. Diddy, who opted to travel in a separate car, his friend could only watch as the Brooklyn-born star was hit by four bullets from a driver in a Chevrolet Impala that pulled alongside his GMC Suburban SUV.
Speaking from her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Voletta choked back tears as she recalled the shooting.
She said: ‘It hurts me every single day to know what happened to Christopher and that I won’t see him ever again.
‘And it’s not just me that is devastated, his sister T’yanna hurts every day because of his loss. As a family, we’ve collectedly grieved and it doesn’t ever get any better for us.
‘Any mother who has lost a child knows exactly the devastation I feel, it’s the worst pain in the world and one that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.
‘He was so young, so talented and his life was taken far too soon. It’s unnecessary that Christopher lost his life at just 24. He was my baby, and I think about him every day.
‘When it comes to the anniversary of the passing of his death, I don’t really like to talk about it. I know there will be a few tributes in honor of Christopher, and that’s great he’s still remembered, but it’s very tough for me and my family.’
The ‘Juicy’ singer had earlier delivered his final performance at the Soul Train Awards before he was killed after leaving an after-party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in a two-vehicle convoy. Pictured, friends and family take Biggie's casket to a waiting hearse at his funeral
Funeral cars filled with floral tributes to rapper Biggie Smalls passed down St James Place, the street in Brooklyn where his mother still lives, in a fairwell drive-by for the Brooklyn native in 1997
Many in the aftermath of Biggie's death claim the bullets were actually meant for P. Diddy (pictured), whose real name is Sean Combs, as a revenge killing six months after Biggie’s rap rival Tupac Shakur was also gunned down
Voletta, who is a devout Christian, admits she has turned to God for answers since the murder.
However, as comforting as the church is, it can never replace her son.
‘I get by, using religion to ease my pain. But that’s not easy. It helps a little, but it’s a far cry from bringing Christopher back to life,' she said.
‘I have had lots of support from friends at church, and I’m thankful for that over the years. People have been very nice to me, and that’s also because Christopher was such a glowing figure in their lives too.’
They claim Diddy is somehow linked to Shakur’s (pictured) murder in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, a theory often rumored in hip hop circles
Voletta blames the LAPD for not solving the crime and claims detectives know exactly who was responsible.
‘I have a very good idea who murdered Christopher and I genuinely believe that the LAPD know exactly who did too,’ she said.
‘They’ve done their investigation, but they just refuse to move forward. I don’t know why they haven’t arrested who was involved.
‘It seems to me that it’s one giant conspiracy, and someone is definitely being protected somewhere down the line.’
The longer the case goes unsolved Voletta, who is executor of Biggie's estate, knows it’s unlikely she will ever be able to put her son’s senseless killing behind her.
‘There’s no closure for me until that murderer is behind bars and sentenced,' she said.
‘That may give me some closure to grab onto, but it sure won’t ever bring my son back.'
Born on May 21, 1972, Biggie was raised in Brooklyn by single-mom Voletta, a Jamaican immigrant, who worked as a pre-school teacher.
It was a tough start to life and Biggie was selling crack on street corners by age 12 landing him with a long rap sheet and a stint in jail aged 17.
But in the late 1980s the troubled teen, who liked to rap as a sideline to dealing drugs, got his big break.
At 6ft 3ins and nearly 400lbs, he used the fitting stage name Biggie Smalls after Calvin Lockhart’s gangster character in the 1975 movie Let’s Do It Again.
One of his mixtapes was sent to an editor at hip-hop magazine The Source and Biggie was soon signed by Sean 'Puffy' Combs, then working for Uptown Records.
‘That soon escalated, and it is known in the circles that Suge (Knight) wanted to get revenge for losing his prized asset. He held Puff responsible and wanted to go after him,' the source said. Pictured, the black car in which Tupac was fatally shot
In September 1994 Biggie released his debut album, 'Ready to Die.' under Combs' newly formed Bad Boy Records.
Backed with hits like 'Juicy' and 'Big Poppa,' the record went platinum selling four million copies and the young hip-hop artist became a full-fledged star.
The album earned several awards including Billboard’s Rap Artist of the Year and Rap Single of the Year.
By then he had dropped his original name in place of The Notorious B.I.G. after Lockhart sued him over 'Biggie Smalls'.
The rapper's career went from strength to strength and he backed several other artists even working with Michael Jackson, on his 1995 album, 'HIStory.'
By the close of 1995, Biggie was one of hip hop's best-selling and most sought after performers.
He was married to R&B singer Faith Evans and they had a son, Christopher 'CJ' Wallace Jr., in 1996.
Biggie already had a three-year-old daughter, T’yanna, with another woman.
Theories around the shooting - now a part of hip hop lore - have reemerged in one form or another over the years as journalists and fans attempted to tackle the case.
But a source who was with Biggie the night he died is convinced the bullets were meant for P. Diddy, not him.
The source says he believes the bullets were meant for Diddy, aka Sean Combs, as a revenge killing six months after Biggie’s rap rival Tupac Shakur was also gunned down.
The claim that Diddy is somehow linked to Shakur’s murder in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996 has long been rumored in hip hop circles.
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Earlier this week it emerged that the car in which Biggie was murdered in is now being sold by memorabilia dealer, Moments in Time for a staggering $1.5 million.
It was originally picked up by a woman in an auction in 1997, who had no idea how famous the vehicle was, according to TMZ.
The Death Of Biggie Smalls Video
Apparently, the passenger door was replaced after police officers removed it during their investigation.
Death Of Tupac
Ironically, both rappers are still competing posthumously.
Death Of Biggie Smalls Buzzfeed
Last week, the BMW that Tupac was riding in when he was shot dead also went on sale for $1.5 million.