However, Diddy helped bolster the mythology of Juicy with the next generation by making it a key plot device on 2002’s reality show Making The Band. Biggie’s life and career were cut tragically short in 1997. It’s become such a staple that every hip-hop head is expected to know the first verse by heart – at least. Juicy is synonymous with hip-hop’s ambitious ethos. Mtume’s No 1 R&B hit Juicy Fruit adds an addictive melody and gives Biggie’s hard rhymes an upbeat, feel-good vibe.
Diddy (or Pete Rock, depending on which version of the story you believe) tapped into a winning formula of flipping classic ’80s samples for the succulent beat. In that vein, Sean “Diddy” Combs served as Biggie’s sonic steward and godfather. That rise – from when “birthdays was the worst days” to champagne-sipping glory – is the quintessential rap Cinderella tale. A self-fulfilling prophecy: a new rap king in the East was crowned Juicy was heralded as a classic pretty much out of the gate, and it catapulted the 22-year-old into the upper echelons of rap. “Stereotypes of a black male misunderstood/And it's still all good.” “Girls used to diss me/Now they write letters ’cause they miss me,” he admits. Sure, he’s flexing his braggadocio, but there’s also touching vulnerability amid the machismo. “Born sinner, the opposite of a winner/Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner?” he asks. Tapping into his natural storytelling ability, Biggie vividly shares the story of the struggle, of being broke and overlooked.