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Back to Biggie's 15-Year Death Anniversary

K'naan

Bonnie Biess

A friend of mine, she's a film actress and director. She didn't know about Biggie Smalls. The other day I just sat her down and explained everything. Just reciting lyrics. This is why we think of him as like the bible. Just his incredible severity of language is to be respected as you would a poet laureate. He did have that kind of quality to his work. But then also just his honesty level. The kind of guy who would say, "When I die, f--- it I want to go to hell/ 'Cause I'm a piece of s---, it ain't hard to f---ing tell." Who addresses themselves like that? He talked about his obesity, that he thought he was ugly. Who in modern day music can put themselves out like that? Gil Scott-Heron was someone who could do that. I love people who are able to self-examine and put their vulnerabilities in front of our face so that we feel OK with ours.