Slow Burn (Slate Podcasts)

Season 3, Episode 1: Biggie and Tupac | Against the World

Release Date: October 30, 2019
Host: Joel Anderson

Episode Overview

This premiere episode of Slow Burn’s third season launches an in-depth exploration of the intertwined lives, rise, and violent ends of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls). Host Joel Anderson recounts the fateful night Tupac was shot in New York, setting the stage for a detailed examination of how friends became mortal enemies, igniting a nationwide feud that changed the course of hip hop—and left two of its brightest talents dead.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Tupac’s Crisis (00:00–04:05)

• Tupac on Trial: In November 1994, Tupac is embroiled in a high-stakes courtroom battle over sexual assault, sodomy, and weapons charges. Facing financial ruin and the possibility of a long sentence, he crams evening studio sessions in a desperate bid for cash.
  • “He would go to court by day and 6pm sharp. Boom. He bust through the door. A bundle of energy.” —Easymo B (01:24)
• The Night at Quad Studios: Tupac hustles to Quad Recording Studios for a $7,000 feature, while inside other hip hop luminaries work—including Biggie and his Junior Mafia crew.
• Junior Mafia Sighting: From the balcony, Chico Del Vec and Lil Cease spot Tupac arriving. They greet him warmly, not knowing the night will erupt in violence.

2. The Shooting and Fallout (04:06–07:35)

• Betrayal and Anger: Tupac is shot five times in the lobby of Quad Studios—a moment captured in the media by an infamous photo of him flipping the middle finger as he’s wheeled out. Chico Del Vec reveals Tupac’s anger wasn’t directed at the press, but at Biggie’s crew:
  • “He looking at us with his middle finger up like, ‘fuck you, niggas.’ … That was to us.” —Chico Del Vec (05:05)
• Friendship Turns Sour: This marks the rupture—when Tupac begins to suspect Biggie’s circle of betrayal, planting the seeds for the East Coast/West Coast feud.

3. Tupac’s Upbringing and Early Fame (07:36–11:55)

• Roots of Conflict: Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, was a Black Panther, acquitted after defending herself in a high-profile case while pregnant with Tupac. His childhood is marked by instability, poverty, and his mother’s struggle with addiction.
  • “My mother had a really bad childhood and my father had a bad childhood and I had a bad childhood. But I love my childhood … nothing can faze me.” —Tupac Shakur (08:27)
• Artistic Ambition: Tupac’s talents in poetry, acting, and music quickly propel him from backup dancer to star. His work navigates pain, injustice, and gritty realism, drawing on his lived experience.

4. Violent Fame and Legal Trouble (11:56–16:02)

• Early Controversies: Incidents in Marin City, where a stray bullet kills a six-year-old, and run-ins with the law amplify Tupac’s reputation and reinforce his narrative as a “survivor” in a hostile world.
• Contrasts in Tupac’s Persona: His music oscillates between righteous anger (“Keep Ya Head Up,” a ballad of respect for Black women) and ruthless bravado, building a complex legacy.
  • “Since we all came from a woman / … I wonder why we take from our women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women?” —Tupac Shakur, “Keep Ya Head Up” (11:55)
• Sexual Assault Case: The Ayanna Jackson case is recounted in detail, highlighting court testimonies and the ensuing public scrutiny.
• Self-Defense and Paranoia: Tupac frequently claims he is the target of conspiracies, hinting at deep distrust fostered by his mother’s radicalism and a life of public suspicion.
  • “All I do is make raps. … My biggest crime is talking loud. Y'all don't have nothing else besides that.” —Tupac Shakur (15:34)

5. Fatal Falling-Outs and the Web of Players (16:03–22:59)

• The Haitian Jack Nexus: Tupac’s friendship with Haitian Jack—thought to have nefarious ties—unravels, intensifying Tupac’s suspicion that inner-circle betrayals set him up.
  • “I didn’t do nothing. I’m charged with being in concert with some guy. Where they at?” —Tupac Shakur (17:21)
• Rising Paranoia: Arguments over money with industry player Jimmy Henchman add to a mounting sense of danger as Tupac enters Quad Studios.
• The Robbery and Shooting: Narration reconstructs the chaos—Tupac is shot, his jewelry snatched, and he later staggers upstairs, bloodied but alive.
  • “By the time we get down there, police is there. … We see Tupac’s bandana on the ground and blood.” —Chico Del Vec (20:23)
• Aftermath and Suspicion: Tupac notices that only he became a target despite the crowd of stars present and suspects a setup.

6. Immediate Reactions (23:00–27:44)

• Confusion and Fracture: Biggie’s crew is stunned by Tupac's anger; they insist on their innocence.
  • “Biggie was like, ‘Yo, why is this dude mad at us about something? About what? We ain’t do nothing wrong.’” —Chico Del Vec (23:10)
• Tupac’s Recovery and Escalating Distrust: Tupac checks himself out of the hospital quickly, fearing for his life, and isolates with trusted friends and Nation of Islam security; his mistrust of Biggie deepens, noting a lack of loyalty and association with his enemies.
  • “I was hurt. I’m going to trial. I’m probably going to get convicted. And this nigga showing up at a party with champagne, hanging with Biggie.” —Reported by Joel Anderson (approx. 25:20)
• Police Powerlessness: Law enforcement encounters a wall of silence, illustrating the code of the street and the larger schism between hip hop and the police.
  • “From the get go, there was zero… zero cooperation, meaning that nobody was talking to us, which was understandable.” —Detective Mordecai Jakansky (27:20)

7. Reflection and the Road Ahead (27:45–End)

• Unsolved Mysteries: The episode closes with acknowledgment that the truth of the Quad Studios shooting may never be fully revealed, with suspected perpetrators in prison for unrelated crimes. The rupture between Biggie and Tupac—seeded in this moment—becomes the foundation for rivalry, violence, and tragedy still unsolved by police.
• Preview: The next episode will examine “Hip Hop vs. the Cops,” tracing the adversarial relationship between rap artists and law enforcement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Tupac’s Energy under Trial Pressure:
  “It was 6pm 6 o'clock every day. … A bundle of energy. Yo, yo, we gonna do this.”
  —Easymo B (01:24)

• The Infamous Middle Finger Photo:
  “He looking at us with his middle finger up like, ‘fuck you, niggas.’ … That was to us.”
  —Chico Del Vec (05:05)

• Tupac on His Childhood:
  “My mother had a really bad childhood... But I love my childhood. Even though it was bad, I love it. ... nothing can faze me.”
  —Tupac Shakur (08:27)

• "Keep Ya Head Up" Lyric:
  “Since we all came from a woman … I wonder why we take from our women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women?”
  —Tupac Shakur (11:55)

• On Public Image and Injustice:
  “All I do is make raps. … My biggest crime is talking loud.”
  —Tupac Shakur (15:34)

• Detective’s Take on Law Enforcement’s Inability:
  “From the get go, there was zero… zero cooperation, meaning that nobody was talking to us, which was understandable.”
  —Detective Mordecai Jakansky (27:20)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–04:05: Tupac’s legal jeopardy and financial scramble; arrival at Quad Studios
• 04:06–07:35: Tupac’s shooting; friendship dissolves
• 07:36–11:55: Tupac's upbringing and rise to fame
• 11:56–16:02: Legal troubles, “Keep Ya Head Up,” and sexual assault charges
• 16:03–20:43: Relationships with Haitian Jack & Jimmy Henchman; shooting details
• 20:44–23:21: Aftermath at Quad Studios; suspicion and confusion
• 23:22–27:44: Tupac’s recovery, paranoia, growing rift with Biggie, and police investigation
• 27:45–End: Barriers to solving the case, setup for future episodes

Tone and Style

The episode’s tone is investigative yet empathetic, blending first-person accounts, archival audio, and dramatic retelling. Joel Anderson balances journalistic distance with palpable emotion, turning the episode into both a forensic political analysis and a tragic personal story.