THROWBACK INTERVIEW: Voletta Wallace The Notorious B.I.G.'s Mother

Summary

Podcast Summary: THROWBACK INTERVIEW: Voletta Wallace The Notorious B.I.G.'s Mother

Podcast Information

• Title: The Breakfast Club
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Description: The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
• Episode: THROWBACK INTERVIEW: Voletta Wallace The Notorious B.I.G.'s Mother
• Release Date: February 21, 2025

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Introduction and Context

In this poignant throwback episode of The Breakfast Club, hosts DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God engage in a heartfelt conversation with Voletta Wallace, the mother of the legendary rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. The episode delves deep into Biggie's enduring legacy, his recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the personal reflections of his family members.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

The episode centers around the significant event of The Notorious B.I.G.'s induction into the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. DJ Envy highlights the excitement surrounding the induction:

DJ Envy [02:57]: "It's a very special thing happening this weekend. The 2020 Rock and Roll hall of Fame inductions and the late, great Christopher Wallace. The Notorious B.I.G. will be inducted into the 2020 Rock and Roll hall of Fame."

Voletta Wallace expresses her mixed emotions regarding the honor:

Voletta Wallace [03:15]: "As a mother, of course, I'm very, very happy about it. I'm elated about it. I'm thrilled. I'm only sorry he's not here."

Personal Reflections and Feelings

Valletta shares her pride and sorrow over Biggie's posthumous recognition, noting the absence of many honorary figures:

Voletta Wallace [05:06]: "A very proud mother. Very proud mother. Sad. Sometimes when I see things, it brought tears to my eyes. Once again, as I said, he's not here to see these things."

Wayne Barrow, a close family friend, echoes these sentiments while acknowledging the bittersweet nature of the induction:

Wayne Barrow [03:52]: "It's a kind of one of those bittersweet things... I think it's extremely well deserved. And I'm thankful to the Rock and Roll hall of Fame for, you know, saying, acknowledging him for his music and his art."

Unreleased Music and Legacy

The conversation shifts to the discovery of an unreleased Biggie freestyle by Pepsi, leading to discussions about other hidden recordings:

Charlamagne Tha God [06:41]: "Now with Pepsi, just released an unreleased freestyle from Big. Are there other unreleased records and verses that you guys might know of or something like that?"

Voletta and Wayne discuss the challenges in preserving and accessing Biggie's unreleased material:

Wayne Barrow [07:01]: "People are holding on to some of those jewels. We just got to get a hold of it... it sounds so choppy, you know what I'm saying? It's not digitized or anything along those lines. So it is the actual RAW file."

Personal Stories and Anecdotes

Valletta shares touching and humorous stories that highlight Biggie's generosity and personality:

Voletta Wallace [10:49]: "They're always loving ones, you know, and they always spoke about his generosity, his kindness, his patience... He did this for me. He did that for me. Things that I never knew. Did you know that? He bought me that chair in the barbershop?"

Wayne adds his own anecdotes, showcasing Biggie's humor and larger-than-life character:

Wayne Barrow [12:34]: "Remember being in a dice game with him one day in the hallway of daddy's house?... He was so mad. And when he lost, he was mad. But at the end of the day, he had this big heart, took care of everybody."

Impact on Hip Hop Culture

The discussion broadens to Biggie's influence on hip hop and the culture at large. Wayne reflects on what Biggie could have achieved had he lived:

Wayne Barrow [10:30]: "He would have elevated the culture, hip hop in general. He just had a way of bringing the best out of people... he was so in tune with everything around him and always ahead of the curve."

Valletta echoes the sentiment, expressing pride in her son's contributions and legacy:

Voletta Wallace [05:06]: "He's being acknowledged in so many entities, so many avenues. I never knew that my son was that... I really, really do appreciate it."

Healing and Acceptance

The conversation delves into the emotional journey of healing after Biggie's untimely death. Valletta shares her struggle with accepting the circumstances of his passing:

Voletta Wallace [28:39]: "It was hard... Murder is wrong. Badness is wrong. I cannot accept that. But the fact that he's not here, I have accepted that."

Wayne discusses his own path to healing, emphasizing acceptance and moving forward:

Wayne Barrow [27:36]: "Healing for me is fortifying oneself... I'm content. I'm balanced in my life."

Family and Legacy

The episode concludes with reflections on family, legacy, and the enduring impact of Biggie's life and music. Valletta speaks about her ongoing connection with her son's memory:

Voletta Wallace [30:25]: "I have accepted the fact that his children are here. I love them dearly. But the fact that he's not here to see them grow... it's hard for me to accept what happened to him."

Wayne emphasizes the importance of legacy and continuing Biggie's positive influence:

Wayne Barrow [26:48]: "Baron's a good guy... He's always been that guy... thinking about things from the estate standpoint or from the family standpoint."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• DJ Envy [02:57]: "The Notorious B.I.G. will be inducted into the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
• Voletta Wallace [03:15]: "I'm very, very happy about it. I'm elated about it. I'm thrilled."
• Wayne Barrow [07:01]: "It's the actual RAW file."
• Voletta Wallace [10:49]: "He bought me that chair in the barbershop."
• Wayne Barrow [10:30]: "He would have elevated the culture, hip hop in general."
• Voletta Wallace [28:39]: "Murder is wrong. Badness is wrong. I cannot accept that."
• Wayne Barrow [27:36]: "I'm content. I'm balanced in my life."

Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers an intimate glimpse into the life and legacy of The Notorious B.I.G. through the eyes of his mother, Voletta Wallace, and close family friend, Wayne Barrow. Their candid reflections provide listeners with a deeper understanding of Biggie's impact on music, his personal relationships, and the enduring emotional journey of his family. The heartfelt discussions underscore the profound influence Biggie continues to wield in the world of hip hop and beyond.

Transcript

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[DJ Envy]

Up early in the morning.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club Morning everybody. It's DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne the Guy we are the Breakfast Club. We got some special guests joining us this morning. We have Ms. Valletta Wallace. Welcome. Good morning.

[Valletta Wallace]

Good morning. Good Morning. Good morning. Good morning.

[Wayne Barrow]

Good morning.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And we also have our good friend Wayne sitting in the background. Wayne said he was about to leave, but he ain't going nowhere.

[Wayne Barrow]

Wayne Barrow.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He ain't going nowhere. What's up, brother?

[Wayne Barrow]

I'm blessed. I'm blessed. And being blessed.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, man. It's a very special thing happening this weekend. The 2020 Rock and Roll hall of Fame inductions and the late, great Christopher Wallace. The Notorious B.I.G. will be inducted into the 2020 Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's great.

[DJ Envy]

That's an amazing thing.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So what does that mean to you? How do you. How do you feel about that?

[Valletta Wallace]

Well, for me, as a mother, of course, I'm very, very happy about it. I'm elated about it. I'm thrilled. I'm only sorry he's not here.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah.

[Valletta Wallace]

To be a part of it. It's sad that, you know, most of these honorary honors are going to people who are not here.

[Angela Yee]

Right.

[Valletta Wallace]

But I'm sure he would be thrilled. And for that reason, I am thrilled myself.

[DJ Envy]

Wayne, what does it mean to you? I gotta ask you the same question. What does it mean to you?

[Wayne Barrow]

You know what, it's kind of one of those bittersweet things. I'm on it. He's never been able to experience what we've experienced from his fans. Right. Right. The accolades came after his passing. Right. He was on the cusp of doing so much. So it's bittersweet for me from that standpoint, but I think it's extremely well deserved. And I'm thankful to the Rock and Roll hall of Fame for, you know, saying, acknowledging him for his music and his art and, you know, it's been a hard fought fight over these last, you know, saying, 24 years. So, yeah, this is. It means a lot. And I'm blessed and I'm thankful and grateful that we were able to experience this and more specifically, that Ms. Wallace was able to be here to witness it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

Ms. Wallace, how does it feel that Biggie is celebrated so much? Like, even to this day in Brooklyn, there's murals of Biggie everywhere. Every single restaurant you go into, there's a painting hanging up of Christopher Wallace on the wall. He has his own street and everything. How does that feel for you?

[Valletta Wallace]

A very proud mother. Very proud mother. Sad. Sometimes when I see things, it brought tears to my eyes. Once again, as I said, he's not here to see these things. And I'm going to be honest with you, my son is being acknowledged in so many entities, so many avenues, so Many programs, everywhere you turn, there's a biggie, there's a notorious, there's this. I never knew. And I can honestly say I never knew that my son was that. I'm going to use the word famous. I never knew because I'm not a rap model, you know, I don't know anything about rap music. I've learned over the years, you know, what it is and how to appreciate it. Now I appreciate it. I really, really do. I appreciate the young men who are trying, you know, who've done it. But that wasn't me. Because even today, I'm trying to listen to some of the words. What did he say? Or.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Right.

[Valletta Wallace]

You know, when he spoke of Alize, I thought he was talking about hallway. I don't know. But now I know what it is.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Now let me ask a question. Now with Pepsi, just released an unreleased freestyle from Big Right now. Are there other unreleased records and verses that you guys might know of or something like that? Cause this was a surprise. This was so long ago. It's like, wow, there might be some verses that's still lingering around.

[Valletta Wallace]

Yes, it is.

[Wayne Barrow]

People are holding on to some of those jewels. We just got to get a hold of it. But most of what the actual state controls and has actual access to it is what it is. You know what I'm saying? It's been exploited. It's been out there. This Pepsi commercial has been, you know what I'm saying, in the works from 97. When it was done, wow. The deal just couldn't get done. Then he passed, and then it just kind of went away. And Enough just continued to fight to make sure that, you know what I'm saying, it stayed relevant. And the connection with Rob Stone over at Cornerstone, him and his team are the ones that brought it back to light. So, you know what I'm saying?

[Valletta Wallace]

And at one point, we couldn't find that tape.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, wow.

[Valletta Wallace]

At one point, we couldn't find it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Where did y'all find it? Was it at Mr. C's house? Was it at Puff's crib? Like, where was that tape at?

[Wayne Barrow]

I don't think Enough had a copy of it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Enough.

[Wayne Barrow]

Yeah, and I think that's why it sounds so choppy, you know what I'm saying? It's not digitized or anything along those lines. So it is the actual RAW file.

[Charlamagne tha God]

So dope.

[DJ Envy]

Ms. Wallace and Wayne, you know, as a fan, you know, we sit around and we debate in the barbershops. When we at the house, we talk about the what if, you know, so I always wonder for the family, how tough are the what ifs? When you ask yourself, what if he was here? What if he did this? How tough were the what ifs for the family?

[Valletta Wallace]

I can't tell about the family, but I can speak about me. What if he was here? Maybe I would strangle him. Maybe I would strangle him. Because, you know, some of the. Some of his associates, I still want to strangle them. But, you know, there's a lot of what ifs. I know he would be a happy guy. I know I would be a happy mother. Because he was a good kid. He was a nice, nice person. We fought a lot, you know, but the makeup was so beautiful. There's so much apologies behind it. And he, you know, his explanation, he made me understand what he's trying to do, what he was trying to say. I still can't take the profanity. Still can't. I listen to his music. I listened to his music and I said, jehovah, please help me. You know, so the what ifs, maybe we'll be still fighting, but he would still be my best friend.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

What about you, Wayne?

[Wayne Barrow]

The what else for me is more. I think that he would have elevated the culture, hip hop in general. He just had a way of bringing the best out of people, forcing them to kind of step up just from a lyrical standpoint musically and I think given the dynamics of where we are, from a technology standpoint, because he was so in tune with everything around him and always ahead of the curve, that he would have been delving into things that kind of opened himself up to allow himself to be what these diets have become today, like the Jays and the Puffs. But from his perspective, in his way, and you know what I'm saying, from my standpoint, I think that that in itself is the what if that always haunts me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

I love when I hear people with their really good and fond memories, people who knew Biggie and worked with him. I was just talking to Method man and he was talking about how he first got introduced to Biggie and how they ended up working together and everything. So what are some of your favorite stories to hear about your son?

[Valletta Wallace]

There's a variety of them. They're always loving ones, you know, and they always spoke about his generosity, his kindness, his patience, and him wanting to help to make everyone better. You know, he wants everyone to have something. He wasn't the kind of guy who wants to keep it for himself. He was a sharer. He likes to share. And the respect that he had for even the friend, their mothers, you know, they went all out, you know, Ms. Wallace, you know, he did this for me. He did that for me. Things that I never knew. Did you know that? He helped me here and he helped me there. I know it's in his heart. I know that kindness was there, but I've never experienced it. But knowing he wasn't here and to hear them say, oh, Ms. Wallace, did you know in that shop, he bought me that chair in the barbershop? He bought me that chair.

[DJ Envy]

Wow.

[Valletta Wallace]

Did you know he paid my rent for two months? Wow. You know, that. That was very touching.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wow.

[Valletta Wallace]

Very, very touching for me.

[DJ Envy]

Wayne, do you have any stories you can share in front of Ms. Wallace? Any fun story?

[Wayne Barrow]

A lot of different things that story point wise that you can get into. Wow.

[DJ Envy]

He'S really thinking of a PG store. You trying to think of a PG store?

[Wayne Barrow]

I'm trying to think of something that I could act like, you know what I'm saying? It's like. But most of the stories that I have are generally related to just his humor. Right? I mean, remember being in a dice game with him one day in the hallway of daddy's house? And I mean, it was a bunch of brothers up in there, but, you know, we're not on the snitch game. So at the end of the day, he lost. And when he lost, he was mad. I mean, oh, my goodness, he was so mad. And at the end of the day, put me up in the corner and said, yo, you know what I'm saying? I need to hold something. I need to come back, right? So I told him, no. No? What do you mean, no? Ain't I the one paying you? Hit me with the. Ain't I the one paying you? I gave him what he needed.

[Angela Yee]

Exactly. End of story.

[Wayne Barrow]

I gave what he needed. He did not win. And then told me that I still got to give him some more money so he can go ahead and eat.

[Angela Yee]

Hilarious bus moves.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Did you ever get the money back?

[Wayne Barrow]

He always had this way of bossing up on you. Just, you know, Big was a very humorous guy, but I called him a gentle giant, you know what I mean? He had this big heart, took care of everybody, and never, ever wavered. It's just who he was.

[Angela Yee]

Ms. Wallace, even before he became. Became a rapper, did all the women love him around the neighborhood? Like, did he always.

[Valletta Wallace]

My telephone bill, all these. What do you call them? It's honeys.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All these honeys.

[Valletta Wallace]

Honeys, so many honeys were calling that house. I told him look, honey, you gotta get your own phone. I mean, everyone you could think of. I could tell you a story. One morning, I was in my bedroom and I heard someone. I told this story already. And the person said, well, excuse my language. It's early in the morning. I am not going to be your second bitch. Whoa. I'm listening, listening, listening. Then after she was gone, I said, come here. I heard the conversation. Second. Honey, I'm pretty. She doesn't know. She's about the fifth.

[DJ Envy]

So what do you do after something like that, Ms. Wallace? Do you hand him. Because I grew up Jehovah Witness, do you hand him a Watchtower or an Awake and say, read this.

[Valletta Wallace]

It's been all over the house. He was there on the sofa. He was on his pillow. He was on the dining room table. He was all over.

[DJ Envy]

That's what my mom used to do to me when I used to get in trouble. It would always be a Watchtower based on whatever the subject was that I.

[Wayne Barrow]

Was in trouble for. Oh, yeah.

[Valletta Wallace]

Oh, yeah.

[Wayne Barrow]

Wow.

[Valletta Wallace]

Second. Honey, that's not the second. That's about the fifth.

[DJ Envy]

Wayne, I got a question. How much of your love of hip hop died with Big?

[Wayne Barrow]

Wow. Pre. Honestly, none. Actually. What died with Big for me was the purity of hip hop. Right? What he represented as far as the purity is concerned. But hip hop, it's in me. It's just who I am. It's what, you know what I'm saying, I grew up in. But in terms of dying with him, it's definitely the purity. I don't think that that has been.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Sustained, you know, with some estates, you know, they are very fickle when they sign off on music. How are you guys with signing off on music? Do you pretty much say, you know what, we allow it? Or is it like, no, I gotta hear where it's going. I gotta hear the song. I gotta hear what they're talking about. Like, how do you decide if you're gonna sign off or not? Is it something like, you know, Ms. Wallace says, no, too much profanity. I'm not signing off on that. You know, how does it work?

[Wayne Barrow]

Well, it's two ways. One, she does say that a lot.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay.

[Wayne Barrow]

But it is hip hop. And you know what I'm saying? You have to make her understand the business of it. Once you make her understand the business of it, then she's okay. I'm okay with it. You can go ahead and approve it. There's nothing that's come out in the last 23 years that has not been approved by Miss. Her ears have touched everything. Everything has touched her ears. She's in every element of the business. So from that standpoint, you know what I'm saying, I think that it lends us the opportunity to have the sensibilities to do good business. So for me, I know what works and what doesn't. I know what she wouldn't want done and what she would want done. So there are a lot of records that came through over the years and I was like, absolutely not one. Either the record was straight whack or the business wasn't right. They was selling something that we knew would be detrimental to the brand. You know what I mean? So for us, it's always about the legacy and it's always about assuring that we stay true to what he would do.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Gotcha.

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[Wayne Barrow]

Hey fam.

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[Valletta Wallace]

Stop.

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[Angela Yee]

Is it hard to watch, like the unsolved stories that come on and the series and stuff like that that they've done on?

[Valletta Wallace]

Yes. Oh, yes. But it's not done yet. We're still fighting. You know it's still there, right? You know, I'm not going to give up. And I'm sure when it comes to cj, he wants justice also. And also his daughter Tiana.

[Wayne Barrow]

She's asking you about how you feel when you watch him.

[Valletta Wallace]

Unsolved Mysteries.

[Wayne Barrow]

No, like the thing that Wavy was in.

[Valletta Wallace]

Oh, okay. Be honest with you. I watched it and there's some things that went on. I knew about it. I told them I wasn't going to be a part of it. But I watched it and I'm glad it was out. I am glad because 98% of it is the truth.

[Wayne Barrow]

Wow.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wow.

[Wayne Barrow]

That's one of those Things that we didn't approve of, as a matter of fact. It turned out to be good. But the way that they went about it was tacky, right? They didn't come and ask for permission. They just put it out there, you know what I'm saying, at the end of the day. And I think that was something that was detrimental to the family at that point. But it did turn out to be a good show. So it paid off for them, of course. But at the end of the day, you know, it is what it is. But that's one of those things to the point that you asked.

[Charlamagne tha God]

As far as the question, I seen something the other day. Go ahead, Ms. Wallace. I'm sorry.

[Valletta Wallace]

No. I said, oh, I lost my train of thought. I lost my train of thought.

[Angela Yee]

Was it because of Envy's beard?

[Wayne Barrow]

Stop it now.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I was gonna say I seen something the other day, and it kind of bothered me. It was an apartment or a condo or maybe even was a home they were selling in New Jersey, and they were selling it based off of Big living there.

[Valletta Wallace]

What's the name of this street?

[Wayne Barrow]

Elliot Cook.

[Valletta Wallace]

Elliot Cook.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I don't remember the name of it, but they were saying this apartment they were selling this was the House of Big come by the house and they were selling it based off of that. And I was like, is that legal? Can you do that?

[DJ Envy]

Must have been in Teaneck.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It was in Teaneck, Yeah, I think it was in Teaneck.

[Valletta Wallace]

Yeah. It's very possible. 5 Elliot Court. 5 Elliot Court.

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's what it was. Yep.

[Valletta Wallace]

5 Elliot Court.

[Wayne Barrow]

That's the real estate man. He know what's what.

[Valletta Wallace]

Yeah, he knows.

[Angela Yee]

People do that all the time. They'll be like, this person used to live here.

[Valletta Wallace]

You know, they do the same thing in Brooklyn, on St. James. They do the same thing with the crown, right? Yeah, you know, same thing.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, I saw that. That crown did get auctioned off, right?

[Wayne Barrow]

Supposedly.

[DJ Envy]

How hard is it to heal when you see, you know, big. Big everywhere? Like, even this weekend with the induction into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, or, you know, the biopics that they always do, the documentaries, like, how hard is it to heal with all of that?

[Valletta Wallace]

It saddens me every time. Every time I see things like that. I mean, I'm going to be watching the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. I've seen, you know, clips of it, and it touched me, you know, I cried when. When I got the rough cut, especially at the end, I really tears. I was going all over the place. So every time I See, things like that. It seems like yesterday he was here and I was talking to him. So it really saddens me. I'm glad it's out there, and I'm, you know, I'm glad everybody's doing what they are doing. I just want them to do it fairly and, you know, with taste.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Absolutely.

[Valletta Wallace]

I'm very. I'm saddened by it.

[DJ Envy]

What about you, Wayne?

[Wayne Barrow]

I mean, I've become numb to it. Right.

[DJ Envy]

That's not good, though.

[Wayne Barrow]

I mean, when I said I've healed is what I'm saying.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Wayne Barrow]

So I become numb to the nuances of what that represents. Right. Does it represent something different to me? Because inward, I know where I am, and I know that from a healing standpoint, I'm tapped in in a different way. Right. So I'm cool with that. I think that the thing that bothers me is the disrespect that comes with it. Right. We got people out here that's promoting parties and doing things along those lines or creating opportunities and campaigns for themselves, but aren't giving back to the foundation, never back to the kids. For me, it's always been about the kids. Right. And Ms. Wallace. So from that standpoint, it's like when you're doing that and that level of disrespect. Nah, I'm cool. I passed on that. So I kind of detached myself from the emotion so that we can get into the business of it all. And that's when I get on my thing.

[Angela Yee]

What happened with that crown getting auctioned up? Where does that money go? I know it was like a photographer or somebody who had it.

[Valletta Wallace]

Sure. It goes to him. I wish he would donate something to.

[Angela Yee]

The foundation that would make a lot of sense, because that went for a lot.

[Wayne Barrow]

Baron's a good guy. Baron, Clint boy. And we do have a great relationship with him, do a lot of business with him, have done a lot of business over the years. I do see him as the kind of brother that will reach out. And he has reached out. We just haven't to talk about what that would look like. But I don't want anybody to think for a second that the man is not out there thinking about things from the estate standpoint or from the family standpoint, because in the years that I've known him and the years that we've been doing business with him, he's always been that guy.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Gotcha.

[DJ Envy]

You know, when you say that you're healed, just going back to the healing thing is, does healing mean, you know, his death is something that you accept?

[Wayne Barrow]

Healing for me, is not only acceptance, Charlamagne. Healing to me is fortifying oneself, right? At the end of the day, we're all born to die, right? It's about how you live your life that matters, right? And for me, I live my life upright and on a square surrounded by a circle. So as far as I'm concerned, my inner self, I know how to heal when. If that makes sense. And in healing me, I can comfort others. You know what I mean? I've accepted death in a different way because I've dealt with so much death from childhood to manhood. So at the end of the day, it's not something that I'm afraid of. It's not something that I'm afraid to discuss. It's not mentally challenging. It's not emotionally challenging. I'm content. I'm balanced in my life.

[DJ Envy]

What about you, Ms. Wallace? Is this something that you've accepted? His death.

[Valletta Wallace]

It was hard. And because I know death is final, and for him it's final, I accept it. But there are little avenues, little crevices and corners of his death that I cannot and I will not accept. And I'm saying that because I'm a true Christian, because what's right is right. What's fair is fair. Murder is wrong. Badness is wrong. I cannot accept that. Those are things that I know I can't accept. But the fact that he's not here, I have accepted that. I have accepted the fact that his children are here. I love them dearly. But the fact that he's not here to see them grow into the woman and the man that they are. It's hard for me to accept what happened to him because they took that away. And that sometimes hurts. So do I accept his death? Yes, I do. But the way it happened, nah.

[Angela Yee]

Do you ever feel like you get signs that he's still watching over you?

[Valletta Wallace]

Oh, honey. Death is final. He's not watching me. Juan is watching. I know somebody's watching me. Because if he wasn't watching and guiding me, I wouldn't be here today. But as far as Christopher is concerned. Oh, honey, he's asleep. In death deep sleep. And I'm looking forward forward to seeing him again in the near future.

[DJ Envy]

Have either one of you, like, seen him in a dream or.

[Valletta Wallace]

Oh, I've talked to him many times.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Valletta Wallace]

Many times. Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing. His little comedic self. And, you know, quarreling, too. Yeah, I've dreamt him many times.

[DJ Envy]

What about you, Wayne?

[Wayne Barrow]

I actually speak to him daily. I speak to my Ancestors a lot. And so doing kind of embraced him into the family in that way. So he's a part of my daily conversations.

[DJ Envy]

When you think about it, Wayne, because, you know, whenever you see. Like when his birthday comes around, you like, hey, Biggie would have been, you know, late 40s. Like, when you think about it, do you realize how young y'all were?

[Wayne Barrow]

You know what's crazy? Yes, I do. It kind of 25 years is a long time. You understand what I'm saying? And so much has happened. So much has gone on, you know, so much has been missed. So much has been remit. So much. It's just so much about life just that happens in that time period that you lose sight of the fact that you're getting older as long as you're staying true to who you are. Right. So with that said, absolutely. I look at it, I'm like, wow, I can't believe that. I think at that time I was 25.

[DJ Envy]

Wow.

[Wayne Barrow]

Wow. 25, 26. Yeah. By then, it's crazy. And I'm a little older than them.

[DJ Envy]

Did you even understand the magnitude of what y'all was doing back then?

[Wayne Barrow]

I know. Absolutely not. You know, and so my experience in the business, looking back, almost like I. You know, how you get that mirror effect where you want to look back at life and see what you would have done different and the reasons why. There's nothing that I would have done different. But knowing what I know now, I understand how much wrong we did because of abuse. Right. We were too young to be able to really, really embrace and understand what to do with all that we had. The 90s was the greatest moment, you know what I'm saying? In my young life as A man, the 90s was it. There has been nothing since that catapulted that energy for me. Right. The youth today, they're different. I respect them for who they are and what they're doing. No different than what we did back in the day. But the 90s was just something different. It was just special.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It was.

[DJ Envy]

That's the most tragic thing about the whole situation. When you think about how young Tupac and Biggie were. And it was just simple youthful mistakes. Not realizing the power of your tongue, not realizing your influence. You know, just a little bit of age and experience would have changed the perspective of either one of them.

[Wayne Barrow]

And, you know, another thing, too, to that point, Charlamagne. It's crazy because if you think about it, us being young, we had elders, but our elders weren't that much older. Yeah, I was blessed to come up under a totally different regime. Gene Griffin, you know I'm saying Harvey Austin, those are individuals that was managing Teddy. And you know, I'm saying I'm working with him and Rex and effect at the time. So I was taught by men how to be a man in this business. Right. And even though I was young, I had the understanding because of what I seen, of what I did not want to do, if that makes sense.

[DJ Envy]

Wow.

[Wayne Barrow]

So one of the things that I think that was always missing for us in our culture is the fact that we didn't have elders on us. Really, really holding us down in a vast way. Yes, you had individual pockets of individuals, but you didn't have a group of them of grown ass men saying, hey, slow that down shorty. This is what you need to be doing. Pay attention to this. Think about this. We didn't have that, so we had to learn it on our own. Everything was through experience.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Absolutely. We look forward to seeing this Saturday on HBO 8pm, the 2020 induction of Rock and Roll hall of Fame. And we appreciate you guys for joining us this morning. Thank you so much.

[Angela Yee]

Yes. Spread love is the Brooklyn way.

[Valletta Wallace]

Indeed, indeed.

[Wayne Barrow]

Always love forever.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Thank you so much.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you Ms. Wallace.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wayne Barrel. Thank you so much guys.

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[Valletta Wallace]

With the.

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