S. Samuel
NBA superstar-turned-rapper Shaquille O'Neal recently opened up about the 1997 fatal shooting of The Notorious B.I.G. and discusses how he could have possible saved him from death.
Shaq said his night time plans to link with B.I.G. were nixed after falling asleep shortly before the shooting.
Shaq recently talked with ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” about his friendship with the man born Christopher Wallace, which began when Shaq heard Biggie reference him and a song, and eventually included a collaboration on the song “Can’t Stop the Reign.” And he detailed how he made plans to go to Biggie’s party the night he was shot, but never made it…something he understandably still thinks about. According to Shaq, he simply fell asleep that night, only to wake up to a phone call informing him his friend was shot. Shaq later wondered in his autobiography if his presence could have made a difference, which Biggie’s cousin Lil Cease (who was present at the time of the shooting) believes it would have. (Sports Grid)
The super star also believes he could have prevented B.I.G.’s death.
If O’Neal had been with Biggie, he believes that with his bodyguard, Uncle Jerome, the two could have made a difference. “I’ve always been a person that’s always been aware of my surroundings,” Shaq explained. “Thank God for Uncle Jerome from law enforcement. He sees everything. He sees everything. He taught me that. He’s always taught me that.” (NESN)
A few weeks ago, the Notorious B.I.G. 1997 murder case received a new lead.
Eight years later in 2005, a civil trial brought by the Wallace family against the city of Los Angeles exposed evidence hidden by the LAPD that suggests two rogue police officers David Mack and Rafael Perez may have been involved in the murder of the rapper also known as “Biggie Smalls”. According to a newly-revealed court record, Perez’s cellmate told investigators “Perez and Mack were involved in Death Row Records. Perez got involved in Death Row through Mack..” “Perez was working security. Perez had a cell phone. Perez said he called over to Mack, David Mack on his cell phone. Perez told Mack that Biggie Smalls was in his truck. Perez never said that he set up Biggie Smalls but I have heard that he…had something to do with that murder,” according to the inmate. (CBS News)
Last January, the B.I.G. murder case’s revival became public.
A task force made up of local and federal law enforcement agencies is actively pursuing leads into the 1997 slaying of hip hop artist Christopher Wallace, better known as Biggie Smalls or Notorious B.I.G., according to two sources familiar with the investigation. According to one law enforcement source, the investigation into the 13-year-old unsolved case was “reinvigorated” months ago as a result of new information, but the source would not elaborate further because of the ongoing investigation that includes the Los Angeles Police Department, L.A. County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI. (CNN)
Check out Shaq speaking on B.I.G. down below:
