Diddy Tells Jay-Z He Filled The Shoes Of Biggie & Tupac Following Their Deaths

It’s been over 20 years since The Notorious B.I.G and Tupac Shakur were murdered, and fans still credit them as the best rappers to ever do it. 2Pac was shot and killed in Las Vegas in September 1996, while Biggie was murdered in a drive by shooting in Los Angeles in March 1997. Both rappers were at the top of their careers at the time of their deaths, and left a void in the Hip Hop community that many felt would never be healed. However, according to Diddy, Jay-Z stepped in at the perfect time and helped save hip-hop.

During a recent Twitter Spaces conversation celebrating what would have been Biggie’s 50th birthday, JAY-Z  said the death of Biggie and 2Pac left a deep “void” in the rap world. He explained,

“As far as Big and ‘Pac and pushing forward, that’s just me being a student of the game and loving the game and loving the culture and wanting to push the culture forward. That was the challenge that I was faced with and that’s a void. That’s a big void. Others stepped in to fill it as well, not just myself. That’s a big void. That’s the two pillars right there. Imagine that, within a year.”

Diddy then chimed in and made sure to give the “Hard Knock Life” rapper his flowers and acknowledge his contribution to the hip-hop culture especially during a time of uncertainty.

Diddy continued,

When Jay Z released his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996, both 2Pac and Biggie were still thriving. By the time Jay dropped his second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, both rappers had been murdered. Biggie was a big supporter of Jay Z and even appeared on a record for his debut album.

On Saturday (May 21) family, friends and celebrities came out to celebrate what would have been Biggie’s 50th birthday. Lil Kim hosted the 2nd Annual Biggie Dinner Gala at Guastavino’s in New York City.  Those in attendance included, Diddy, Lil Kim, Fat Joe, members of Junior M.A.F.I.A, Mary J Blige, and Sway Calloway, to name a few. To celebrate the occasion, the iconic Empire State Building in Manhattan, N.Y. lit up in red and white in honor of the late rap.

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