Notorious B.I.G. and his protйgй Lil' Kim were close during their day jobs as MCs, often complimenting each other with filth-filled lyrics on each other's songs.
But after hours, the two Brooklyn natives shared a much more complex relationship.
Kim, after all, was Biggie's artist, signed to his and Lance "Un" Rivera's Undeas Records. She was also one of the married MC's lovers.
In this exclusive clip from "Notorious" (which comes out January 17; the star-studded soundtrack arrives in the 12th), the Queen Bee is in the studio with Big and his entourage/group Junior M.A.F.I.A. as she's laying down the vocals for the song that would become "Big Momma Thang."
Biggie's wife, singer Faith Evans, is also present.
As the pint-sized diva is isolated in the recording booth, a demur, sweater-wearing Faith approaches Big (portrayed by Jamal Woolard) at the soundboard and kisses him goodbye as she leaves the studio.
A brooding and scantily clad Kim huffs and puffs throughout her rap as she looks on. She then gives Faith an evil eye that's a razor-sharp as her lyrics. It's clear Faith — who is confused by the situation — isn't yet aware of Biggie's extramarital activities with Kim.
"To me, the Kim element of his life, it's important and significant because it shows you the dynamic [between them]," Wayne Barrow, Big's former manager and a "Notorious" producer, told MTV News. "The same thing with Faith. Each woman in his life represents certain things. I always felt like [Big] was such the man that he was toward women because he was always trying to find his mother. As a man, you're never gonna find a woman to replace that woman until you have a daughter or a little girl and she becomes your life. Anything in between is you trying to get to a better place.
"Although he was maybe womanizing,[Biggie] was trying to grow and become a man. He just didn't always know better."
MTV News has some B.I.G. things on the horizon surrounding "Notorious" — stay tuned for more in the coming days!
‘Notorious’ Actress Angela Bassett Says Biggie’s Mom Is ‘Fascinating’
Diddy Wants His Own Biopic To Star ‘Notorious’ Actor Derek Luke — If It Happens
Jennifer Hudson: Grammy Nods “Truly a Blessing”
(E! Online)
