NEW YORK — On Wednesday night in Manhattan, almost all the music-industry insiders associated with the Notorious B.I.G. came out to see the premiere of his biopic, "Notorious." Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Lil' Cease, even Nas. But no Lil' Kim.
The Queen recently came out publicly and stated she is not in support of the film and blames Big's mother, Voletta Wallace, and his widow, singer Faith Evans, for what she calls a negative portrayal.
"I've had enough and I'm about to expose them both. ... I've been quiet for a long time," Kim was quoted as saying by Hip-Hop Weekly. "I'm very disappointed in Faith. There's nothing Faith or Ms. Wallace could do to stop me from reppin' B.I.G. all day. I'm gonna always do that. ... It's time for Ms. Wallace to be exposed.
"I was not involved in the movie," she continued. "[The filmmakers] never came and asked me anything about Biggie, but again, this was Faith and Ms. Wallace's movie," Kim told the tabloid about her thoughts on the biopic. "I couldn't believe it. I was outraged," adding that she thought Naturi Naughton was a bad choice to play her and that Jamal Woolard was a poor choice to portray Big.
"I try my best not to think about it," Evans told MTV News on Thursday afternoon (January 8) about Kim's recent quotes. "It's kinda sad."
Evans said the magazine informed her of the quotes. "I got four kids, and I definitely don't have time for this type of sh--," she noted. "It's just sad. I don't know Kim's story like that. The part of my life that she was a part of, that what was in my book. This movie is not relative to my book other than that there are certain things in there. This is not my movie. I didn't write the script. Any characters in the film had to agree for their life rights to be in the movie. I don't think I would have signed anything had I felt I was not portrayed properly. I think she had the opportunity to do that. I could be mistaken. I wasn't there.
"It's not like [the film's producers] are calling Faith to write something about somebody," Evans added. "It's based on a book that I think she participated in as well [Editor's note: 'Notorious' is based on the biography 'Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.,' by Cheo Hedari Coker.] I don't know what to say. I think that beyond myself, Ms. Wallace or whoever else she wants to blame, everyone who was around Big at that time has had some things to say about [her relationship with Biggie] in order for Cheo to even write the book. He interviewed pretty much all of us. She's sadly mistaken. I'm aware of what she has to say, and that's fine. I don't know what to say. God bless her."
Faith has not figured out what Kim has up her sleeve with the threat to "expose" her and Ms. Wallace. "I don't think there's anything about me that I would be ashamed of that I haven't already told people," she said. "I hope she found the closure she's looking for."
Faith is ready for a brand-new beginning. On Wednesday, she went to the "Notorious" premiere and watched the movie with her son, Christopher Wallace Jr. CJ plays his dad in the movie. Evans couldn't be more proud or surprised. She always knew the 11-year-old was talented but says he's the most shy of all her kids. On Thursday, CJ and his grandmother even rang the opening NASDAQ bell.
"He didn't want to get up that early, but I'm like, 'Uh-uh, baby, you go to work. You want fame? Fame costs,' " she laughed.
Although CJ is getting great reviews in the movie and appears on the film's soundtrack, rapping alongside his dad on a remix of "One More Chance," Evans said she's not sure if he'll pursue entertainment at such a young age.
"If it wasn't for this project being the project it was, I wouldn't have pulled him out of school," she said. "He thinks he's interested [in being a performer], then every time he remembers that tutor he had on set, he goes back to reality. He's like, 'I don't know.' It's fun, but it's still work."
Faith, CJ and the rest of their family are living in California. Although the Grammy winner has been out of the spotlight, concentrating on raising her kids for the past few years, she's ready to get back to her career. The New Jersey native is planning to record an album this year and is shopping around a sitcom that she would star in.
MTV News has even more B.I.G. things on the horizon surrounding "Notorious" — stay tuned for more in the coming days!
‘Dark Knight’ sweeps People’s Choice Awards
(AP)
Del Toro admires ‘Che’ thinking, but not violence
(AP)
‘Notorious’ Actress Angela Bassett Says Biggie’s Mom Is ‘Fascinating’
