LL Cool J reveals the truth about Biggie Smalls’ track ‘Who Shot Ya’
The 1990s was an explosive decade for hip-hop in good and bad ways, and the scope of what was on offer was arguably the widest it has ever been. Whether you were a fan of conscious, soulful rap or the heavier gangster variety, the mainstream catered to all acts, and some of the culture’s biggest legends came to the forefront during that era.
The West Coast was seeing a wave of exceptional music spearheaded by the likes of Dr Dre, Nate Dogg, and Daz Dillinger, while on the East Coast, multiple movements were arising. From The Roots to The Wu-Tang Clan, the sonics of rap were diverse, to say the least.
Still, when people think back to the 1990s now, the focal point is usually the East Coast versus West Cast feud and the subsequent deaths of 2Pac and Biggie Smalls. However, the misguided beef actually derailed a friendship, and LL Cool J was witness to one of the songs that sparked the animosity.
Before the infamous shooting in the lobby of Quad Studios, 2Pac and Biggie Smalls had been extremely close friends. With albums such as 2Pacalypse Now and Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.S already to his name, if anything, 2Pac became a mentor to Biggie, but their friendship turned sour fast.
However, although the failed shooting and robbery is cited by many as the beginning of the feud between the two MCs and their labels, Bad Boy and Death Row, one track that intensified 2Pac’s anger was the now-legendary single ‘Who Shot Ya?’ At the time, many perceived it as a diss track aimed directly at the ‘Dear Mama’ rhymer, and its lyrics lend themselves to this theory.
With lines such as “It’s on nigga, fuck all that bickering beef / I can hear sweat trickling down your cheek” and “Recognize my face (uh), so there won’t be no mistake / So you know where to tell Jake, lame n*gga” it’s not hard to see why it was seen as a direct message.
But during an interview with Sway Calloway on Sway In The Morning, LL Cool J opened up about a claim made by screenwriter and journalist Bonsu Thompson, who produced the episode of the Iconic Records series looking into the life of Biggie Smalls.
During an interview, Thomson claimed LL was in the studio when Biggie Smalls wrote ‘Who Shot Ya’ and the Radio creator confirmed this. Elaborating on this, he stated, “I was in the studio when Biggie wrote ‘Who Shot Ya’. Literally, I was in the studio when he made the song. I was sitting with Biggie when he wrote it.”
He continued, “Big was my man. I did the ‘Flava in Ya Ear’ remix. I used to see him at The Tunnel [Club], and nah, he wasn’t taking a shot at 2Pac! He was doing what rappers do! He was just saying whoever wants it can get it. That comes with the territory, at least at that time. Back then, it was about lyrical prowess and your confidence. That [2Pac] theory is 100% false.”