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Many of the most memorable cuts from the Notorious B.I.G.’s classic 1994 debut Ready to Die were laid down by multiplatinum producer Easy Mo Bee. But when filming began for the biographical movie Notorious
chronicling the life of the deceased rapper, Mo Bee was left out
altogether. rolling out recently caught up with Easy Mo to let him
clear his chest about the upcoming film and to reflect on the loss of
two of hip-hop’s greatest.-cw
You produced the bulk of Ready To Die. Where were you in the movie?
“I don’t know why, (but) mysteriously, the film was wrapped up without
me. I don’t really understand it. I [signed] my contract. I was even
paid. That’s kind of strange because I played a very integral part in
the beginning with Biggie. I haven’t even seen the film yet. I’m
wondering if there’s a character in the storyline for me in the film.
If he’s in the studio and you’re personifying him while you’re
recording ‘Ready to Die,’ ‘Warning,’ ‘The What,’ ‘Machine Gun Funk,’
‘Gimme the Loot,’ ‘Friend of Mine,’ then the producer is Easy Mo Bee
for that.”
Why do you think Bad Boy Records CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs failed to give you a reason for not including you?
“I have no idea, man. I’m wondering myself how do you leave out the
first guy. But the good thing is that a lot of people are concerned and
asking about it. That makes me feel better.”
Have you heard anything about the movie soundtrack?
“I heard that there’s going to be some Biggie songs previously
unreleased. I’ve been wondering if any of my joints are in there. We
did a couple of things that never saw the light of day.”
What’s your biggest concern about the movie?
“I just hope in the film they restore the character and his image and what he was like properly.”
Along with B.I.G., you worked with other legendary rappers including 2Pac. What was that like?
“2Pac stood out to me. It was a total realization. I felt that he was
special. He was a beast in the studio–a bundle of energy. He just
never, ever stopped. He had everybody on point. It all paid off because
he left a legacy and a volume of music. From what we understand,
there’s still 2Pac music coming out today that we haven’t even heard.”
Before 2Pac, most of the artists for whom you have produced were from New York. How did you adjust?
2Pac was from the West Coast, so I catered to him. Some of the samples
that I used came from a funk perspective. We would sample things like
Bootsy [Collins] and cater to his sound, but I flipped it and did it my
own way.
What were Tupac and Biggie recorded the song “Runnin’” in your studio together. What were they like together?
They were getting along. All of their people were with them in the
studio, and it was totally harmonious. Then I worked with them
separately. Back then when they were alive, you kind of take it for
granted that you are just working with them. But now, when I look back,
I [think] it was great.
