The drama surrounding the tragic 1997 murder of The Notorious B.I.G. is back, and Sean "Diddy" Combs' former bodyguard is gunning for Stevie J. In a no-holds-barred interview with Art of Dialogue, bodyguard Gene Deal ripped Stevie J for "spinning" the truth about that fateful night and accused him of losing his credibility, even blaming drug use for his conduct.
The same Diddy protector was Deal, who reflected on times when Stevie J was "like a little nephew." The two had a history in New York, and according to Deal, he had personally assured Stevie J's safety before. But their friendship, which had grown close over the years, soured after they played down their relationship in a video interview and accused Deal of overstating his position in music.
"I don't know when he became a gangster," Deal quipped in the interview, jabbing Stevie J's recent tough-guy persona. "Stevie J had better sit his little ass down."
The Deal didn't appreciate Stevie J's sudden change in tone, telling the host that he was accused of inventing narratives and rewriting history, especially when it came to his alleged closeness to the murder of Biggie.
A focal point of dissent between the two concerns the night of March 9, 1997, when The Notorious B.I.G. was fatally shot in Los Angeles. The Deal drew attention to the fact that Stevie J was in the car directly behind Biggie's SUV at the time of the drive-by shooting. That fact alone, Deal suggested, should have compelled him to be more forthcoming about the truth rather than adding to decades' worth of speculation with dubious assertions.
Biggie's murder has long been surrounded by mystery and conspiracy theories, with varying accounts of what transpired that night. Stevie J's new take on the situation seems to hit Deal's nerves, as he wasted no time calling him out.
Deal suggested that substance abuse may have affected Stevie J's account of events. Although he didn't go into particulars, Deal implied that Stevie J's supposed addiction clouds his judgment and credibility, making it hard to take whatever he says about Biggie's murder or any aspect of their shared history at face value.
Whether Deal's claims have any merit is still to be seen. The murder of The Notorious B.I.G. remains an open wound in the hip-hop community, and the tensions surrounding the truth that night run deep decades later. And with Stevie J now getting dragged into the ongoing debate, it's clear this is one story that is not going to fade into the background anytime soon.
0 Comments