Fat Joe recalled being in the studio as The Notorious B.I.G. recorded his hit "Hypnotize," describing it as the moment he understood the scale of Biggie’s fame. “Groups of 20 women kept coming in and out,” Joe said. “That’s when I realized, this is what it’s like when you’re number one, two, and three.”
During the session, Faith Evans called in, and Biggie put her on speaker. When she teased him about being surrounded by “ugly” women, he quickly replied, “Why they got to be ugly? They could be models.” For Joe, the exchange proved that success hadn’t changed who Biggie was.
Joe also credited Diddy with steering Biggie toward R&B-driven records like Juicy and Hypnotize. While Big was hesitant at first, the pairing reshaped hip-hop and showcased his versatility as both a battle rapper and chart-topping artist.
Looking back, Fat Joe said the experience taught him not to assume fame changes people. “Biggie stayed the same,” he explained. “Real success only amplified who he already was.”
Source: Joe & Jada
