If you’re wondering whether or not the Netflix documentary revealed anything regarding the notorious B.I.G, you’ve come to the right place.
The creatives behind the documentary series sat down to discuss the stories about Biggie – stuff that even his close circle wasn’t aware of. They promised that the documentary series touches upon the criticism and his text messages with Jay Z. So, naturally, we all got hyped up and decided to watch it with full attention.
But earlier this month, ‘I Got a Story to Tell’ was released on Netflix. And to our disappointment, the documentary revealed nothing that we didn’t already know. The documentary is actually about everything that went behind the scenes – what truly made him the star that he was. His friend Damion, “D-Roc” Butler was seen taking us through some personal footage and giving us a glimpse into his life. He was being vulnerable, showing us what he’s like when he’s with his inner circle.
Director Emmett Malloy deep-dives into his life, introducing us to his friends and taking us around the places he went to. He showed us how he became Christopher Wallace. You can see his visits to his mother who lives in Jamaica – you also see a sight of his uncle and grandmother who were jazz musicians.
Instead of telling us about his murder, we get to see how a star was born. We see how he was in his childhood, the neighborhood he grew up in and the places he’s been to. It’s a story of reminiscence instead of murder and plotting. This is exactly where the makers went wrong – they literally tricked us and played with our sentiments.
Look, it’s not like we’re not interested in knowing him or what he was like behind the scenes. But the documentary was sold as a murder mystery and it ended up becoming a tale of his stardom and how he achieved it all.
Of course, there was a small section at the end that discusses his murder, but that wasn’t what the documentary was about. The makers discussed the people who played a key role in his life. Hence, you could see Jay Z, who was a fellow rapper from Brooklyn.
Questions have been raised regarding this documentary, and most of them are about his death and books. In fact, there was a point where people discussed not just his death but also compared it to 2Pac’s death. But that’s not what the makers of the documentary have done here – they’ve tried to sell a story of a superstar who was, and still is, loved by fans worldwide.
All the books and movies written about him have found a connection with the audience, as they’ve been about his music. But it’s tragic that we lost such an incredible performer so soon, and yet so little is discussed about his death. Of course, it’s important to find the right synergies to tell this particular story, but this was a lost opportunity.
But another way to look at this documentary is this: What if they were trying to tell us the story of an innocent Christopher Wallace and how he became notorious as an MC? These are important stories to tell. But maybe it could’ve been better if the makers had marketed it accordingly.
The most anticipated part of this research is when Damion Butler comes into the picture – he’s the friend who didn’t speak about him for 24 years. Of course, he has stories to tell and things to unravel.
One thing is for sure – Netflix’s notorious B.I.G documentary will be an emotional rollercoaster. There are people who grew up listening to the songs and, for them, this will be a huge revelation. It’s incredible to see how much this 24-year-old has impacted the world with his craft.
Thus, if you bought the marketing, you need to dump those expectations. But if you’re going in without any expectations, you’ll be surprised.
The bottom line is to manage expectations and like our page on Facebook, as we bring to you movie reviews and behind the scene reels.
Do tell us your thoughts after watching ‘I Got a Story to Tell’ the inside story of this 24-year-old.