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Faith Evans on Biggie, Lil’ Kim, & her new album

Larry King NowMay 22 '17

Grammy Award-winner Faith Evans discusses breathing new life into her late husband The Notorious B.I.G.’s music on their duets album, what it was like to finally collaborate with Lil’ Kim, and sensing Biggie’s presence in the recording studio.

Larry King interviews Faith Evans, a multi-platinum selling, multi Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer. Evans is also a ‘New York Times’ bestselling author and entrepreneur who has sold more than 18 million albums worldwide. She recently released a duet album, ‘The King & I,’ with her late husband the Notorious B.I.G. Larry asks about the album title, and Evans says that many people considered Biggie to be the king of the rap game, and she is just adding to his greatness. Though Biggie was killed 20 years ago, Evans was recently reminded by an attorney about making a tribute album, and says there are some unheard B.I.G. vocals on her album, as well as new arrangements of old vocals.

Larry asks Evans about some details of Biggie’s life. Born Christopher Wallace, Evans says he recorded under the Notorious B.I.G. because another artist had already recorded under Biggie’s real name. Evans married Biggie a few months after they met, though the legend has the time period as 8 days. She recounts meeting him at a photoshoot for Puff’s new artist, and how they bonded over their sense of humor. Larry asks about Evans duet with Lil’ Kim, and Evans talks about how they were on the Bad Boy Reunion Tour together. During the tour, Evans asked Lil’ Kim to collaborate together on the record, and she wanted Lil’ Kim to express how she felt about Biggie. Larry asks why the Notorious B.I.G. is still relevant even after his death, and Evans says that his greatness speaks for itself. She reminisces about being in New York on the anniversary of his murder, and how she felt that people who heard his music love him as much as the people who knew him personally.

Larry asks if it’s true that Evans felt Biggie’s presence at one point while recording. While Evans says she is spiritually connected, she is not superstitious or into the supernatural. However, she describes an incident when she was finishing recording and felt a tap on her shoulder that inspired her to individually thank everyone who worked on the album. She believed the presence was Biggie, and had to pull herself together. Evans’ son with Biggie, C.J., is also into music, and Evans originally wanted him to be featured on a song. Larry inquiries about the drive-by shooting that killed Biggie and asks if Evans thinks it was purposeful. Evans says the family believes it was purposeful and ran their own investigation at one point, but ultimately the case is in the hands of the legal authorities.

Bringing it back to her music, Larry asks Evans how she incorporates various musical styles into her songs. She talks about growing up as a church singer, a jazz singer, and listening to pop records. Evans is happy that hip hop is still popular, though she would appreciate more musicality in it. Larry asks if she worries about streaming, but Evans says she doesn’t think much about it, and that she can’t singlehandedly change it.

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