It has been said that the “greatest of all times” died on March 9th. This marks the 10th anniversary of the Notorious B.I.G.’s passing. His murder, which is still unsolved, hits hard in both the hip-hop community and the world over. The Brooklyn MC who captured the hearts of millions had his own aspirations in the world. He wanted to buy a pair of diamond earrings for his baby girl.

Die-hard fans would know the girl, but not necessarily the name… In 1994, at the end of the Juicy, Frank White shows his tender side for his daughter, T’yanna. The daughter of the legend was three years old when her father was murdered by unknown assailants.

Now, a teenager at thirteen, T’yanna sits down exclusively with HHDX as she talks about her father’s legacy, how she plans to cultivate her own and has a very special message for the Notorious One. Long live Big Poppa…

HHDX: Thank you both for taking the time out to speak with us.
T’yanna: No problem. Thank you for having me.

HHDX: Your father meant so much to so many people. How has his life, aside from the music affected your life?
T’yanna: Well, I wouldn’t necessarily say that it has changed my life in any drastic way. I do know that I have received more attention from it. People come up to me and tell me nice things. They talk about how much my dad influenced their life. People tell me that I’m the daughter of a legend. So, hearing that is really good. I really appreciate the support that people still have for my father.

HHDX: There was a lot that hip-hop pulled from B.I.G. before and after his passing, but not too many people got to see the personal side of Frank White. So, for those who were the die-hard fans – what is something that no one would know about him?
T’yanna: I would have to say that for anyone who thinks that he’s all what he says in his lyrics… that he’s all rough, tough and hard, you’d be surprised. He was a sensitive guy. He was always in a happy mood around us. He loved everyone that he was close to. I know that in documentaries or specials, you’d see that he was a funny man. You could always hear him telling a joke… all the time.

HHDX: On the 10th anniversary of his passing, how has his legacy, with his fans, register in your life?
T’yanna: For me… it’s great! It’s great to know that these people support him so much. I don’t think that I would’ve even got this much attention if it weren’t for who he was. People always comment, saying how great my dad was. People would come up and say, “Happy Anniversary,” on the day of his passing. Continued on page 2 »