The Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace estate denies claims in the docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning that his 1997 funeral was billed to the late rapper’s estate rather than paid for by Bad Boy Records.
Estate manager Wayne Barrow told Breakfast Club co-host Loren LoRosa that the funeral, including all associated costs and royalties, was handled correctly and was not passed on to the estate.
He called the docuseries’ portrayal “inaccurate” and insisted the financials were settled in full by Diddy and his team.
Barrow further denied claims in the documentary about tensions over contract renegotiations before Biggie’s death. He said the rapper had already repaid the record label and had turned a profit. His contract at the time was sound and needed no negotiation.
In the docuseries, Bad Boy Records co-founder Kirk Burrowes alleged that Diddy initially promised “the biggest funeral for Biggie that New York has ever seen.” He said that when the costs became clear, Combs decided the estate would bear the expense.
Biggie was only 24 when he was killed in a hit-and-run in March 1997 after the Soul Train Awards. At the time of the death, he was regarded as one of the best rappers of all-time.
Netflix and the series’ producers have not responded publicly to Barrow’s denial. The inclusion of the allegation is only one attempt in Sean Combs: The Reckoning to trace alleged patterns of exploitation and manipulation by the shamed music mogul, who is currently in prison.
Combs’s team has claimed to documentary is filled with lies and illegally-obtained behind-the-scenes footage. His legal team has sent a cease-and-desist letter in hopes to get the documentary removed from Netflix.
The streaming platform rejects claims that the intellectual property is stolen and stands behind the doc.
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