Diddy Defends Notorious B.I.G./Rick Ross Comparisons, "I Also Said He Was The Biggie Of The South"

While Bad Boy Records' CEO Diddy has once again refrained from the officially labeling Miami rapper Rick Ross as the new version of his late artist Notorious B.I.G., he isn't hesitant to note the vast similarities between the two heavyweights. 

 

Puffy steadily declares that there will only be on B.I.G., but he does acknowledge that Biggie and Ricky Rozay shares a few of the same forceful features.

"I said on the 'Angels' verse, I think he channeled Biggie at night. A lot of emcees, they channel Biggie in some of their verses. You hear the influence. When you channel the influence, that doesn't mean they're comparing someone to them. I think I also said that he was the Biggie of the South, because I was there. I knew the effect that Biggie was having on New York and the world. I saw the effect that [Ross] was having on the South." (Radio Planet TV)

A couple years ago, Puff Daddy reminded fans B.I.G. is irreplaceable.

"Check this out, there can only be one motherf*cking B.I.G.," Diddy told a crowd of fans. "Nobody can ever be compared to B.I.G. He's a one of motherf*cking one. You think I'm f*cking crazy and gonna compare somebody to B.I.G. This is my motherf*cking n*gga Rozay. He's a one of one. His name is Ricky Rozay. I'm from New York, he's from Miami and we're coming here to take over the motherf*cking game." (Real Talk NY)

In early 2010, Ross accepted Diddy's comparison to Bad Boy's biggest icon.

"Yeah, that's big," Ross told DJ Envy referring to the co-sign. "That's most definitely big, but I want New York City, I'll never get it twisted, the magic that Notorious B.I.G. created could never be duplicated. That most definitely was my mentor, that's who music I wrote to the most. Hearing that come from Diddy himself is big and it's inspiration to keep making hot music." (Power 105.1)

Earlier the same month, Diddy described how Ross' rap delivery reminded him of Biggie.

"Oh y'all ain't hear the second verse," Diddy said about Ross' 'Angels' collaboration. "Yo, y'all gonna peep that when we world premiere that. I don't know, I guess him and Biggie locked up in the room, even my man Hen Roc even said that. For my man Hen Roc to say that and co-sign it like 'Yo, my man right there sounding like our homie.' That right there is something special. That's a mean co-sign, that's a mean co-sign. I don't know what was going on in the studio, the spirits were connecting but it's official. It ain't bootleg, it ain't got no preservatives in it." (Spliff TV)