After receiving backlash from Hip Hop purists and local residents, landlord Samuel Berkowitz has decided to keep the two-story Biggie mural painted on the side of a building on Bedford Avenue and Quincy Street in Brooklyn. One of the artists responsible for the giant tribute, Naoufal “Rocko” Alaoui, spoke to Berkowitz, who admitted he didn’t realize how much Biggie meant to the New York City borough.
“To be honest, he just didn’t know how important Biggie is to Brooklyn,” Alaoui said.
After the initial story broke, supporters wrote petitions calling for it to be landmarked. Both artists who created the mural, Alaoui and Scott “Zimer” Zimmerman, were inundated with phone calls from people who wanted to help. The Brooklyn Nets also offered their love and support on Sunday (May 21), Biggie’s 45th birthday. Evidently, it worked.
Check out the post below.