"I Want The Truth" - Diddy's Bodyguard On Rise To Fame, Fed Connection & Biggie's Murder | Ep. 448

Episode Overview

• This episode features an in-depth interview with Gene Deal, Diddy's former bodyguard, who provides an eyewitness account of the events surrounding the murder of The Notorious B.I.G.
• Deal details the specific warnings he gave to Diddy about a credible threat on their lives, which were ultimately dismissed, leading to the fatal shooting.
• The conversation explores Diddy's character, his alleged negligence, and his family history, including the claim that his father, Melvin Combs, was an informant.
• Beyond Biggie's murder, the interview touches on other tragic events, such as the 1991 City College stampede, and Deal's motivation for speaking out after decades.

Key Concepts

• Eyewitness Account of Biggie's Murder: Gene Deal's detailed recollection of the night The Notorious B.I.G. was killed, including the warnings he received and his direct attempts to inform Diddy.
• Diddy's Negligence and Dismissal: The central theme of Diddy ignoring multiple credible threats from different sources and dismissing Gene Deal's concerns right before the shooting.
• The "Setup" Allegation: The claim from DJ Clark Kent that Biggie was supposed to be in London and that the party at the Petersen Automotive Museum was specifically arranged for him by Diddy and D-Roc.
• Diddy's Family History: Discussion of Diddy's father, Melvin Combs, and the allegation from Harlem figure "New York Freddie" Myers that he was an informant who "snitched" on his crew.
• East Coast/West Coast Tensions: The various "beefs" that created a dangerous atmosphere, including issues with Suge Knight's affiliates, the Dogg Pound's tour bus, and general animosity after Tupac Shakur's death.
• The City College Tragedy: The lasting trauma Gene Deal experienced from the 1991 charity event where a stampede resulted in nine deaths, cited as an early example of Diddy ignoring warnings.
• Gene Deal's Motivations: Deal's consistent desire for Diddy to tell the truth and apologize for his role in creating the dangerous situation, rather than seeking revenge.
• Voletta Wallace's Mistrust: Deal's account of telling Biggie's mother the full story of her son's death and her subsequent and long-standing lack of trust in Diddy.

Quotes

• At 0:03 - "Yo Big, somebody going to try to come kill us tonight." - Gene Deal recounts a warning he gave to The Notorious B.I.G. on the night he was murdered.
• At 0:35 - "Puff don't listen." - Gene Deal makes a definitive statement about Diddy's character, suggesting he ignores warnings, which led to tragic consequences.
• At 0:37 - "I'm still having nightmares about those nine kids that died at City College." - Gene Deal expresses the lasting trauma he feels from the 1991 charity event tragedy.
• At 1:34 - "Stories about Diddy's father, Melvin Combs, being tied to working with Nicky Barnes..." - The host introduces the topic of Diddy's father's alleged connections to infamous Harlem drug kingpin Nicky Barnes.
• At 26:13 - "Pockets dead... and they said a Crip did it, and because we was rolling with Crips, they may have thought we had something to do with that." - Deal outlines one of the major tensions contributing to the "beef" between the East and West Coasts.
• At 27:41 - "Yo Puff, I got some intel, bro... that people going to come and try to kill us." - Deal recounts his direct attempt to warn Puff Daddy about the threat before they left for the party.
• At 27:59 - "He say, 'Gene, I don't want to hear that shit.'" - This was Puff Daddy's immediate and dismissive response to Deal's warning about a potential attack.
• At 28:09 - "He's like, 'Yo Gene, you ain't got to go if you don't want to go.'" - After Deal pressed the issue, Puff gave him the option to sit out, effectively ignoring the severity of the threat to the group.
• At 29:39 - "He told me that Big was supposed to be in London... He said D-Roc and Puff set this party up for me to go to." - Deal relays a conversation he had with DJ Clark Kent suggesting the party was a deliberate setup.
• At 56:33 - "I'm alluding that he created the atmosphere for Big to die in that situation." - Gene Deal explains that he holds Diddy responsible for creating the dangerous environment that led to Biggie's death.
• At 56:48 - "I'm still telling the same story the way I've been telling it ever since then." - Gene Deal responds to the idea that he has only recently increased pressure on Diddy, stating his story has been consistent for years.
• At 58:35 - "Big got killed. Wasn't meant for him, bro." - In an old video, Gene Deal claims that the fatal shooting that killed The Notorious B.I.G. was actually intended for Sean "Diddy" Combs.
• At 1:01:50 - "Puff's father ratted and snitched the crew out." - Gene Deal relays what he was told by Freddie Myers about Melvin Combs allegedly being an informant.
• At 1:03:01 - "I always just wanted him to apologize. I always wanted him to come out and tell the people the truth and say, 'Yo, Gene told me not to go nowhere that night.'" - Gene Deal states that his primary goal has always been for Diddy to take responsibility for his actions.
• At 1:06:40 - "I held her hand and I told her the whole story about her son and everything that went down." - Gene Deal describes a conversation he had with Biggie's mother, Voletta Wallace, where he explained the events of the night her son was killed.

Takeaways

• Ignoring credible warnings from trusted personnel in high-stakes environments can lead to catastrophic and irreversible consequences.
• True leadership involves prioritizing the safety and well-being of your team over personal ambition or social engagements.
• The consistency of a witness's testimony over many years can lend significant credibility to their claims, even against powerful figures.
• Unresolved conflicts and rivalries create a volatile atmosphere where a single spark can ignite a tragedy.
• The pursuit of truth and accountability can be a lifelong motivation for those who have witnessed profound injustice.
• A person's reputation and actions can be better understood by examining their family history and background.
• Trauma from witnessing violence and tragedy can have a lasting psychological impact that persists for decades.
• In the wake of a tragedy, direct and honest communication with the victim's family is a critical step towards closure and justice.
• Fame and success do not absolve individuals from accountability for negligence that leads to harm.