My man C-Hyphen’s story yesterday (Wednesday) about the key witness in the Notorious B.I.G. case recanting his story got me to thinking. The fact that he now “admits” he was lying about what his cell mate, Rafeal Perez, told him in confidence regarding his role in the B.I.G. murder goes right to the root of street code of silence.

Obviously we know at this point that he was murdered by Perez, a former dirty LAPD cop who is serving time on an unrelated violent crime and David Mack, a close friend of Marion “Suge” Knight killed Biggie but this case has become, at least to me, more than B.I.G.

I’m torn because on one hand I can understand how “the snitch,” Waymond Anderson has decided not to testify whether he feels compelled by street code, was paid off or threatened we don’t know.  But on the other hand one of Hip Hop’s most important icons is dead and there is no justice for his family because of what the street’s code of silence. 

Again, Anderson is just one of many who knows what happened but is either scared or doesn’t want to be labeled as a snitch. It’s almost like after B.I.G.’s death the music started to change. It was less real and more about fiction, poppy and more innocent. Is this because the rap game was too risky? Did Suge’s taking literal offense to a rap beef scare talented emcees away from that genre of rap? Now a-days we see punk rappers get into these little quarrels but its all to sell records or to show off the two ounces of testosterone in their bodies but the B.I.G. ish was real. He made you feel him…and made you feel like you were on the streets hustling with him on Fulton and St. James.

I can’t call it so I need your help. What is your take on this snitchin/ code of silence. I’ve seen a lot of crying mothers and misguided youth who are lost without parents. But on the other side can we trust the authorities? I mean it was LAPD who was responsible for his death after all. Thoughts?