Kareem “Biggs” Burke has always been known as the silent co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records. When JAY Z couldn’t find himself the right deal, he teamed up with young Uptown hustlers Damon Dash and Biggs to start their own brand in 1996.
READ: 20 Life Lessons From Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Album
The days of schleping from major label to major label came to a halt for the trio when they made the decision to invest in themselves. While Hov provided the music, Dame the aggressive business bravado — Biggs played the role of consigliere. In other words, he took care of the daily opereations, made sure the bills were paid and had the final word on crucial moves within the burgeoning company.
READ: Kareem “Biggs” Burke Discusses 20-Year ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Anniversary On ‘Good Day’
He recently launched a flourishing denim brand, Fourth of November , and has been taking a Reasonable Doubt pop-up shop around the country in honor of its 20th anniversary. Hov’s debut album still stands the test of time as one of the greatest rap albums to come from New York City.
Watch Biggs reminisce on the recording of the album in part one of our interview.
Watch Biggs discuss the impact of The Roc./strong>