The battle between Death Row and Bad Boy Records wasn't long, but it was intense. Rather than staying on wax, the beef came off the records and into the streets, resulting in a deadly macho dust-up between hip hop's biggest — and youngest — stars. The rivalry also touched the life of R&B up-and-comer Faith Evans, who was married to Biggie at the time and found herself in the middle of the war between East and West.  To explore this, we spoke with Naima Cochrane, a music and culture journalist and former industry executive who’s worked behind the scenes shaping the careers of Beyonce, John Legend, Juicy J and other major acts.  We break down the gangsta rap era and discuss what happened after Tupac and Biggie were tragically removed from the scene. Plus, we're getting more context on Faith Evans’ role in the battle and how the trials of the women in the 90s blazed a trail for the hip hop queens of today. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1931, the massive Hoover Dam project brings thousands of workers to Nevada. They have paychecks and nowhere to spend them. The state legalizes gambling, setting a small, dusty town called Las Vegas on its way to becoming an unsurpassed phenomenon. The mob realizes there are untold riches to be made in gaming, and by the late 1940s, gangsters Meyer Lansky and Benjamin Siegel are opening casinos on the fledgling Strip. For the mob, the situation is a dream come true. Gambling is legal, prostitution is ignored, and local politicians are either for sale or agreeable. And best of all, there’s virtually no competition. But that won’t last. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.