Faith Evans Feels She Was Tricked into Doing Lifetime Series on Her Relationship With Biggie
When Lifetime decides to tackle a true story on camera, interest is piqued at the mere mention of the subject matter. The network is often considered the purveyor of guilty pleasures in terms of programming, and their biopics can be hit or miss depending on the casting and the reactions of fans. Audiences are protective and picky about their favorite stars and want to see things done right when it comes to movies or TV series.
One of Lifetime’s latest projects is a docuseries about celebrity relationships which puts a spotlight on Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Anna Nicole Smith, and celebrated rapper Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie). In the case of deceased rapper B.I.G., his former wife Faith Evans is not happy with the direction Lifetime took things.
What is Lifetime’s docu-series about?
Titled “Hopelessly in Love” the series is being promoted as an authorized look into the private relationships of three celebrities. The announcement was released by A&E Networks (Lifetime’s parent company) in December 2019 and describes each episode as a two-hour film about romances lived in the limelight.
The description for the story about R&B singer Faith and Biggie reads:
“Following the intense marriage between Faith Evans and the Notorious B.I.G., two of the biggest stars in R&B and hip hop, this is the story about young love and the pressures and consequences of fame for the couple and the culture at large. Twenty years after the iconic rapper’s murder, Faith Evans is ready to confront her pain and revisit the most intimate moments of their relationship…from their whirlwind engagement, to the East coast/West coast rivalry that led to Tupac and Big’s deaths, and the roles other in the scene, like Lil’ Kim, may have played in their tumultuous love story.”
The trailer for the episode—which is set to air on Jan. 10—shows new footage of Evans being interviewed interspersed with a clip of one of Biggie’s alleged mistresses, rapper Charli Baltimore. The discussion seems to center around turmoil in the marriage, but Evans is not here for it.
Why Faith Evans has an issue with the Lifetime episode
In a statement made to Page Six, Evans expressed her dissatisfaction with the outcome of the piece and how it’s being promoted. She feels that Lifetime produced a drama-filled story that does not have a positive spin and instead focused on rehashed old news.
Further, she stated that she was pitched an entirely different angle than what’s being shown:
“I feel upset that I’m attached to it. I was told that it would be a positive piece with a little more of my personal background. It wasn’t pitched to me as a story rehashing the sensationalized events that took place. I am beyond that and have no need to open old wounds, damage repaired relationships and, above all, soil the legacy of Christopher Wallace a k a the Notorious B.I.G.”
She went on to add that everyone involved has all moved on and she thought Lifetime was interested in her and Biggie’s love story. Evans reiterated that she’s not happy with the project.
B.I.G.’s mother is not on board with it either
According to Evans, Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace, is not ok with the Lifetime program either. She and others in the rapper’s circle feel that the nature of the docuseries’ episode is a blight on his legacy.
“Ms. Wallace is pissed. Everyone was blindsided. She has worked very hard for his legacy to be acknowledged in a more positive light. He’s nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This is taking steps backward.”
Evans vowed that she won’t be promoting the episode and added that it goes against her morals and how she does business.
