Shameik Moore was a toddler in Atlanta when The Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in 1997, but that hasn’t stopped the multi-hyphenate entertainer from being influenced by the late Brooklynite, personally and professionally.
In part of an exclusive interview with HipHopDX about his return as the voice of Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Moore shared his affinity for Biggie, whose song “Hypnotize” was featured prominently in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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“When was I introduced to him? I’m not even completely sure,” he said. “But I know I started embracing Biggie when I started boxing. When I box, I just throw on the greatest hits from Biggie and his music is on rotation in my mind. So when those songs come on, I get in a natural flow state when I’m in the ring. It’s good.
“I think Biggie was probably the illest MC ever, but I could be wrong. There’s still André 3000, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, JAY-Z etc. But I like the storytelling aspect of it as an actor and writer. I just like the pictures that he paints.”
When asked which Biggie song is at the top of his pugilism playlist, Shameik revealed that “Warning,” from his 1994 debut Ready to Die, puts a proverbial battery in his back.
“When I’m boxing, you can’t tell me nothin.’ I’m eatin’ food,” he said as he recited the lyrics. “When I’m gettin ready and [playing] any bad boy character, you put on Biggie or Raekwon. I’m takin’ food off your plate. There’s nothin’ you can tell me.”
Shameik starred as The Chef Raekwon in three seasons of Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, which just concluded, and said that he is “thankful for the opportunity and excited for the next role.”
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Given that Spider-Man was name-dropped on the Wu’s first single, “Protect Ya Neck,” it feels like Moore’s path has been preordained. Does he think that Raekwon and Miles Morales have anything in common?
“It’s about family and standing for something,” he answered matter-of-factly. “That’s what I think they have in common: the heart.”
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Check back for HipHopDX’s full conversation with Shameik Moore about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, his music career and more.
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