Hampton home where Notorious BIG filmed ‘Juicy’ video goes up for auction

Auctions in the Hamptons are as rare as this home, designed by the late Japanese sculptor Setsuo Ito as a living and working studio and residence.

Built in 1993 and recently renovated, the 12,000-square-foot complex topped by an exposed steel pyramid sits on one of the highest elevations in the East End, a few miles north of the Watermill.

It will be up for auction from January 24 to 30 with a reserve price of $2.95 million, much less than its last request of $7.99 million.

The six bedroom house is located on 9 acres, there is a place to build. It is being sold at auction along with an additional 6 acres. The current owner also bought it at auction, spent more than $1 million on renovations, purchased adjacent lots and is now selling them at 984 and 984a Noyac Path, Sotheby’s listing broker Angela Boyer-Stump said.

A 3.2km private driveway through a white pine forest overlooking the 300-acre nature reserve leads to the home, which boasts an oddly shaped pool, a 32-foot pyramid and a terrace.

The home has a foyer, living room, gallery, dining atrium, and chef’s kitchen with white glass floors, custom cabinetry and an open gas fireplace. There is also a gym and media room. In 1994, it was here that the late rapper Notorious B.I.G filmed the music video for his hit “Juicy”. But, despite its fame in the style of hip-hop, in recent years it has been appearing and disappearing from the market without finding a buyer.

In a 1994 New York Times interview, Ito said that he once climbed to the top of a hill to watch the sunset, and he liked the place so much – it was also perfect for watching the moon rise – that he bought 1.5 acres of land, to build your dream home. This was back in 1984.

The artist named the house Camp Benno after his pet collie, who reportedly died two days before construction began. “We need a home for shelter and comfort,” he told the Times. “But I come to the Hamptons to enjoy the countryside. So I built a house that will push you back out.”

The building took 10 years to complete as the Southampton planning board constantly rejected his plans, so he spent the first few years camping on the hill. “The final design was a combination of aesthetic and political considerations,” he told the Times. “The pyramid, pool, and master bedroom are perfect 40-foot-by-40-foot squares aligned north-south.”

Regarding the pyramid, he added: “Structurally, it is the strongest form. That’s why it belongs to the top of the hill. But when you plant a pyramid, I’m not interested. It’s becoming a cliché. So I left it open.”