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The Notorious B.I.G.

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The Notorious B.I.G.
Wallace wearing a red jacket
Wallace in 1997
Born
Christopher George Latore Wallace

(1972-05-21)May 21, 1972
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
DiedMarch 9, 1997(1997-03-09) (aged 24)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of deathDrive-by homicide (gunshot wound)
Other names
  • Biggie Smalls
  • Biggie
  • Big
  • Frank White
  • Big Poppa
  • MC CWest
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1992–1997
Spouse
​
(m. 1994)​
Children2, including C. J.
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
Labels
Signature

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), known by the stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls,[1] and Biggie,[2] was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was usually semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Wallace was the first artist to sign with Sean "Puffy" Combs's Bad Boy Records in 1993. That same year, he gained recognition for his guest appearances on other artists' singles. His debut studio album, Ready to Die (1994), received widespread critical acclaim and included signature tracks "Juicy" and "Big Poppa". This album made him the central figure in East Coast hip-hop, helping to restore New York's prominence at a time when the West Coast was dominating the genre. In 1995, Wallace was named Rapper of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. That same year, Wallace and his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A.—which included longtime friends like Lil' Kim—released their debut album, Conspiracy (1995).

While working on his second album in 1996, he became embroiled in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip-hop feud. After Tupac Shakur was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996, rumors circulated suggesting that criminal elements connected to the Bad Boy camp might have been involved, given Wallace's public feud with Shakur. On March 9, 1997, six months after Shakur's death, Wallace was also killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles by an unknown assailant. Two weeks later, his second album, Life After Death (1997), was issued as a posthumous double album; it debuted atop the Billboard 200, yielded two Billboard Hot 100-number one singles: "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems" (featuring Puff Daddy and Mase), and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

With two posthumous albums released, Wallace's certified U.S. sales exceed 28 million copies, including 21 million albums. Rolling Stone called him the "greatest rapper that ever lived" in 2012,[3] and, in 2015, Billboard named him the greatest rapper of all time.[4] The Source magazine named him the greatest rapper of all time in its 150th issue. In 2006, MTV ranked him at No. 3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, calling him possibly "the most skillful ever on the mic".[5] In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Life and career

1972–1991: Early life

Christopher George Latore Wallace[6] was born at the Cumberland Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on May 21, 1972.[7] Wallace was the only child of Jamaican immigrant parents;[8][9] his mother, Voletta Wallace, was a preschool teacher,[10][11] while his father, Selwyn George Latore, was a welder and politician.[12][13] At the age of five, he was attending preschool at Quincy-Lexington Open Door Day Care Center, where he was already bigger than most of the other children.[14] Three months before Wallace's third birthday, his father left the family, leaving his mother to raise him while working two jobs.[15] Wallace grew up in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill,[16] near the border of Bedford-Stuyvesant.[17] As a child, Wallace spent most of his time in Fulton Avenue, where he was introduced to drug dealing, alcoholism, and gambling.[18] Raised as a Jehovah's Witness,[19] Wallace attended St. Peter Claver Church in Brooklyn, graduating from the college in 1982.[20] He excelled in English at Queen of All Saints Middle School.[21] He attended Westinghouse High School, a public school attended by several future celebrities, including Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes.[22][23]

Picture of a Stevie Wonder with dreadlocks smiling
Picture of Marvin Gaye wearing a white hat with a slight smile
Growing up, Wallace listened to Black artists like Stevie Wonder (left) and Marvin Gaye (right).

While attending Westinghouse High School, Wallace weighed 91 kilograms (201 lb),[22] which earned him the nickname "Big".[24] During this period, his interest in drug dealing intensified, being influenced by the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s.[25] A friend introduced him to buying and selling marijuana when he was around the age of twelve. Having grown up in a strict household, Wallace concealed the money he earned on the roof of his apartment.[25][26] His mother had no idea about this; she only discovered it when he was twenty years old.[26] Despite being an honor student, Wallace dropped out of school at the age of sixteen due to his growing interest in drug dealing.[27] In 1989, he was arrested in Brooklyn on weapons charges and sentenced to five years of probation. The following year, he was arrested for violating that probation.[28][29] A year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine and spent nine months in jail before making bail.[26]

Early in his life, Wallace was influenced by Black artists like the Dramatics, Blue Magic, Teddy Pendergrass, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. He was also well acquainted with the performances of Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, and Chic. During visits to Jamaica he was influenced by its prominent native genres, including jazz, reggae, soul, and mento.[30] As Wallace entered adolescence, he started listening to artists like Run-DMC and LL Cool J.[31] Wallace adopted with the stage name CWest and formed the Techniques with his two friends Michael Bynum and Hubert Sams. Wallace met Donald Harrison, a saxophonist from New Orleans, and the Techniques worked on their first songs together at Harrison's home studio.[32] As the trio grew older, their interests shifted; Sams became focused on high school football, while Bynum lost interest in the music industry.[33] Wallace adopted his second stage name, Biggie Smalls, from Calvin Lockhart's character in the 1975 film Let's Do It Again.[34]

1991–1994: Early career and first child

After his release from jail, Wallace produced his first demo tape in 1991 called Microphone Murderer with a disc jockey named 50 Grand.[35][36] Although Wallace reportedly had little ambition for the tape, local disc jockey Mister Cee, known for his work with Big Daddy Kane and the Juice Crew, discovered and promoted it.[37] Mister Cee sent the tape to Matteo Capoluongo, an editor at The Source magazine, who featured the track in the "Unsigned Hype" section in March 1992, a chart dedicated to showcasing promising rappers.[38][39] That year, Wallace started gaining exposure; after reading the "Unsigned Hype" section, Sean "Puffy" Combs arranged to meet him.[40][41] Combs connected Wallace to rhyme on the remix of Mary J. Blige's hit "Real Love".[42]

In 1992, Wallace's girlfriend, Jan Jackson,[43] became pregnant, and he was signed to Uptown Records in March by Combs.[44][45] Wallace's first chance to record a solo track for Uptown Records, rather than featuring on another artist's remix, came in 1993 when Combs was creating a song for the soundtrack of the hip-hop comedy Who's the Man?. The song was "Party and Bullshit", produced by the Brooklyn-based Easy Mo Bee.[46] The song was heavily inspired by "When the Revolution Comes" by the Last Poets, which uses sarcasm, frustration, and humor to critique young Black people's lack of seriousness in the struggle for equality. In the track, vocalist Umar Bin Hassan delivers lines like "niggas will party and bullshit, and party and bullshit".[47] Development on Wallace's first album began at Capoluongo's apartment in late 1992.[48] Wallace appeared on Heavy D & the Boyz's 1992 album Blue Funk, on the track "A Buncha Niggas".[49]

In July 1993—a month before Wallace's first child was born—Combs was fired from Uptown Records by his mentor Andre Harrell, resulting in the loss of access to the songs recorded at that time. Jan gave birth to T'yanna Dream Wallace on August 8, 1993.[50][51] Wallace promised his daughter "everything she wanted," believing that if he had experienced the same support in his own childhood, he would have graduated at the top of his class.[52] Soon after he was fired, Combs started his own record, Bad Boy Records, and took Wallace with him.[53] Combs discovered that Wallace continued dealing drugs and insisted he stop. When Wallace found out the name Biggie Smalls was already taken, he adopted a new moniker, settling on the Notorious B.I.G.[54] Wallace explained that the acronym "B.I.G." stood for "Business Instead of Game".[55] Combs and Clive Davis, then CEO of Arista Records, reached an agreement in which Davis provided Combs with a $1.5 million advance and full creative control. Combs promptly used the money to repurchase the tracks recorded for Wallace's album from Harrell.[48]

The "Real Love" remix single was followed by a remix of a Mary J. Blige song, "What's the 411?".[56] Wallace's success continued, though to a lesser extent, with remixes of Neneh Cherry's "Buddy X" and reggae artist Super Cat's "Dolly My Baby" in 1993.[57] In July 1994, Wallace appeared alongside LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes on a remix of Craig Mack's track "Flava in Ya Ear", which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.[58] "Flava in Ya Ear" reached No. 1 on the rap chart for three consecutive weeks.[59]

1994: Ready to Die, marriage, and Junior M.A.F.I.A.

Faith Evans wearing a fluffy black hat and jumper staring directly into the camera
Faith Evans (pictured in 1998), whom Wallace married in 1994

On August 4, 1994, Wallace married R&B singer Faith Evans,[59][60] whom he first met in June of that year at a promotional photoshoot.[61] Wallace and Mo Bee originally wanted "Machine Gun Funk" as the upcoming album's first single due to its "funky, upbeat" sound, but Combs preferred a "smoother" sound for the release.[62] The upcoming album's first song to be released was the title track, "Ready to Die", followed by "Gimme the Loot", "Things Done Changed", "Machine Gun Funk", and "Warning".[63][64] Five days after his marriage, Wallace had his first pop chart success as a solo artist with double A-side, "Juicy / Unbelievable",[65][66] which reached No. 27 as the lead single to his debut album.[67]

Recorded at the Hit Factory between 1993 and 1994, Wallace released his debut studio album, Ready to Die, on September 13, 1994.[68] Inspired by Snoop Dogg's bold, violent, and darkly humorous hit records, Wallace sought to create a similar style with Ready to Die, infused with an East Coast influence.[69] Wallace originally wanted to name the album The Teflon Don, drawing inspiration from John Gotti, who was then making headlines for his ability to avoid legal troubles. Combs disagreed, arguing that the title should make an impact in a way that would "represent for the masses". Wallace agreed to follow Combs' decision, and the two conceived the name Ready to Die.[70]

Ready to Die reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart,[71] sold 500,000 copies in its first week,[72] and certified four times platinum.[73] The album shifted attention back to East Coast hip-hop at a time when West Coast hip-hop dominated U.S. charts.[74][75] It received positive reviews upon release and has been widely praised in retrospect.[76][77][78] In addition to "Juicy", the album produced two other hit singles: the platinum-selling "Big Poppa", which topped the U.S. rap chart[79] and "One More Chance", which sold one million copies in 1995 (the year of its release).[80] Busta Rhymes recalled seeing Wallace handing out copies of Ready to Die from his home, which the former saw as "his way of marketing himself".[81][82] In 1994, Wallace formed the hip-hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A.,[83] which included many of his childhood friends, such as Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease.[84] The name is a backronym for "Masters at Finding Intelligent Attitudes".[85]

Around the time of the album's release, Wallace formed a friendship with fellow rapper Tupac Shakur in Los Angeles.[86][87] Lil' Cease remembered the two as being very close, often traveling together when they were not working. He noted that Wallace frequently visited Shakur's home, and they spent time together whenever Shakur was in California or Washington, D.C.[88] Yukmouth, an Oakland emcee, stated that Wallace's style was influenced by Shakur.[89] Wallace also befriended basketball player Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal said they were introduced during a listening session for "Gimme the Loot"; Wallace mentioned him in the lyrics and attracted O'Neal to his music. O'Neal requested a collaboration with Wallace, which resulted in the song "You Can't Stop the Reign". According to Combs, Wallace would not collaborate with "anybody he didn't really respect" and that Wallace paid O'Neal his respect by "shouting him out".[90] In 2015, Daz Dillinger, a frequent collaborator with Shakur, said that he and Wallace were "cool", with Wallace traveling to meet him to smoke cannabis and record two songs.[91]

1995: Conspiracy, collaboration with Michael Jackson, Junior M.A.F.I.A. success, and coastal feud

Junior M.A.F.I.A. began working on their debut studio album in 1994. On August 29, 1995, Conspiracy was released via Undeas Recordings.[84] It achieved gold certification[92] and sold over 500,000 copies.[93] The first single, "Player's Anthem", features Wallace, Lil' Kim, and Lil' Cease, and was produced by Clark Kent. The third single, "Get Money", a battle-of-the-sexes track featuring Wallace and Lil' Kim, became their most popular song. "Player's Anthem" and "Get Money" also earned gold and platinum status, respectively.[94] Wallace continued collaborating with R&B artists, working with groups like 112 on "Only You" and Total on "Can't You See",[95][96] both of which reached the top 20 on the Hot 100.[97][98] By the end of the year, Wallace had become the top-selling male solo artist and rapper on both the U.S. pop and R&B charts.[99] In July 1995, Wallace appeared on the cover of The Source with the caption "The King of New York Takes Over," a nod to his alias Frank White, inspired by the character from the 1990 film King of New York.[100][101] At The Source Awards in August 1995, he won Best New Artist, Lyricist of the Year, and Live Performer of the Year,[36][102] while his debut album was named Album of the Year.[103] He was also honored as Rap Artist of the Year at the Billboard Awards.[104]

In 1995, Wallace became embroiled in the East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry, which involved his now-former friend, Shakur.[105][106] In an April 1995 interview with Vibe while serving time in Clinton Correctional Facility, Shakur accused Harrell, Combs, and Wallace of having prior knowledge of a robbery on November 30, 1994, during which he was shot five times and lost thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.[107][108] They denied any involvement.[109] Wallace stated, "I had nothing to do with that, it just happened to be a coincidence that he was in the studio. He couldn't really say who really had something to do with it at the time, so he just kind of leaned the blame on me".[110] In 2012, Dexter Isaac, who was serving a life sentence for unrelated crimes, claimed responsibility for the attack on Shakur that night, stating that the robbery was orchestrated by entertainment executive and former drug trafficker James Rosemond.[111] After his release from prison, Shakur signed with Death Row Records in October 1995.[112] This made Bad Boy Records and Death Row business rivals, further escalating the conflict between Shakur and Wallace.[113][114]

In October 1995, Wallace revealed that he still had not received any earnings from Ready to Die, despite the album having sold two million copies at the time. With each CD priced at $15 (equivalent to $31 in 2023), the album should have generated approximately $30 million ($56 million in 2023) in revenue.[115] Amid the rivalry between Wallace and Shakur, many speculated that "Who Shot Ya?", released in late February 1995 as a secondary B-side to "Big Poppa", was intended to taunt Shakur.[116][117] According to Lil' Cease, the song was not intended to be a comment on the shooting, stating, "He knew that song wasn't about him [...] he was around at that time". Lil' Cease stated that the song was an introduction for Mary J. Blige's second album, however, "the shit was too hard, so Big kept it and said, 'I'm gonna put it out'".[118]

Black and white picture of Michael Jackson singing into a microphone
Wallace worked with Michael Jackson (pictured in 1988) on HIStory Continues (1995).

In June 1995, Wallace worked with pop singer Michael Jackson on the album HIStory Continues.[119] Lil' Cease claimed that when Wallace met Michael Jackson, he was made to stay behind, with Wallace explaining that he didn’t "trust Michael with kids" due to the 1993 child sexual abuse allegations against Jackson.[120] The engineer John Van Nest recalled that Wallace was excited to meet Jackson and was nearly brought to tears when it happened.[121] Wallace began recording his second studio album in late 1995, working on it over the course of eighteen months in New York City, Trinidad, and Los Angeles. The recording process was disrupted by injuries, legal issues, and the publicized hip-hop feud between Wallace and Shakur.[122]

1996: Accusations regarding Shakur's death and second child

In 1996, Wallace began an affair with Lil' Kim, during which she became pregnant but later decided to abort the child.[123][124] Wallace also started a relationship with Charli Baltimore, a Philadelphia native who portrayed Evans in the "Get Money" music video. Although Wallace shared his plans to include her in a supergroup called the Commission, she was aware that she was not the only woman in his life.[123] On March 23, 1996, Wallace was arrested outside a Manhattan nightclub for chasing and threatening two fans who were asking for autographs, smashing the windows of their taxi, and punching one of them. He pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service. Later that year, he was arrested at his home in Teaneck, New Jersey, on drug and weapons possession charges.[29][125]

At the Soul Train Music Awards in 1996, "One More Chance (Remix)" was nominated for Song of the Year and received the R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year award in the same year.[126] In June 1996, Shakur released "Hit 'Em Up". A diss track directed towards Wallace and other East Coast rappers, Shakur claimed to have had an affair with Evans, who was estranged from Wallace at the time, and accused Wallace of copying his style and image.[127][128][129] Described as "manic", "Hit 'Em Up" disses Wallace, Combs, and their associates, including Junior M.A.F.I.A., Evans, and Bad Boy Records.[130] In 1996, Wallace collaborated with rising rapper Jay-Z on his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, recording a duet titled "Brooklyn's Finest". The track used humor to address speculation surrounding Wallace and Shakur: "If Faith has twins, she'll probably have two Pacs. Get it? Tu ... Pac's."[131] According to Wallace, humor had always been his way of coping with hardship since elementary school, explaining, "I gotta make jokes about it [...] I can't be the [guy] running around all serious".[131]

I know so many niggas like him [...] so many rough, tough muthafuckas. When I heard he got shot, I was like, "He'll be out in the morning, smoking some weed, drinking Hennessy or whatever." You ain’t thinking he going to die.

Wallace on Shakur's death[132]

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas and died six days later.[133][134][135] Because of Shakur's accusations in his records, Wallace, along with other New York rappers like Mobb Deep, Capone, and Noreaga, became suspects in his murder.[136] In a 2002 Los Angeles Times series titled "Who Killed Tupac Shakur?", journalist Chuck Philips reported, based on police reports and multiple sources, that the shooting was carried out by the Southside Crips, a Compton gang, seeking revenge for a beating Shakur had allegedly inflicted earlier that day. The report also claimed that Wallace had financed the gun used in the shooting.[137][138] The night Shakur died, Wallace called Evans in tears; Evans recalled that "he was in shock [...] and it's fair to say he was probably afraid".[136] Wallace expressed regret over Shakur's death but declined to attend his funeral when asked by a friend. He explained his decision by saying, "[Shakur] made my life miserable [...] he told lies, fucked with my marriage, [and] turned [my] fans against me".[139][140] The Los Angeles Times editor Mark Duvoisin stated that "Philips' story has withstood all challenges to its accuracy, [...] [and] remains the definitive account of the Shakur slaying".[141] Wallace's family denied the report, providing documents that claimed he was in New Jersey at the time of the incident.[142] The New York Times called the documents inconclusive, stating:[143][144]

The pages purport to be three computer printouts from Daddy's House, indicating that Wallace was in the studio recording a song called "Nasty Boy" on the night Shakur was shot. They indicate that Wallace "wrote half the session", was "in and out/sat around" and "laid down a ref", shorthand for a reference vocal, the equivalent of a first take. But nothing indicates when the documents were created. And Louis Alfred, the recording engineer listed on the sheets, said in an interview that he remembered recording the song with Wallace in a late-night session, not during the day. He could not recall the date of the session but said it was likely not the night Shakur was shot. "We would have heard about it", Mr. Alfred said.

Wayne Barrow, Wallace's co-manager at the time, stated that Wallace was recording the track "Nasty Girl" on the night Shakur was shot.[145] Shortly after Shakur's death, Wallace met with Snoop Dogg, who recalled that Wallace played him the song "Somebody's Gotta Die", which mentioned Snoop Dogg. During their meeting, Wallace expressed that he never hated Shakur.[146][147] During the recording of his second album, Life After Death, Wallace and Lil' Cease were arrested for public marijuana use, resulting in the repossession of their car. Wallace opted to rent a Chevrolet Lumina, despite Lil' Cease's concerns about its faulty brakes.[148] The car ultimately crashed into a rail, breaking Wallace's left leg and fracturing Lil' Cease's jaw.[149][150] Wallace spent months in the hospital, initially confined to a wheelchair,[151] later relying on a cane (which he used until his death), and undergoing therapy.[87] Despite his hospitalization, he continued working on the album, referencing the accident in "Long Kiss Goodnight" with the line, "Ya still tickle me, I used to be as strong as Ripple be / Til Lil' Cease crippled me".[150]

On October 29, 1996, Evans gave birth to Wallace's son, Christopher "C.J." Wallace Jr.[152][153] Around this time, Wallace began recording the songs for Life After Death.[154] The following month, Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Kim released her debut album Hard Core.[155] Lil' Kim described herself as Wallace's "biggest fan" and referred to herself as "his pride and joy".[156][157] In a 2012 interview, Lil' Kim revealed that Wallace stopped her from recording a remix of Jodeci's single "Love U 4 Life" by locking her in a room. According to Kim, Wallace told her she was "not gonna go do no song with them", likely due to Jodeci's association with Shakur and Death Row Records.[158] While working on Life After Death, Wallace began to lose weight, losing around 30 pounds (14 kg), according to his mother.[159]

1997: Conclusion of development on Life After Death

I called this album Life After Death because when I was writing things like "Fuck the world, fuck my mom, and my girl," There was nothing but anger coming out about everything: about having to go out to sell crack, to hustle for a living. Nothing but anger. But now I can't do that anymore.

Wallace the album's title[160]

In January 1997, Wallace was ordered to pay $41,000 in damages following an incident involving a friend of a concert promoter who claimed Wallace and his entourage beat him following a dispute in May 1995.[161] He faced criminal assault charges for the incident, which remains unresolved, but all robbery charges were dropped.[162] Following the events, Wallace spoke of a desire to focus on his "peace of mind" and his family and friends.[163]

The development of Life After Death concluded in January 1997 for a March 25 release.[164] In February 1997, Wallace traveled to California to promote Life After Death.[165] On the morning of February 15, Wallace began preparations for the day's work. He had arrived in Los Angeles two weeks before the Soul Train Music Awards to film the video for his album's lead single, "Hypnotize". The three-day shoot, with a budget of $700,000, was both a promotional effort and a statement of his return to the music scene.[166] "Hypnotize" was officially released on March 4, 1997,[167] debuting at the Billboard Hot 100 at number two, just behind Combs' "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", and later reached number one.[167]

After production of the video had ended, Wallace was to record his vocals for Combs' upcoming album, Hell Up in Harlem;[168] following the former's death, the album was retitled No Way Out. He was scheduled to feature on the tracks "Victory" and "It's All About the Benjamins", but later canceled.[169] Wallace, however, did later decide to feature on the two songs.[170]

Murder

Main article: Murder of the Notorious B.I.G.
Photograph of Wallace staring at the camera, wearing a crown in a red background
Wallace in the iconic King of New York photograph by Barron Claiborne, taken three days before his death in March 1997

On March 8, 1997, Wallace attended a Soul Train Awards after-party hosted by Vibe and Qwest Records at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.[171][172][173] Guests included Evans, Aaliyah and members of the Bloods and Crips gangs.[174] With over 2,000 people overcrowding the venue, fire marshals shut it down at 12:35 a.m. on March 9.[175] After taking a few photos, Wallace and his crew headed downstairs to the Chevrolet Suburbans they had rented from Budget Rent a Car.[175] He traveled in the front passenger seat alongside associates Damion "D-Roc" Butler, Lil' Cease, and driver Gregory "G-Money" Young.[176] Combs traveled in the other Suburban with three bodyguards.[177] The two trucks were trailed by a Chevrolet Blazer carrying Bad Boy director of security Paul Offord.[178]

Soon after Wallace's Suburban stopped at the red light, a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up to the right side of the car Wallace was in.[179] The Impala's driver, described as an unidentified African-American man in a blue suit and bow tie, rolled down his window, drew a 9-millimetre (0.35 in) blue-steel pistol, and fired at Wallace's vehicle. Wallace was struck by four bullets. His entourage rushed him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where an emergency thoracotomy was performed, but he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.[180] He was twenty-four years old.[181][182] An autopsy report, released fifteen years after his death, revealed that only the final shot proved fatal. The bullet entered through his right hip, damaging his colon, liver, heart, and left lung before coming to rest in his left shoulder.[183][184]

Wallace's funeral was held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in Manhattan on March 18.[185][186] There were more than 350 mourners at the funeral,[187][188] including Lil' Cease, Queen Latifah, Flavor Flav, Mary J. Blige, Lil' Kim, Run-D.M.C., DJ Kool Herc, Busta Rhymes, Salt-N-Pepa, DJ Spinderella, Foxy Brown, and Sister Souljah.[189][190] David Dinkins and Clive Davis also attended the funeral.[185] After the funeral, his body was cremated at the Fresh Pond Crematory in Fresh Pond, Queens,[191][192] and the ashes were given to his family.[192]

Posthumous releases

Sixteen days after his death, Wallace's second studio album, Life After Death, was released on March 25, 1997.[193] The album achieved four-time platinum certification and became the highest-selling release of the year, tying with MC Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em as one of the best-selling rap albums at the time. Life After Death debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.[194] It had briefly appeared earlier at No. 176 due to street-date violations.[195] The follow-up single of "Hypnotize", "Mo Money Mo Problems", featuring Combs and Mase, became Wallace's biggest chart success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first artist to achieve two posthumous No. 1 singles.[73][196] The third single, "Sky's the Limit", featuring the band 112, featured a Spike Jonze-directed video with children portraying Wallace and his contemporaries, including Combs, Lil' Kim, and Busta Rhymes.[197][198] In December 1997, Spin named Wallace Artist of the Year, with "Hypnotize" as Single of the Year.[199]

Sean Combs (P. Diddy/Puff Dady) wearing sunglasses while singing into a microphone
Wallace featured on five tracks on Combs' (pictured in 2006) No Way Out album.

In mid-1997, Combs released his debut album, No Way Out, which featured Wallace on five tracks, including the single "Victory".[205] The album's most prominent track, "I'll Be Missing You", featuring Combs, Evans, and 112, was dedicated to Wallace's memory.[206] At the 1998 Grammy Awards, Life After Death and its first two singles—"Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems"—received nominations in the rap category.[207] Combs' No Way Out won Best Rap Album,[208] while "I'll Be Missing You" won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group,[209] where Wallace’s "Mo Money Mo Problems" was also nominated.[207] In December 1999, Bad Boy Records released Born Again,[210] an album featuring previously unreleased material from Wallace, mixed with new guest appearances from artists he had not collaborated with during his lifetime, including Eminem and Missy Elliott.[211][212] It spawned two singles: "Dead Wrong" and "Notorious B.I.G.", released on October 26, 1999, and December 11, 1999, respectively.[213][214] "Notorious B.I.G." peaked at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.[215]

Wallace featured on Michael Jackson's album Invincible, providing lead vocals for the track "Unbreakable", which was released on October 30, 2001.[216] Wallace's vocals appeared on Ashanti's "Foolish" in 2002,[217] and the track "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" with Shakur in 2003.[218] Duets: The Final Chapter, a remix album, was released on December 20, 2005, which spawned the singles "Nasty Girl" and "Spit Your Game".[219] "Nasty Girl" features Combs, Nelly, Jagged Edge and Avery Storm,[220] and "Spit Your Game" includes guest appearances from Krayzie Bone, Twista, and 8Ball & MJG. The album peaked at No. 3 on Billboard 200,[221] while "Nasty Girl" peaked at No. 44 on the Hot 100.[222] Combs and Voletta both stated Duets: The Final Chapter would be the last album primarily featuring new material.[223] A compilation album, Greatest Hits, was released on March 6, 2007—three days before the tenth anniversary of Wallace's death.[224] It included tracks like "Juicy" and "Big Poppa",[224] but was criticized by AllMusic for not containing hits like "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Going Back to Cali".[225] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.[226] On May 19, 2017, The King & I, a duet album featuring Evans and Wallace, was released, showcasing mostly unreleased tracks.[227] The album peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard 200.[228]

Artistry

Vocals

"Only You (Remix)"
Wallace, accompanied by ad libs from Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, uses onomatopoeic vocables and multi-syllabic rhymes on his 1995 collaboration with R&B group, 112.
"Niggas Bleed"
Wallace tells vivid stories about his everyday life as a criminal in Brooklyn (from Life After Death).
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Wallace had the vocal range of a baritone.[229][230] He typically rapped in a deep tone that Rolling Stone described as a "thick, jaunty grumble",[231] which became even deeper on Life After Death.[232] Wallace was frequently joined by Combs, who contributed ad libs to his tracks.[233][215] The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column described his style as "cool, nasal, and filtered, blessing his own material".[234] AllMusic noted Wallace’s talent for layering multiple rhymes in rapid succession,[235] while Time magazine highlighted his ability to deliver multi-syllabic rhymes smoothly.[236] Scholar Adam Krims described his rhythmic style as "effusive".[237] Wallace often used onomatopoeic sounds, like "uhhh" at the start of tracks such as "Hypnotize" and "Big Poppa".[238][239]

Lateef of Latyrx described Wallace as having "intense and complex flows",[240] while Onyx's Fredro Starr called him "a master of the flow".[241] Bishop Lamont praised Wallace's ability to capture "all the hemispheres of the music".[242] Wallace often employed single-line rhyme schemes to bring variety and depth to his flow.[240] Big Daddy Kane noted that Wallace did not need an extensive vocabulary to impress; instead, he "just put his words together a slick way, and it worked well for him".[243][244] Known for composing lyrics in his head rather than writing them down, Wallace occasionally deviated from his usual style.[245] For example, he sang in a slow falsetto on "Playa Hater"[246] and adapted to the rapid-fire rhyme flow of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony on "Notorious Thugs".[247]

Musical style

Wallace's lyrics explored a range of themes, including mafioso narratives ("Niggas Bleed"),[248] reflections on his drug-dealing past ("Ten Crack Commandments"),[249] materialistic boasting ("Hypnotize"),[45] humor ("Just Playing (Dreams)"),[250] and romantic experiences ("Me & My Bitch").[250] In 2004, Rolling Stone praised him as "one of the few young male songwriters in any pop style writing credible love songs".[232] In the book How to Rap, rapper Guerilla Black highlighted Wallace's ability to "glorify the upper echelon"[251] while also making listeners "feel his struggle".[252] According to The New York Times journalist Touré, Wallace's lyrics "[mixed] autobiographical details about crime and violence with emotional honesty".[26] Another writer for The New York Times, Michel Marriott, noted in 1997 that his lyrics were not entirely autobiographical, as he had a talent for exaggeration to improve his storytelling and sales appeal.[29] Wallace described his debut album, Ready to Die, as "a big pie, with each slice indicating a different point in [his] life involving bitches and niggaz [...] from the beginning to the end".[253]

Rolling Stone described Ready to Die as a contrast of "bleak" street visions and being "full of high-spirited fun, bringing the pleasure principle back to hip-hop".[232] AllMusic noted "a sense of doom" in some of his songs, while Jon Pareles of The New York Times described a thread of paranoia in others.[235][254] Wallace himself stated that he felt "broke and depressed" while creating his debut album.[254] The final track on Ready to Die, "Suicidal Thoughts", portrays a character contemplating and ultimately committing suicide.[255] On his follow-up album, Life After Death, Wallace's lyrics delved even "deeper", as observed by Rolling Stone.[232] Krims observed that the record alternates between upbeat, dance-oriented tracks and gritty "reality rap," reflecting a thematic shift toward a more "pimp" persona.[237] XXL Mag noted that Wallace "revamped his image" between the two albums, evolving from a "mid-level hustler" on his debut to a "drug lord" on his sophomore effort.[256] AllMusic credited Wallace's storytelling ability as a key factor in the success of Ready to Die.[235]

Legacy

Widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, AllMusic described Wallace as "the savior of East Coast hip-hop".[99] The Source named him the greatest rapper of all time in its 150th issue in March 2002.[257][258] MTV ranked him No. 3 on their 2006 list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, calling him potentially "the most skillful ever on the mic".[5] In 2012, he was listed on The Source's Top 50 Lyrical Leaders.[259] Rolling Stone hailed him as the "greatest rapper that ever lived",[3] and in 2015, Billboard named Wallace the greatest rapper of all time.[260]

Wallace's lyrics have been extensively sampled and quoted by artists across genres, including Jay-Z,[261] 50 Cent,[262] Eminem,[263] Lil Wayne,[264] Drake,[264] Kendrick Lamar,[264] Ludacris,[264] and Kanye West.[264] Tributes to him have featured prominently in hip-hop culture, such as at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, where Combs and Snoop Dogg honored him with an orchestral performance of his songs "Juicy" and "Warning".[265][266] At the 2005 VH1 Hip Hop Honors, a tribute to Wallace headlined the show.[267] At the same show in 2016, Rich Homie Quan performed "Get Money" but faced criticism after forgetting the lyrics.[268][269] Before he died, Wallace had begun promoting a clothing line, Brooklyn Mint, focused on plus-sized apparel.[270] The brand became dormant after his death but was relaunched in 2004 by his managers, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow,[270] with assistance from Jay-Z.[271] Proceeds benefitted several charitable organizations, including Christopher Wallace Foundation and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.[270][271]

The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation hosts an annual black-tie charity event, "B.I.G. Night Out", to raise funds for children's educational resources.[272] The acronym "B.I.G." is repurposed to stand for "Books Instead of Guns".[273] In Brooklyn, Wallace's legacy is preserved through art and community efforts. A mural depicting Wallace can be found on Fulton Street, near his childhood neighborhood.[274] In 2019, the corner of Fulton Street and St. James Place was renamed in his honor.[275] Wallace's image and persona inspired elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's portrayal of Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes in the Netflix series Luke Cage.[276] In August 2020, Wallace's son, C.J. Wallace, released a house remix of "Big Poppa".[277][278] The 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell explores Wallace's life before fame, and features "unprecedented access granted by the Wallace estate featuring rare access and insights". It was executive-produced by Voletta and Combs.[279]

Biopic

Notorious is a 2009 biographical film depicting the life and career of Wallace,[280] starring rapper Jamal Woolard in the lead role.[281] Directed by George Tillman Jr. and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures,[282][100] the film was produced by his managers, Combs, Barrow, and Pitts, and his mother, Voletta.[283][284] On January 16, 2009, the film's debut at the Grand 18 theater in Greensboro, North Carolina, was delayed after a shooting occurred in the parking lot before the screening.[285] The film grossed $44.4 million worldwide with a $20 million budget, and received mixed reviews from critics.[286]

In October 2007, open casting calls began for the role of Wallace,[287] attracting actors, rappers, and aspiring performers. Beanie Sigel auditioned but was not selected,[288] while Sean Kingston expressed interest in the role, though producers denied his involvement.[289] Ultimately, Woolard was cast as Wallace,[281] and Wallace's son, C. J., portrayed his father.[290] To accompany the film, Bad Boy Records released a soundtrack album on January 13, 2009, featuring many of Wallace's prominent tracks such as "Hypnotize" and "Juicy".[291]

Discography

Main article: The Notorious B.I.G. discography

Studio albums

Posthumous albums

Collaboration album

Posthumous collaboration album

Media

Filmography

Television appearances

  • New York Undercover (1995) as himself
  • Martin (1995) as himself
  • Who Shot Biggie & Tupac? (2017)
  • Unsolved (2018)

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by the Notorious B.I.G.
Award Year[a] Work/Nominee Category Result Ref.
ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards 2005 "Runnin' (Dying to Live)" (with Tupac Shakur) Top Soundtrack Song of the Year Won [292]
2017 — ASCAP Founders Award Won [293]
2020 "Sicko Mode" Winning Rap and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Won [294]
Billboard Music Awards 1995 — Rap Artist of the Year Won [295]
"One More Chance/Stay with Me (Remix)" (with Faith Evans) Rap Single of the Year Won [296]
1997 Life After Death R&B Album Won [297]
Grammy Awards 1996 "Big Poppa" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated [298]
1998 "Hypnotize" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated [299]
"Mo Money Mo Problems" Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (with Mase and Puff Daddy) Nominated [300]
Life After Death Best Rap Album Nominated [301]
MTV Video Music Awards 1997 "Hypnotize" Best Rap Video Won [302]
1998 "Mo Money Mo Problems" Best Rap Video (with Mase and Puff Daddy) Nominated [303]
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2020 — Performers Won [304]
Soul Train Music Awards 1996 "One More Chance/Stay With Me (Remix)" (with Faith Evans) R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year Won [305]
1998 Life After Death Best R&B/Soul Album – Male Won [306]
Life After Death R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year Nominated [307]
"Mo Money Mo Problems" (with Mase and Puff Daddy) Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video Nominated [308]
The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 1995 — New Artist of the Year, Solo Won [309]
— Lyricist of the Year Won [310]
— Live Performer of the Year Won [309]
Ready to Die Album of the Year Won [309]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

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