The Notorious B.I.G. Biography

Christopher George Latore Wallace, known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie, or Biggie Smalls, was a famous American rapper. He is considered one of the greatest rappers in history and is a model to younger generations of hip-hop artists. Biggie is an iconic element of the East Coast hip-hop scene. He was actively involved in the East Coast vs. West Coast feud, which supposedly led to his tragic death in 1997.

Debut Album, Impact & Death

While the Notorious B.I.G.’s career was quite short, he made a huge impact on hip-hop music culture. After releasing his debut album, Ready To Die (1994), the rapper became the victim of the violence and feuds he wrote about in his songs. Consequently, the album reached numerous “best of” lists and reached 4x Platinum. Biggie’s praise grew due to his complex storytelling and attention to detail. His songs, no matter how dramatic, depicted events extremely accurately. Three years after his breakthrough, he was shot to death six months after Tupac’s similar death. The event marked a point where the gang rivalry was out of control, scandalising the whole world.

Post-Mortem

Shortly after the tragedy, Biggie’s second album came out as scheduled, at the end March. The record titled controversially Life After Death topped the Billboard 200 and earned a platinum certification. It spawned three iconic singles, Hypnotize, Mo Money Mo Problems, with Puff Daddy, and Sky’s the Limit. Moreover,  Puff Daddy and Biggie’s widow Faith Evans recorded the tribute hit I’ll Be Missing You. Ulteriorly, Biggie received many tributes, as well as a biopic, 2009’s Notorious. In 1999, Biggie early works came out as part of the posthumous album Born Again. Additionally, in Duets: The Final Chapter was released, featuring The Notorious B.I.G.’s collaborations with the likes of Eminem, Bob Marley, Snoop Dogg and many other major artists.

Photo source: RefugeeHustle