The Notorious B.I.G

Christopher George Latore Wallace, born May 21, 1972, better known by his stage name The Notorious B.I.G (sometimes Biggie Smalls or just simply Biggie), is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered in a drive by shooting in Los Angeles, California at the age of only 24. To this day it’s unknown who murdered him.

The Notorious B.I.G. married R&B Singer Faith Evans, and had 2 kids, T'yanna Wallace and Christopher Wallace II. The Notorious B.I.G sold 17 million units worldwide, with 4 albums released. His first album Ready To Die (1994), is regarded as a hip hop classic by most critics. The album contains well known songs such as Juicy, Big Poppa, One More Chance, Warning, Gimme The Loot, Suicidal Thoughts, Machine Gun Funk, and Everyday Struggle. His 2nd album Life After Death (1997) came out 16 days after his death, and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It contained well known songs such as Hypnotize, Kick In The Door, Mo Money Mo Problems, Notorious Thugs, Ten Crack Commandments, Sky's The Limit, and N****'s Bleed. Other albums released of his are Born Again (1999), Duets: The Final Chapter (2005), Born Again reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Duets: The Final Chapter reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, they included well known songs such as Dead Wrong, Notorious B.I.G, Who Shot Ya, Spit Your Game, and Nasty Girl. And in 2007 There was a Greatest Hits album made from Biggie's best songs. He also had an album with his group Junior M.A.F.I.A. called Conspiracy which included well known songs such as Players Anthem, I Need You Tonight, and Get Money.

The Notorious B.I.G. is well known for his place in the West Coast-East Coast rivalry where he was the East Coast's biggest rapper. It began when Tupac accused him of setting up the 1994 shooting because of the song Who Shot Ya which the Notorious B.I.G released in 1995. Due to Tupac serving a sexual assault he didbt respond but after Suge Knight bailed him out on a 1.4 million dollar bail so he could join his record label, in 1996 Tupac released a well-known diss track titled "Hit Em' Up.” The Notorious B.I.G responded by saying he started writing the song 2 months before the shooting. The song made West Coast-East Coast rivalry expand, then the rivalry took a huge twist when Tupac was shot in a drive by shooting on September 7, 1996 and died 6 days later on September 13, 1996 at the age of 25.

On March 9, 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. wanted to end the rivalry so he went to L.A. to promote his upcoming album called Life After Death (1997) but after the party he was shot and died in the truck on the way to the hospital.

The Notorious B.I.G is known for telling stories in his rap songs, and even though he's dead his legacy lives on through the eyes of other and through his family, and he will forever live on.