THE
NOTORIOUS
B.I.G.
"It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine." Christopher George Latore Wallace. Raised in Bed-Stuy by his Jamaican-born mother Voletta. In three years of recording, he became the defining voice of New York hip-hop — and one of the greatest artists American music has ever produced.
LIFE AFTER DEATH:
A DIAMOND LEGACY
Released just 16 days after Christopher's passing at age 24, Life After Death is a sprawling 24-track double album that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Certified Diamond — 10× Platinum — by the RIAA, it remains one of the best-selling rap albums in history. Features include "Hypnotize," "Mo Money Mo Problems" ft. Puff Daddy & Mase, "Sky's the Limit," "Going Back to Cali," and "Notorious Thugs" ft. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
"Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on, just keep on pressing on."
The Archive
The life and legacy of Christopher Wallace.
Raised in Bed-Stuy
Raised by his Jamaican-born mother Voletta Wallace. The streets of Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy shaped every bar he ever wrote.
"Juicy" — Ready to Die
Samples Mtume · "Juicy Fruit" (1983)
"It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine..."
Stream on Spotify ›Chung King Studios
New York City · Bad Boy Records · 1993–1997
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history_edu
Greatest MC
Ranked #1 — MTV's Greatest MCs of All Time
Rock Hall Inductee ›Discography
Ready to Die
The debut album that introduced Christopher Wallace to the world. Produced primarily by Easy Mo Bee and DJ Premier, it remains one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop records ever made. Certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA.
Key Tracks
Life After Death
Released 16 days after his murder in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. The 24-track double album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Diamond — 10× Platinum — by the RIAA. A monument.
Key Tracks
Biggie:
I Got a
Story to Tell
The only official, estate-approved documentary on The Notorious B.I.G. Features rare, never-before-seen footage captured by his closest friend Damion "D-Roc" Butler — from the streets of Bed-Stuy to sold-out arenas. Intimate interviews with Voletta Wallace, Lil Cease, and the Bad Boy family trace the life of Christopher Wallace from the inside out.
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Merch Collabs
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Latest News
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee — Class of 2020
Posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Whitney Houston. His children C.J. and T'yanna Wallace accepted the honor on his behalf.
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Empire State Building Crowns Biggie's 50th Birthday
New York City lit up the Empire State Building in red and white with a spinning crown on its mast to celebrate what would have been Biggie's 50th birthday on May 21, 2022.
Read More ›Lincoln Center Orchestral Tribute
Lincoln Center hosted a full orchestral tribute to Biggie's catalog, arranged by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, with collaborators and the Christopher Wallace Estate in attendance.
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Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
Estate-approved Netflix documentary featuring rare footage filmed by his best friend Damion 'D-Roc' Butler. Intimate interviews trace his journey from Bed-Stuy to the top of the rap world.
Watch Now ›
Ready to Die — 30th Anniversary Reissue
The debut album was reissued as a special 2-LP black and colored vinyl edition on September 13, 2024, marking thirty years of one of hip-hop's greatest records.
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Nine-Foot Biggie Sculpture Returns to Brooklyn
The nine-foot mixed-media Biggie sculpture "Sky's the Limit in the County of Kings" returned to The Billie Holiday Theatre for the exhibition "Sky's The Limit: Music is My Resistance."
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C.J. Wallace to Portray His Father in New Documentary
Time Studios' "Understanding Christopher Wallace," directed by Vikram Gandhi, tells Biggie's untold story through the eyes of his son C.J. Wallace — providing an intimate family perspective.
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Art Installation Honors Biggie at Brooklyn Bridge
Artist Sherwin Banfield unveiled a nine-foot mixed-media sculpture at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO, with speakers playing Biggie's greatest hits to passersby.
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