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| {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Musicians --> | |||
| |Name = The Notorious B.I.G. | |||
| |Img = The Notorious BIG.JPG | |||
| |Img_size = | |||
| |Background = solo_singer | |||
| |Birth_name = Christopher George Latore Wallace | |||
| |Alias = The Notorious B.I.G. <!--this field is not for nicknames. See ]--> | |||
| |Born = {{birth date|1972|5|21|mf=y}}<br><small>], ], ],<br>] | |||
| |Died = {{death date and age|1997|3|9|1972|5|21}}<br><small>], ],<br>] | |||
| |Occupation = ] | |||
| |Genre = ] | |||
| |Years_active = 1992–1997 | |||
| |Label = ] | |||
| |Associated_acts = ], ], ], ], ], ], ] | |||
| |URL= | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Christopher George Latore Wallace''' (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), popularly known as '''Biggie Smalls''' (after a ] in the 1975 film '']''),<ref>Reid, Shaheem; Bland, Bridget. Kash, Tim ''MTV News'', 2007-03-07. Retrieved on 2007-03-11</ref> '''Big Poppa''', and his primary ], '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American ]. | |||
| == B.I.G. !! == | |||
| Raised in ], ], Biggie grew up during the peak years of the 1980s' ] and started ] at an early age. When Biggie released his debut album with the 1994 record '']'', he was a central figure in the ] and increased New York's visibility at a time when ] was mostly dominated by ] artists.<ref name="allmusic"/> The following year, Biggie led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, ] | |||
| While recording his second album, Biggie was heavily involved in the ] dominating the scene at the time. On March 9, 1997, he was killed by an unknown assailant in a ] in ]. His double-disc set '']'', released fifteen days later, hit #1 on the U.S. album charts and was certified ] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 100 Albums |date=May 4, 2006 |publisher=] |url=http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp |accessdate=2006-12-07}}</ref> Biggie was noted for his "loose, easy flow",<ref name="allmusic-rtd"/> dark semi-autobiographical lyrics and storytelling abilities. Since his death, a further three albums have been released. ] ranked him at #3 on their list of ''The Greatest MCs of All Time''.<ref name="mtv greatest"> ''MTV''. Retrieved on 2006-12-26</ref> Because of his success and influence on music, he has become a ]. | |||
| == Biography == | |||
| Born in St. Mary's Hospital, and raised in the ] section of ], ], ], Biggie was the only child to ], a pre-school teacher of ]n origin, and George Latore, a welder and small-time Jamaican politician.<ref name="unbelievable"/> His father left the family when Biggie was two years old, leaving his mother to work two jobs while raising him. At the Queen of All Saints Middle School, Biggie excelled in class, winning several awards as an English student. He was nicknamed "Big" because of his size before he turned 10-years-old.<ref name="rolling stone murder">{{cite news |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/8898338/the_unsolved_mystery_of_the_notorious_big |title=The Unsolved Mystery of the Notorious B.I.G. |publisher=] |author=Sullivan, Randall |date=December 5, 2005 |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> At the age of 12, he began selling drugs. His mother, often away at work, did not know about the drug-selling until Biggie was an adult.<ref name="NY Times 1994">Touré '']'', 1994-12-18. Retrieved on 2008-03-26</ref> | |||
| Biggie transferred out of the private ] school that he attended, at his request, to attend the state-funded George Westinghouse Information Technology High School, where ], ], and ] were also students. According to his mother, he was still a good student, but developed a "smart-ass" attitude.<ref name="unbelievable">{{cite web |url=http://www.vibe.com/news/online_exclusives/2004/03/excerpt_unbelievable_life_death_afterlife_notorious_big/ |title=Excerpt: Unbelievable - The Life, Death, and Afterlife of The Notorious B.I.G. |author=Coker, Cheo H. |publisher=Vibe |date=March 8, 2005 |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> At seventeen, Biggie dropped out of ] and became further involved in ]. In 1989, he was arrested on weapons charges in Brooklyn and sentenced to five years' probation. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation.<ref name="ny times short life" /> A year later, Biggie was arrested in ] for dealing ]. He spent nine months in ] until he made ].<ref name="NY Times 1994"/> | |||
| === Rapping career === | |||
| Biggie started ] when he was a teenager. He would entertain people on the streets with his rapping as well as perform with local groups, the Old Gold Brothers and the Techniques.<ref name="allmusic"/> After being released from prison, Wallace made a ] under the name Biggie Smalls, a reference to his childhood ] and to his stature; he stood at 6'3" (1.90 m) and weighed as much as 300 to 380 pounds according to differing accounts.<ref name="mtv police sketch"/> The tape was reportedly made with no serious intent of getting a recording deal, but was promoted by ]-based DJ ], who had previously worked with ], and was heard by the editor of '']'' magazine.<ref name="ny times short life">Marriott, Michel '']'', March 17, 1997. Retrieved on 2008-03-26</ref> | |||
| In ], Biggie featured in ''The Source'''s ] column, dedicated to aspiring rappers and was invited to produce a recording with other unsigned artists, in a move that was reportedly uncommon at the time.<ref name="atlantic_bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.atlanticrecords.com/notoriousbig/about/ |title=Notorious BIG Photos > Biography |publisher=Atlantic Records |accessdate=2006-11-30}}</ref> The demo tape was heard by ] ] and ], ], who arranged for a meeting with Biggie. He was signed to Uptown immediately and made an appearance on label mates, ]' "A Buncha Niggas" (from ''Blue Funk'').<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |last=Huey |first=Steve |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:n9kmu3y5an2k~T1 |title=Notorious B.I.G. > Biography |publisher=] |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5ukmikm6bb89 |last=Swihart |first=Stanton |title=Blue Funk > Overview |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2006-10-06}}</ref> | |||
| ], which reached #9 in the ] in 1994. It marked Biggie's first appearance in a ] by ]. {{audio|Craig Mack - Flava In Ya Ear Remix.ogg|Audio sample}}]] | |||
| Soon after signing his recording contract, Combs was fired from Uptown and started a new label.<ref name="xxl rtd">Duncan, Andrea ''et al'' . ], 2006-03-09. Retrieved on 2007-03-18</ref> Biggie followed and in mid-1992, signed to Combs' new imprint label, ]. On August 8, 1993, Biggie's long-term partner gave birth to his first child, T'yanna.<ref name="biggie timeline"> Retrieved on 2006-12-28</ref> Biggie continued selling drugs after the birth to support his daughter financially. Once this was discovered by Combs, he was made to quit.<ref name="allmusic"/> | |||
| Biggie gained exposure later in the year on a remix to ]'s single "]", under the pseudonym The Notorious B.I.G.; the name he would record under for the remainder of his career after finding his original moniker was in use.<ref>{{cite book |last=Scott |first=Cathy |title=The Murder of Biggie Smalls |year=2000 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |pages=31 |location=New York City |isbn=0312266200}}</ref> "Real Love" peaked at #7 on the ] chart and was followed by a remix of Blige's "What's the 411". | |||
| He continued this success, to a lesser extent, on remixes with ] ("Buddy X") and reggae artist ] ("Dolly My Baby", also featuring Combs) in 1993. In ], his solo track, "]", appeared on the '']'' soundtrack.<ref name="biggie timeline"/> In ], he appeared alongside ] and ] on a remix to label mate ]'s "]", reaching #9 on the Hot 100. | |||
| === ''Ready to Die'' === | |||
| ] for the lead single of '']'', "]" (1994)]] | |||
| On August 4, 1994, Biggie married ] singer ] nine days after they met at a ] photoshoot.<ref>Chappell, Kevin (April 1999). . ''Ebony''. Accessed 2008-10-15.</ref><ref>Nero, Mark Edward ''About.com''. Accessed 2006-12-04.</ref><ref name="biggie timeline"/> | |||
| Four days later, Biggie had his first pop chart success as a solo artist with double A-side, "]/Unbelievable", which reached #27 as the lead single to his debut album. | |||
| '']'' was released on September 13, 1994, and reached #13 on the ] chart,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=36757&model.vnuAlbumId=805515 |title=Artist Chart History |publisher=Billboard.com |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> eventually being certified four times ].<ref name="riaa search">{{cite web |url=http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp |title=RIAA searchable database |publisher=RIAA |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> The album, released at a time when ] was prominent in the U.S. charts, according to ''Rolling Stone'' "almost single-handedly... shifted the focus back to East Coast rap".<ref name="muze"/> It gained strong reviews on release and has received much praise in retrospect.<ref name="muze"/><ref name="time">Tyrangiel, Josh ''Time'', November 13, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-10</ref> In addition to "Juicy", the record produced two hit singles; the Platinum-selling "]", which reached #1 on the U.S. rap chart,<ref name="allmusic-rtd">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hx6fmpbf9f3o |title=Ready to Die > Overview |last=Huey |first=Steve |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> and "]" featuring Faith Evans, a loosely related remix of an album track and its best selling single. | |||
| === Junior M.A.F.I.A. and coastal feud === | |||
| In August 1995, Biggie's protegé group, ] ("Junior Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes"), consisting of his friends from childhood released their debut album entitled '']''. The group included rappers such as ] and ], who went on to have solo careers.<ref>Lane, Hai, Lydia Allmusic. Retrieved on 2007-02-18</ref> The record went ] and its singles, "Player's Anthem" and "Get Money" both featuring Biggie, went Gold and Platinum. Biggie continued to work with ] artists, collaborating with ] groups ] (on "Only You") and ] (on "Can't You See"), with both reaching the top 20 of the Hot 100. | |||
| ]. Photograph is taken from the documentary film '']'', directed by ]]] | |||
| By the end of the year, Biggie was the top-selling male solo artist and rapper on the U.S. pop and R&B charts.<ref name="allmusic"/> In July 1995, he appeared on the cover of '']'' with the caption "The King of New York Takes Over". At the ''Source'' Awards, he was named Best New Artist (Solo), Lyricist of the Year, Live Performer of the Year, and his debut Album of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.the411online.com/source95.html |publisher=The 411 online |title=The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 1995 |accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> At the ], he was Rap Artist of the Year.<ref name="ny times short life"/> | |||
| In his year of success, Biggie became involved in a ] with ], his former associate. In an interview with ] in April 1995, while serving time in ], Shakur accused ]' founder ], ], and Biggie of having prior awareness of a ] that resulted in him being shot repeatedly and losing thousands of ] worth of ] on the night of November 30, 1994. Though Biggie and his entourage were in the same ]-based ] at the time of the occurrence, they denied the accusation.<ref name="Court TV"/> | |||
| {{quote|It just happened to be a coincidence that he was in the studio. He just, he couldn't really say who really had something to do with it at the time. So he just kinda' leaned the blame on me.<ref name="final interview"> ''MTV''. Retrieved 2006-12-23</ref>}} | |||
| Following release from ], Shakur signed to ] ] on October 15, 1995. Bad Boy Records and Death Row, now business rivals, became involved in an intense quarrel.<ref>Carney, Thomas '']''. Retrieved on 2006-12-09</ref> | |||
| === Arrests, a death and a birth === | |||
| Biggie started recording his second record album in September 1995. The album, recorded in ], ] and ], was interrupted during its 18 months of creation by injury, legal wranglings and the ] in which he was involved.<ref name="xxl life after death">Caramanica, Jon et al . ] (April 2003). Retrieved on 2007-01-06</ref> | |||
| On March 23, 1996, Biggie was arrested outside a ] nightclub for chasing and threatening to kill two autograph seekers, smashing the windows of their taxicab and then pulling one of the fans out and punching them.<ref name="ny times short life"/> He pleaded guilty to second-degree ] and was sentenced to 100 hours community service. In mid-1996, he was arrested at his home in ], ], for drug and weapons possession charges.<ref name="ny times short life"/> | |||
| In June 1996, ] released "]"; a ] in which he explicitly claimed to have had sex with Biggie's wife (at-the-time estranged), and that Biggie copied his style and image. Biggie acknowledged the former, referring to it in regards to his wife's ] on ]'s "Brooklyn's Finest", but did not directly respond to the record, stating in a 1997 radio interview it is "not style" to respond.<ref name="final interview"/> | |||
| Shakur was shot multiple times in a ] in ], ], on September 7, 1996. Shakur would die six days later of complications from the gunshot wounds. Rumors of Biggie's involvement with Shakur's ] were reported almost immediately, and notably in a two-part article by Chuck Philips in the '']'' in September 2002.<ref> ''BBC News'' 2002-09-02. Retrieved on 2007-01-26</ref> Biggie denied the allegation claiming he was in a New York recording studio at the time.<ref name="Court TV">Bruno, Anthony ''Court TV Crime Library''. Retrieved on 2007-01-24</ref> Following his death, an anti-violence ] summit was held.<ref name="allmusic"/> | |||
| On October 29, 1996, Faith Evans gave birth to Biggie's first son, Christopher "CJ" Wallace, Jr.<ref name="biggie timeline"/> The following month Junior M.A.F.I.A. member ] released her debut album, '']'', under Biggie's direction while the two were involved in an apparent love affair. She was also pregnant by Biggie but decided to have an ].<ref name="allmusic"/> | |||
| === ''Life After Death'' === | |||
| During the recording sessions for his second record, tentatively named "Life After Death... 'Til Death Do Us Part", later shortened to '']'', Biggie and ] were involved in a car crash that shattered his left leg and temporarily confined him to a wheelchair.<ref name="allmusic"/> The injury forced him to use a cane for the rest of his life.<ref name="Court TV"/> | |||
| In January 1997, Biggie was ordered to pay ]41,000 in damages following an incident involving a friend of a concert promoter who claimed to have been beaten and robbed by Biggie and his entourage following a dispute in May 1995.<ref> ''MTV News'', 1997-01-27. Retrieved on 2006-12-23</ref> He faced criminal assault charges for the incident which remain unresolved, but all robbery charges were dropped.<ref name="ny times short life"/> Following the events of the previous year, Biggie spoke of a desire to focus on his "peace of mind". "My mom... my son... my daughter... my family... my friends are what matters to me now".<ref name="ready to die book">{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Jake |title=Ready to Die: The Story of Biggie Smalls Notorious B.I.G. |publisher=Colossus Books |date=May 24, 2004 |pages=122 |isbn=0974977934}}</ref> | |||
| == Death == | |||
| === March 1997 shooting === | |||
| Biggie traveled to ] in February 1997 to promote his upcoming album and record a ] for its lead single, "]". On March 5, 1997 Biggie gave a radio interview with ] on ] in ]. In the interview he stated that he had hired security since he feared for his safety, but this was because he was a celebrity figure, not specifically a ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425831/19970312/notorious_big.jhtml |title=Biggie Told Interviewer He Worried About Safety |publisher=] |date=March 12, 1997 |accessdate=2008-05-06}}</ref> '']'' was scheduled for release on March 25, 1997. On March 8, 1997, he presented an award to ] at the 11th Annual ] in ] and was booed by some of the audience.<ref name="Court TV"/> After the ceremony, Biggie attended an after party hosted by ] and ] at the ] in Los Angeles.<ref name="Court TV"/> Other guests included ], ], ] and members of the ] and ] gangs.<ref name="rolling stone murder"/> | |||
| On March 9, 1997, at around 12:30 a.m., Biggie left with his entourage in two ]s to return to his hotel after an announcement was made that the party would finish early. Biggie traveled in the front passenger seat alongside his associates, Damion "D-Rock" Butler, ] member ] and driver, Gregory "G-Money" Young. Combs traveled in the other vehicle with three ]s. The two trucks were trailed by a ] carrying ] director of security.<ref name="rolling stone murder"/> | |||
| By 12:45 a.m. the streets were crowded with people leaving the event. Biggie's truck stopped at a red light {{convert|50|yd|m}} from the museum. A black ] pulled up alongside Biggie's truck. The driver of the Impala (an African-American male neatly dressed in a blue suit and bow tie) rolled down his window, drew a 9 mm blue-steel pistol and fired numerous rounds into the GMC Suburban; four bullets hit Biggie in the chest.<ref name="rolling stone murder"/> Biggie was rushed to ] by his entourage but was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. | |||
| ] of the murderer drawn a day after the slaying. A reportedly less accurate sketch was released by the ] to the media two weeks later.<ref>Lait, Matt and Glover, Scott '']'', December 9, 1999. Retrieved on 2007-01-01</ref>]] | |||
| === Murder case === | |||
| Biggie's ] remains unsolved and there are a plethora of theories as to the identities and motives of the murderers. | |||
| '']'' reported that the Southside Compton ] may have killed Biggie in retaliation for Bad Boy not paying them money owed for security services provided in the West Coast.<ref name="mtv funeral"> ''MTV News'', March 21, 1997. Retrieved on 2006-12-22</ref> In the same month, ''MTV News'' published that witnesses had told the ] they were afraid to speak to ].<ref name="mtv police sketch"> ''MTV News'', March 11, 1997. Retrieved on 2006-12-23</ref> | |||
| In 2002, Randall Sullivan released ''LAbyrinth'', a book compiling information regarding the murders of Biggie and ] based on evidence provided by retired LAPD detective, ].<ref name="rolling stone murder"/><ref name="popmatters review"/> Sullivan accused ], co-founder of ] and an alleged ] affiliate, of conspiring with ], an LAPD officer and alleged Death Row security employee, to kill Biggie and make Shakur and his death appear the result of a fictitious bi-coastal rap rivalry.<ref name="ew labyrinth"/><ref name="la times debunk"/> Sullivan believed that one of Mack's associates, Amir Muhammad (also known as Harry Billups), was the hitman based on evidence provided by an ], and due to his close resemblance to the ].<ref name="la times debunk"/><ref name="ew labyrinth">Serpick, Evan ''Entertainment Weekly'', 2002-04-12. Retrieved on 2007-01-02</ref> Filmmaker ] released an investigative documentary, '']'', based mainly on the evidence used in the book.<ref name="popmatters review">Fuchs, Cynthia "" ''PopMatters'', September 6, 2002. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.</ref> | |||
| An article published in ''Rolling Stone'' by Sullivan in December 2005 accused the LAPD of not fully investigating links with Death Row Records based on evidence from Poole. Sullivan claimed that ] "failed to fully cooperate with the investigation" and according to Poole, encouraged Bad Boy staff to do the same.<ref name="rolling stone murder"/> The accuracy of the article was later refuted in a letter by the Assistant Managing Editor of the ''LA Times'' accusing Sullivan of using "shoddy tactics". Sullivan, in response, quoted the lead attorney of the Wallace estate calling the newspaper "a co-conspirator in the cover-up".<ref>Duvoisin, Marc and Sullivan, Randall ''Rolling Stone'', January 12, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.</ref> | |||
| === Lawsuits === | |||
| In March 2005, the relatives of Biggie filed a ] against the ] based on the evidence championed by ].<ref name="la times debunk">Philips, Chuck ''Los Angeles Times'', February 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-14</ref> They claimed the LAPD had sufficient evidence to arrest the assailant, but failed to utilize it. ] and Amir Muhammad (a.k.a. Harry Billups) were originally named as defendants in the ], but were dropped shortly before the trial began after the LAPD and ] dismissed them as suspects.<ref name="la times debunk"/> In July 2005, the case was declared a ] after the ] showed concern that the ] were withholding evidence.<ref>Reid, Shaheem ''MTV News'', July 5, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-02-14</ref> An attempt to expand the wrongful death lawsuit to include new claims failed in August 2006.<ref name="la times debunk"/> The criminal investigation was re-opened in July 2006.<ref>{{cite news |last=Philips |first=Chuck |title=LAPD Renews Search for Rapper's Killer |publisher=Los Angeles Times |date=July 31, 2006 |url=http://www.lapd.com/article.aspx?&a=4084 |accessdate=2007-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=LAPD launching new Notorious BIG task force |publisher=The Associated Press |date=August 3, 2006 |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14118674/ |accessdate=2006-09-29}}</ref> | |||
| On April 16, 2007, relatives of Biggie filed a second wrongful death lawsuit against the city of ], ]. The suit also named two LAPD officers in the center of the ] corruption probe, ] and ]. According to the claim, Perez, an alleged affiliate of Death Row Records, admitted to LAPD officials that he and Mack (who was not named in the lawsuit) "conspired to ], and participated in the murder of Christopher Wallace". The Wallace family believe the LAPD "consciously concealed Rafael Perez's involvement in the murder of ... Wallace".<ref name="MSNBC"> ''KNBC-TV'', April 17, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-05-09</ref> | |||
| On January 19, 2007, Tyruss Himes (better known as ]), a former friend of ] who was implicated in the murder by television channel ] and ] in 2005, had his ] lawsuit regarding the accusations thrown out of court.<ref> ''ABC 7 News'', January 19, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20</ref> | |||
| == Posthumous career == | |||
| Fifteen days after his death, Biggie's double-disc second album was released as planned with the shortened title of '']'' and hit #1 on the Billboard 200 charts, after making a premature appearance at #176 due to street-date violations. The record album featured a much wider range of guests and producers than its predecessor.<ref name="allmusic lad">Birchmeier, Jason ''Allmusic''. Retrieved on 2007-01-08</ref> It gained strong reviews and in 2000 was certified ], the highest ] certification awarded to a solo ] album. | |||
| Its lead single, "]", was the last ] recording in which Biggie would participate. His biggest chart success was with its follow-up "]", featuring ] (under the rap alias "Puff Daddy") and ]. The video, directed by ], is noted for having started the ] in ].<ref>Juon, Steve 'Flash' (March 9, 2004) ''Rap Reviews''. Retrieved on 2007-02-05</ref> Both singles reached #1 in the Hot 100, making Biggie the first artist to achieve this feat posthumously.<ref name="allmusic" /> The third single, "]", featuring ], was noted for its use of children in the music video, directed by ], who were used to portray Biggie and his contemporaries, including Combs, ], and ]. Biggie was named Artist of the Year and "Hypnotize" Single of the Year by '']'' magazine in December 1997.<ref> ''Rolling Stone'', December 7, 1997. Retrieved on 2006-12-26</ref> | |||
| In mid-1997, Combs released his debut album, '']'', which featured Biggie on five songs, notably on the third single "]". The most prominent single from the record album was "]", featuring Puff Daddy, ] and ], which was dedicated to Biggie's memory. At the 1998 ], ''Life After Death'' and its first two singles received nominations in the rap category. The album award was won by Combs' ''No Way Out'' and "I'll Be Missing You" gained the award in the category of "Mo Money Mo Problems".<ref> ''CNN''. Retrieved on 2007-01-27</ref> | |||
| In December 1999, ] released '']''. The record consisted of previously unreleased material mixed with guest appearances including many artists Biggie had never collaborated with in his lifetime. It gained some positive reviews but received criticism for its unlikely pairings; ''The Source'' describing it as "compiling some of the most awkward collaborations of his career".<ref> ''Tower Records'' (Muze data). Retrieved on 2006-12-10</ref> Nevertheless, the album sold 3 million copies. Over the course of time, Biggie vocals would appear on hit songs such as "]" by ] and "Realest Niggas" in 2002, and the song ] with Tupac Shakur the following year. He also appeared on ]'s 2001 album, '']''. In 2005, '']'' continued the pattern started on Born Again and was criticized for the lack of significant Biggie vocals on some of its songs.<ref> ''Rolling Stone'', January 12, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-10</ref><ref> ''Allmusic''. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.</ref> Its lead single "]" became Biggie's first UK #1 single. Combs and ] have stated the album will be the last release primarily featuring new material.<ref>Egere-Cooper, Matilda ''The Independent'', January 26, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-26</ref> | |||
| == Legacy == | |||
| ] art of Biggie in ], ], ] (2006)]] | |||
| Biggie is celebrated as one of the greatest rap artists and is described by ''Allmusic'' as "the savior of ]".<ref name="allmusic"/> ''The Source'' and ] named Biggie the greatest rapper of all time.<ref name="bbc profile"> ''BBC''. Retrieved on 2007-01-27</ref> In 2003, when ] asked several hip hop artists to list their five favorite ], Biggie's name appeared on more rappers' lists than anyone else. In 2006, he was ranked at #3 in MTV's The Greatest MC's of All Time.<ref name="mtv greatest"/> | |||
| Since his death, Biggie's lyrics have been sampled and quoted by a variety of hip hop, R&B and pop artists including Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Fat Joe, Nelly, Ja Rule, Lil Wayne, and Usher. On August 28, 2005, at the 2005 MTV ], ] (then using the rap alias "P. Diddy") and ] paid tribute to Biggie: an orchestra played while the vocals from "]" and "]" played on the arena speakers.<ref>Moss, Corey ''MTV News'', 2005-08-25. Retrieved on 2007-02-17</ref> In September 2005, ] had its second annual "Hip Hop Honors", with a tribute to Biggie headlining the show.<ref> Associated Press, June 25, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-02-17</ref> | |||
| Before his death, Biggie founded a hip hop ] called ], which consisted of Jay-Z, ], Combs, ] and himself. The Commission was mentioned by Biggie in the lyrics of "What's Beef" on '']'' and "]" from '']'' but never completed an album. A song on ''Duets: The Final Chapter'' titled "Whatchu Want (The Commission)" featuring Jay-Z was based on the group. | |||
| Biggie had begun to promote a clothing line called Brooklyn Mint, which was to produce plus-sized clothing but fell dormant after he died. In 2004, his managers, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow, launched the clothing line, with help from Jay-Z, selling T-shirts with images of Biggie on them. A portion of the proceeds go to the Christopher Wallace Foundation and to Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://allhiphop.com/blogs/news/archive/2005/02/08/18129732.aspx |title=B.I.G.'s Brooklyn Mint Clothing Line Debuts, Jay-Z Gets Down |publisher=AllHipHop |author=Strong, Nolan |date=February 8, 2005 |accessdate=2007-09-07}}</ref> In 2005, ] hired branding and licensing agency Wicked Cow Entertainment to guide the Estate's licensing efforts.<ref>{{cite|The Licensing Letter|epmcom.com |title=Properties Available for Licensing |publisher=EPM |author=The Licensing Letter |date=July 17, 2006}}</ref> Biggie-branded products on the market include action figures, blankets, and cell phone content.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://allhiphop.com/blogs/news/archive/2006/06/22/18131214.aspx |title=Limited Action Figures of B.I.G., Public Enemy Coming This Fall |publisher=AllHipHop |author=Wolfe, Roman |date=June 22, 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-07}}</ref> | |||
| The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation holds an annual black-tie dinner ("B.I.G. Night Out") to raise funds for children's school equipment and supplies and to honor the memory of the late rapper. For this particular event, because it is a children's schools' charity, "B.I.G." is also said to stand for "Books Instead of Guns".<ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |co-authors=Calloway, Sway |title=Biggie, Jam Master Jay, Left Eye and Their Mothers Honored at B.I.G. Night Out |publisher=MTV News |date=March 21, 2003 |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1470495/20030312/story.jhtml |accessdate=2006-08-01}}</ref> | |||
| === Style === | |||
| {{listen | |||
| | filename = 112 feat The Notorious BIG-Only You Remix.ogg | |||
| | title = ''Only You (Remix)'' | |||
| | description = Biggie, accompanied by ad libs from ], utilizes ] ] and multi-syllabic rhymes on his 1995 collaboration with ] group, ]. | |||
| | format = ] | |||
| | filename2 = NiggasBleed.ogg | |||
| | title2 = ''Niggas Bleed'' | |||
| | description2 = Biggie tells vivid stories about his everyday life as a criminal in ] (from '']''). | |||
| | format2 = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| Biggie mostly ] on his songs in a deep tone described by ''Rolling Stone'' as a "thick, jaunty grumble",<ref name="rolling stone lad"> ''Rolling Stone'', December 7, 1997. Retrieved on 2007-01-07</ref> which went deeper on ''Life After Death''.<ref name="rolling stone bio"/> He was often accompanied on songs with ]s from ]. On ]'s Unsigned Hype, they described his style as "cool, nasal, and filtered, to bless his own material". | |||
| '']'' describe Biggie as having "a loose, easy flow" with "a talent for piling multiple rhymes on top of one another in quick succession".<ref name="allmusic-rtd" /> ''Time'' magazine wrote Biggie rapped with an ability to "make multi-syllabic rhymes sound... smooth",<ref name="time"/> while Krims describes Biggie's rhythmic style as "]".<ref name="krims">{{cite book |last=Krims |first=Adam |title=Rap Music and the Poetics of Identity |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2000 |location=Cambridge |pages=85 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Gg8UiSodjz8C&dq=Rap+Music+and+the+Poetics+of+Identity&psp=1 |isbn=0521634474}}</ref> Before starting a verse, Biggie sometimes used ] ] to "warm up" (for example "uhhh" at the beginning of "Hypnotize" and "Big Poppa" and "whaat" after certain rhymes in songs such as "My Downfall").<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=William E. |title=Hip-hop as Performance and Ritual: Biography and Ethnography in Underground Hip Hop |publisher=Trafford Publishing |year=2005 |pages=163 |url=http://books.google.com/books?visbn=1412053943&id=KhfYjik1tzIC&dq=Hip-hop+as+Performance+and+Ritual |isbn=1412053943}}</ref> | |||
| Biggie would occasionally vary from his usual style. On "Playa Hater" from his second album, he sang in a slow-].<ref name="christgau lad">Christgau, Robert ''Consumer Guide Reviews''. Retrieved on 2007-01-07</ref> On his collaboration with ], "]", he modified his style to match the rapid rhyme flow of the group. | |||
| === Themes and lyrical content === | |||
| Biggie's lyrical topics and themes included ] tales ("Niggas Bleed"), his drug dealing past ("10 Crack Commandments"), materialistic bragging ("]"), as well as humor ("Just Playing (Dreams)"),<ref name="mtv lyrics feature"> ''MTV''. Retrieved on 2006-12-26</ref> and ] ("Me & My Bitch").<ref name="mtv lyrics feature"/> ''Rolling Stone'' named Biggie in 2004 as "one of the few young male songwriters in any pop style writing credible love songs".<ref name="rolling stone bio"/> | |||
| According to ] of the '']'' in 1994, Biggie's lyrics " autobiographical details about ] and ] with emotional honesty".<ref name="NY Times 1994"/> Marriott of the ''NY Times'' (in 1997) believed his lyrics were not strictly autobiographical and wrote he "had a knack for exaggeration that increased sales".<ref name="ny times short life"/> Biggie described his debut as "a big pie, with each slice indicating a different point in my life involving bitches and niggaz... from the beginning to the end".<ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Jake |title=Ready to Die: The Story of Biggie Smalls Notorious B.I.G. |publisher=Colossus Books |date=May 24, 2004 |pages=66 |isbn=0974977934}}</ref> | |||
| ''Ready to Die'' is described by '']'' as a contrast of "bleak" street visions and being "full of high-spirited fun, bringing the pleasure principle back to hip-hop".<ref name="rolling stone bio"> ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved on 2006-12-26</ref> ''Allmusic'' write of "a sense of doom" in some of his songs and the ''NY Times'' note some being "laced with paranoia";<ref name="allmusic-rtd"/><ref name="NY times Mar 97"/> Biggie described himself as feeling "broke and depressed" when he made his debut.<ref name="NY times Mar 97">Pareles, Jon ''The New York Times'', March 10, 1997. Retrieved on 2008-03-26</ref> The final song on the album, "]", featured Biggie contemplating suicide and concluded with him committing the act. | |||
| On '']'', Biggie's lyrics went "deeper".<ref name="rolling stone bio"/> Krims explains how upbeat, dance-oriented tracks (which featured less heavily on his debut) alternate with "]" songs on the record and suggests that he was "going pimp" through some of the lyrical topics of the former.<ref name="krims"/> ] wrote that Biggie "revamped his image" through the portrayal of himself between the albums, going from "midlevel hustler" on his debut to "]".<ref>Ex, Kris "". ], November 6, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-10</ref> | |||
| ''Allmusic'' believe ''Ready to Die'''s success is "mostly due to Biggie's skill as a storyteller";<ref name="allmusic-rtd"/> In 1994, ''Rolling Stone'' described Biggie's ability in this technique as painting "a sonic picture so vibrant that you're transported right to the scene".<ref name="muze"> '']'' (Muze data). Retrieved on 2006-12-10</ref> On ''Life After Death'' Biggie notably demonstrated this skill on "I Got a Story to Tell" telling a story as a rap for the first half of the song and then as a story "for his boys" in conversation form.<ref name="christgau lad"/> | |||
| === Future biopic === | |||
| {{main|Notorious (2009 film)}} | |||
| ''Notorious'' is an forthcoming 2009 ] about Notorious B.I.G. and his life starring rapper Jamal "Gravy" Woolard as Biggie, with ] directing.<ref name=xxl/> The film is being distributed by ]. Producers on ''Notorious'' include ], ] and Biggie's former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.<ref name =xxl> '']'' (August 13, 2007). Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> | |||
| In early October 2007 open casting calls for the role of The Notorious B.I.G. began.<ref>Melena Ryzik (October 8, 2007) '']''. Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> Actors, rappers and unknowns all tried out. Rapper ] auditioned<ref> '']'' (October 3, 2007). Accessed November 28, 2007,</ref> for the role but was not picked. ] claimed that he would play the role of Biggie but producers have denied he would be in the film.<ref> '']'' (August 30, 2007). Accessed November 28, 2007</ref> Eventually it was announced that rapper ] cast as Biggie.<ref> '']'' (March 6, 2008). Accessed March 6, 2008.</ref> Other cast members include ] as ], ] as ], ] as ], ] formerly of ] as ], Edwin Freeman as ] and ] as ].<ref> '']'' (March 6, 2008). Accessed March 6, 2008</ref> Bad Boy Records will release a soundtrack album to the film on January 13, 2009; the album will contain hit singles of B.I.G. such as "Hypnotize", "Juicy", and "Warning" as well as rarities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1600597/20081203/notorious_big.jhtml|title='Notorious' Soundtrack Details Revealed: Features Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Faith Evans, Biggie's Son|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=2008-12-03|publisher=MTV News|accessdate=2008-12-27}}</ref> | |||
| == Discography == | |||
| {{main|The Notorious B.I.G. discography}} | |||
| * 1994: '']'' | |||
| * 1997: '']'' | |||
| * 1999: '']'' | |||
| * 2005: '']'' | |||
| * 2007: '']'' | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{Reflist|2}} | |||
| == Further reading == | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Coker |first=Cheo Hodari |title=Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G. |year=2004 |publisher=Three Rivers Press |location=New York |isbn=0609808354}} | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Wallace |first=Voletta |coauthors=McKenzie, Tremell and Evans, Faith (foreword) |title=Biggie: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G. |year=2005 |publisher=Atria |isbn=0743470206}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| * Official Notorious BIG Website | |||
| * Official Movie Web Site | |||
| * Social Network and Fan Club | |||
| * Official website | |||
| * Official website | |||
| * Official Page | |||
| * Fan site | |||
| * film clip from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, 1989 | |||
| * Rare of Notorious B.I.G. performing "Warning," released posthumously | |||
| * at ] | |||
| * | |||
| {{The Notorious B.I.G.}} | |||
| {{Bad boy}} | |||
| {{Featured article}} | |||
| {{Persondata | |||
| |NAME = Notorious B.I.G., The | |||
| |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Wallace, Christopher George Letore | |||
| |SHORT DESCRIPTION = Rapper | |||
| |DATE OF BIRTH = May 21, 1972 | |||
| |PLACE OF BIRTH = ], ], ], ] | |||
| |DATE OF DEATH = March 9, 1997 | |||
| |PLACE OF DEATH = ], ], ] | |||
| }} | |||
| {{lifetime|1972|1997|B.I.G., The Notorious}} | |||
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