Biggie Smalls is a late American rapper, who Although he hasn’t had any new music since the 90s, he is still considered today as one of the greatest rappers of all time and the savior of hip- hop East Coast.
The notorious BIG or Biggie as he is commonly known was revered for his ability to tell stories of the hustler lifestyle with his powerful baritone and effortless flow.
the biography
Biggie Smalls was born Christopher George Latore Wallace to Voletta Wallace and Selwyn George Latore on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where he was raised by his mother after his father, who worked as a welder, abandoned the family when Biggie was just two years old.
Biggie was a brilliant student as a child. He attended Queen of All Saints College, where he won several awards, including English. It was also around this time that he received the nickname ‘Big’ due to his size. He then attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School before transferring to George Westinghouse Technical and Technical Training High School where, coincidentally, future rappers such as Jay-Z, DMX and Busta Rhymes also attended. made at that time.
Wallace continued to excel in school, but after he began dealing drugs and becoming involved in a life of crime, he left school at the age of 17. At 18, Biggie was arrested and sentenced to five years probation for illegal possession of a weapon. The following year he was arrested for violating his probation and the following year he was arrested again for selling cocaine crack in North Carolina. This time, he spent nine months in jail before he could be released on bail.
In prison, Biggie honed his rapping skills as he had previously rapped to entertain people in school and on the streets. Upon his release, he recorded a mixtape under the nickname Biggie Smalls, a name he takes from the film. Let’s Do It Again (1975). Although she had no plans to seek a record deal or pursue a rap career, the mixtape made waves in the underground hip-hop scene and was heard by then-working Sean Combs. as A&R for Uptown Records.
Combs signed Biggie to Uptown but after he was fired he created Bad Boy Records and the rapper followed him to the new label. Following a lawsuit, Biggie Smalls had to change his recording name to The Notorious BIG under which he released his first song as a solo artist titled Party and Bullshit in 1993.
In September 1994, The Notorious BIG released their debut album, Ready to Die to critical and commercial acclaim. The album was certified gold within two months of its release before selling over four million copies. The single “Big Poppa” earned him a Grammy nomination by single-handedly restoring East Coast hip-hop, a far cry from the West Coast gangster rap that dominated.
Between 1996 and 1997, Biggie Smalls recorded his second album titled Life After Death which was to be released on March 25, 1997. On March 8, the rapper attended the Soul Train Awards, during which he took part in a party. Around midnight, the party was closed by firefighters. Biggie and his entourage are gone. Back at his hotel, he stopped at a red light and was shot four times. He was immediately taken to hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
His album, however, was released as planned and sold over 10 million copies by the year 2000.
Biggie Smalls Family – Mom, Wife, Son & Daughter
Biggie Smalls’ mother, Voletta Wallace, is of Jamaican descent. She was born in 1953 and worked as a preschool teacher when her son was still a child. After her son’s death, Mrs Wallace took control of his estate and founded the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation. She is currently believed to have an estimated net worth of $40 million.
Biggie Smalls was married to R&B singer FaithEvans who was his label mate on Bad Boy Records. The couple met at a Bad Boy photoshoot and married shortly after on August 4, 1994. Their marriage was marred by infidelity on Biggie’s side, prompting Evans to split up with her husband.
During their time together, the couple had a son called Christopher Jordan Wallace on October 29, 1996. Wallace Jr. is now an actor who is best known for portraying his father in the biopic Famous (2009), as well as for his appearances in films like Everything must go (2010) and Kicks (2016).
Before Christopher, Biggie had a daughter named T’Yanna with his longtime girlfriend and high school friend, Jan Jackson. T’Yanna, born August 8, 1993, is now a fashion designer and owner of Notorious Clothing.
Height, weight and other facts
Birth name: Christopher George Latore Wallace
Nickname: The Notorious BIG, Biggie Smalls, Biggie
Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA
Date of birth: May 21, 1972
Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m)
Weight: 300–380 lbs (140–170 kg)