The Notorious B.I.G.

His first child Tyanna, a daughter from his long time girlfriend, was born on August 8, 1993.

On August 4, 1994, he married Faith Evans, an R&B singer. Their son Christopher ‘C.J.’ Wallace, Jr. was born on October 29, 1996.

After attending the party at ‘Peterson Automotive Museum’ on March 8, 1997, hosted by ‘Quest Records’ and ‘Vibe’ magazine, he left in a SUV at around 12:30 a.m. on March 9. While his SUV stopped at a signal, a dark colored Chevrolet Impala SS stopped by the side of his car and the driver shot him multiple times. He succumbed to his injuries at the ‘Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’ at 1:15 a.m.

Biggie Smalls was born in on May 21, 1972, at ‘St. Mary’s Hospital’ in Brooklyn, New York to Voletta Wallace and Selwyn George Latore as their only child. His mother was a Jamaican preschool teacher and his father was a small-time politician and welder.

He had a rough childhood as his father left the family when he was just two. His mother had to take up two jobs to sustain the family.

He attended the ‘Queen of All Saints Middle School’ where he excelled in class and won many awards as a student of English. He became overweight by the age of 10 and was nicknamed ‘Big’.

From an early age he had seen many drug addicts and dealers all around him. As his mother had to go out for work, Biggie started dealing in drugs as early as 12.

He attended the ‘George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School’ after taking transfer from ‘Roman Catholic Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School’. His mother Voletta said he adapted a ‘smart-ass’ attitude though he was still a good student.

While leading his uncertain life as a teenager he began exploring music and performed raps on streets and with the local groups ‘Techniques’ and ‘Old Gold Brothers’.

He made a casual demo tape ‘Biggie Smalls’, the name was inspired from his own stature as well as from a character of a 1975 film ‘Let’s Do it Again’. It was promoted by Mister Cee, a New York based DJ and was heard by editor of ‘The Source’.

‘In March 1992, the ‘Unsigned Hype’ column of ‘The Source’, which is dedicated for aspirant rappers, featured him. The ‘Uptown Records A&R’ signed him after hearing the demo tape.

In mid-1992, when Sean Combs, the record producer of ‘Uptown Records A&R’ was fired, Biggie Smalls signed with Comb’s ‘Bad Boy Records’.

On August 8, 1993, he had his first child Tyanna, a daughter from his long time girlfriend. He split with his girlfriend before Tyanna was born but wanted Tyanna to complete her education. To financially support Tyanna he continued to deal with drugs and when this fact was discovered by Combs, he made Biggies Smalls quit.

He was described as ‘the savior of East Coast hip hop’ by ‘All Music’.

In 2002, he was named the greatest rapper of all time by ‘The Source’ in its 150th issue.

In 2006, he was ranked third in MTV’s list of ‘The Greatest MCs of All Time’.

In 2009, ‘Notorious’, a biographical film on him was released which garnered $44,000,000 globally. The producers of the film include his mother Voletta Wallace and Sean Combs.

‘Billboard’ named him the greatest rapper of all time in 2015.