“Then came the worst date, May 21st. 2:19 that’s when my mommas water burst”
Raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Wallace grew up during the peak years of the 1980s crack epidemic and started dealing drugs at an early age. When Wallace released his debut album Ready to Die in 1994, he was a central figure in the East Coast hip hop scene and increased New York’s visibility at a time when West Coast artists were more common in the mainstream. The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé hip hop group, Junior M.A.F.I.A.. While recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop feud, dominating the scene at the time.
On March 9, 1997, Wallace was killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.
The Late Great Christopher Wallace aka. The Notorious B.I.G. would have been 38 years old today. #RIP BIGGIE