Biggie Smalls, commonly known as Notorious B.I.G. in the rap community around the world, was born on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. As a teen, he began experimenting with music and soon became friends with Sean “Puffy” Combs. Friends do influence our life; pick wisely.
Ready to Die, his debut album, was a massive smash back in 1994, and his long-time rivalry with fellow rapper Tupac Shakur helped shape his career. On March 9, 1997, Biggie was shot in Los Angeles.
In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Biggie, or “The Notorious B.I.G,” had a difficult upbringing, growing up surrounded by drug users and dealers.
Biggie was imprisoned for dealing drugs at the age of 17 and spent nine months in a North Carolina prison before posting bail. Biggie began composing music as he navigated through his early days in the industry comprised of uncertainty in his career.
He joined the “Old Gold Brothers” group and began exploring on his own. No matter what happens to you, it doesn’t have to define you or your future. You have absolutely everything that can change the course of your entire life. He truly was and continues to be an inspiration for the people in the rap community and others in general.
Word On The Street
Yet, rumors have it that a widely known conflict between East and West coast rap artists was supposed to be the cause for his demise, and it was rumored to be a revenge killing following the death of former companion turned enemy Tupac Shakur, barely six months before the shooting.
Shakur was also claimed to have been gunned down as a result of the feud, but this prompted Biggie and his crew to try to mend the connection between East and West coast artists and restore peace to the rap community.
Biggie was interviewed multiple times while promoting his latest album, Life After Death, and utilized these opportunities to convey his grief over Tupac’s murder and his desire for peace between the opposing groups. This made me realize that life is way too short, so do not hold grudges and make peace when you can before it’s too late.
While no one has ever been prosecuted in Biggie’s murder, a former FBI agent has stated that he believes the murder was ordered by Biggie’s former business colleague and nemesis Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight. Nobody has ever taken responsibility for the shooting, and the case was and still remains a mystery.
Celebration That Turned Into A Real Nightmare
Biggie, his family, and his record label were meant to be celebrating the premiere of his new album, but instead, they were dishearteningly preparing for his funeral. Not could prepare them for this tragic and heartbreaking news. Their world came crashing down just like the house made out of cards.
Violetta Wallace, Biggie’s mother, was devastated by his murder because the twenty-four-year-old rap singer, her sole child and had just become a father to another son, Christopher Wallace Jr. Biggie’s ex-wife Faith Evans, their two children, T’yanna and Christoper, and his loving mother, Violetta, were all left behind.
Final Album
Notorious B.I.G.’s final album, Life After Death, was released two weeks after the rapper’s death and quickly ended up being among the best rap albums of all time.
It reached number one on the Billboard Top 200 and R&B/Hip Hop charts in the United States, and it went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide.
Last Words of Notorious B.I.G.
In Notorious B.I.G.’s case, his final words were a premonition of his destiny. Biggie is reported to have played his new song “Hypnotize” loudly via a car’s speakers after exiting the industry celebration at the Petersen Automotive Museum, with the rapper shouting along to the lyrics of the song that goes like “I spit phrases that’ll thrill you, You’re nobody until somebody murders you.” It sent shivers down my spine.
How Did Notorious Big Die: The Tragic End
On March 9, 1997, rapper Notorious B.I.G. was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile District. Biggie was driving back to his hotel with his crew after attending an industry party with other rap stars.
A minute later, a black Chevrolet Impala came up beside the rapper in his Green GMC Suburban and fired fire despite being brought to a nearby Medical Center for immediate surgery. Notorious B.I.G. succumbed to the traumatic injuries and then was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. at the age of 24.
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