The Notorious B.I.G.
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| The Notorious B.I.G.
<tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:Biggie018.jpg </td></tr> | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information
<tr><td>Birth name</td><td colspan="2">Christopher George Latore Wallace</td></tr><tr><td>Also known as</td><td colspan="2">Biggie Smalls |
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), also known as Biggie Smalls (after a stylish gangster in the 1975 film Let's Do it Again), Big Poppa, and Frank White (from the film King of New York), but best known as The Notorious B.I.G. (Business Instead of Game), was a highly successful American rapper who rose to fame during the mid-1990s.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Wallace was raised at the height of the crack epidemic of the 1980's. By the time his critically acclaimed album Ready to Die was released in 1994, he was the central figure of East Coast hip-hop, reviving New York's prominence in a hip-hop scene which had previously been focused on West Coast hip-hop. Wallace was shot and killed in March 1997. His posthumous double-disc set, Life After Death, has sold over 10 million copies, making it the fifth best-selling hip-hop album ever.<ref>RIAA Top 100 Albums (2006-05-04). Retrieved on 2006-08-03.</ref>
Biggie was noted for his storytelling and freestyling abilities, and his intelligent yet accessible lyrics. His short career was overshadowed by the Bad Boy/Death Row Records feud dominating the hip-hop scene at the time, but since his death, the Notorious B.I.G. has been celebrated as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/index11.jhtml</ref>
Contents |
Biography
Early life
Christopher Wallace was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. His father, a small-time Jamaican politician named George Latore, left the family when Wallace was two years old. His mother, Voletta, worked two jobs while raising him. He was a good student, winning several awards as an English student at Queen of All Saints Middle School and maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.[citation needed] He was already nicknamed "Big" because of his size before he turned ten years old.<ref>Sullivan, Randall (December 05, 2005). The Unsolved Mystery of the Notorious B.I.G.. Rollingstone.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> He eventually told his mother he wanted to transfer out of the private Roman Catholic school, and ended up at Westinghouse High School, where both Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes were also students; according to Wallace's mother, he was still a good student at Westinghouse, but had a "smart-ass" attitude.<ref>Coker, Cheo H. (March 8, 2005). Excerpt: Unbelievable - The Life, Death, and Afterlife of The Notorious B.I.G.. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> He dropped out of high school at the age of 17, and soon began selling crack to support himself. He was arrested in North Carolina and spent nine months in jail.<ref>Notorious B.I.G.: Biography. allmusic.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref>
1992 - 1994: Rapping career
After leaving prison, Wallace made a demo tape under the name of Biggie Smalls, a reference to his childhood nickname and to his stature (he stood 6'3" (1.90 m) and weighed between 300 and 400 pounds (between 136 kg and 181 kg)).[citation needed] The tape was heard and later promoted by New York-based DJ Mister Cee, who had previously worked with Big Daddy Kane.<ref name="atlantic_bio" /><ref name="allmusic" /> In March 1992, he featured in The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype column, dedicated to aspiring rappers.<ref>Notorious BIG Photos > Biography. Atlantic Records. Retrieved on 2006-11-30.</ref> The tape was sent to Uptown Records A&R and producer, Sean "Puffy" Combs, who arranged for a meeting with Wallace, that would tie the friendship between the two.<ref name="allmusic">Notorious B.I.G. > Biography. allmusic.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> Wallace was immediately signed to the label<ref name="allmusic" /> and made a cameo appearance on label-mates, Heavy D & the Boyz' "A Buncha Niggas", on their 1992 album, Blue Funk.<ref>Blue Funk > Overview. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.</ref>
Despite his new deal with Combs, Wallace was initially skeptical that rap music could provide him with a financially comfortable life and continued to traffic drugs in the South (of New York). Combs found out that Biggie was still selling drugs so he pleaded Wallace to leave the drug business and focus on music. Wallace chose to quit dealing drugs and the house he kept his drugs in was raided the next day.[citation needed] His drug dealing life behind, Biggie then became a full-time artist. Soon after signing his recording contract, Combs left Uptown. Wallace followed and was signed to Combs' new label, Bad Boy Records.<ref name="allmusic" />
Wallace's first single was "Cruisin'," released in 1992, followed by "Party and Bullshit", which appeared on the soundtrack to the film Who's the Man?, the following year. He continued to make appearances on other artists' recordings, including remixes of Mary J. Blige's popular singles "Real Love" & "What's the 411" and a remix of Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear". Ironically, Biggie appeared on a song called "Runnin'" with 2Pac, which later appeared on the album One Million Strong, with whom he'd later have a highly publicized feud. His first solo single to chart was the double A-side "Juicy/Unbelievable", which peaked at #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart in 1993 and was certified gold. This was the first single to be released from his debut album, Ready to Die.
Ready to Die
Ready to Die was released on September 14, 1994 and is now considered a classic hardcore hip-hop album. The album peaked at #3 on The Billboard 200 album chart,<ref>Artist Chart History. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> and was eventually certified four times platinum.<ref>RIAA searchable database. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> The album featured production by Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier and Combs, and contained guest appearances by Method Man and Diana King.
One of Wallace's most well-known songs, "Big Poppa," which sampled the Isley Brothers, was released as the third single from the album.<ref>Ready to Die > Overview. allmusic.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> The second single from the album, "One More Chance" featuring Faith Evans, sampled DeBarge's "Stay With Me" and was a remix of the identically titled song on Ready to Die. This became his highest selling single, going platinum less than two months after its release.<ref>RIAA searchable database. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref> Wallace married Faith Evans in August 1994.
Junior M.A.F.I.A.
In August 1995, Wallace's protegé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Junior Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes), released their debut album, Conspiracy. The album debuted at #8 on the The Billboard 200 chart and went gold. Singles "Players Anthem" and "Gettin' Money" went gold and platinum respectively. During that same year, Wallace introduced to the mainstream hip-hop scene his crewmates, Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease.
By the end of 1995, Wallace had become one of the most successful rappers in existence. At the annual Source Awards, presented by The Source magazine, he won four awards for Best New Artist (Solo), Lyricist of the Year, Live Performer of the Year, and Album of the Year (for Ready to Die).<ref>The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 1995. The 411 online. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref>
1994 - 1996: East Coast - West Coast feud
Wallace was notable for his involvement in Rap's infamous feud between the East and West Coast scenes. Before Ready to Die was released, he began to associate with successful rap artist Tupac Shakur, a New York City native who was living in Los Angeles when they met. They recorded a number of songs together, and Wallace even performed alongside Shakur at Madison Square Garden in 1994. However, their friendship ended when Shakur was shot in November of that year. Though there is no evidence suggesting it,[verification needed] Shakur claimed that Combs and Wallace knew about the shooting beforehand based on their behavior that night and what he had heard from his sources.[citation needed] Shakur joined Death Row Records after his release from prison in late 1995.
Image:2pac-Hit Em Up video still.JPG Death Row Records and Bad Boy Entertainment were the two most successful hip hop labels of the 1990s.[citation needed] Thus with the two biggest stars in rap now associated with different labels, the feud escalated. In 1996, Shakur released his single "Hit 'Em Up", in which he explicitly claims to have had sex with Biggie's wife Faith Evans, and that Biggie copied his style. In September 1996, Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas; rumors of Wallace's possible involvement in the murder cropped up almost immediately. He denied the allegations based on injuries he suffered in a car crash that shattered his leg and would force him to use a cane for the rest of his life. The accident was alluded to in a lyric from his song "Long Kiss Goodnight":
"It used to tickle me</br> I used to be as hard as Ripple be</br> 'Til Lil Cease crippled me</br> Now I play hard like my girls' nipples be</br> The game sour like a pickle be</br> Y'all know the rules".</br>
1997: Death
On March 9, 1997, Wallace was attending the Soul Train Music Awards at the Peterson Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Other guests included Busta Rhymes, Heavy D, Da Brat, Aaliyah, Jermaine Dupri, Jagged Edge, Yo Yo, and Sean "Puffy" Combs.
Just after midnight fire marshals shut down the party due to overcrowding of the museum. Biggie left with his friends in two black GMC Suburbans. Sean Combs was in one truck. In the second truck Biggie was seated in the front passenger seat alongside his friends Damion Butler, sitting behind the driver, and Lil' Cease behind Biggie.
By 12:45 a.m. the street was crowded with people leaving the event. Biggie's truck stopped at a red light just 50 yards from the museum. While waiting for the light to change, a black Chevy Impala crept up alongside the truck Biggie was in. The driver of the Impala (an African-American male neatly dressed in a blue suit and bow tie) rolled down his window, drew a 9mm pistol and shot numerous rounds into the GMC Suburban; four bullets hit Biggie in the chest. It was believed he was killed instantly [citation needed], but paramedics rushed him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m.
The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder case was reopened in July of 2006.<ref>"LAPD launching new Notorious BIG task force", The Associated Press, 2006-08-03. Retrieved on 2006-09-29. (in English)</ref>
Funeral
Biggie's death was a shock to the music industry. Wallace was loved in his neighborhood and his funeral was well-attended. Thousands flooded into his Brooklyn neighborhood to catch a glimpse of his hearse. Many heard this and started jumping on cars and clashing with police; ten people were arrested.<ref> "Biggie Smalls' last ride to Brooklyn", The Associated Press, 1997-03-19. Retrieved on 2006-09-29. (in English)</ref> Smalls was cremated on March 18, 1997.
Theories about his death
His murder has not been solved, though theories abound as to the motives and identities of the murderers. Pipe Records CEO and the Mob Piru Bloods gang with whom he associated are among the prime suspects for involvement. In his book Pipe World, LAPD officer Russell Poole probes the circumstances and figures involved in the shootings.
Still some believe that the Crips gang may have shot Wallace in retaliation for his not paying for the security services they provided at a previous party.[citation needed]
Director Nick Broomfield and co-producer Dmitri Leybman have released an investigative documentary called Biggie & Tupac (2002) which implicates the LAPD and Suge Knight. Proponents of this theory defend it because the LAPD's elite robbery and homicide unit didn't begin to investigate Wallace's murder until a month after it happened, and the job was given to a poorly funded division of LAPD investigators; and several prison inmates who were once members of the Mob Piru Bloods have come forward and said that they know for a fact that Suge Knight ordered Wallace's murder due to their own personal connections.
Lawsuits
In March 2005, Voletta Wallace filed a wrongful death suit against the LAPD for $2 million. Wallace claimed that the LAPD had sufficient evidence to arrest the murderer of her son, but failed to utilize it. She won the lawsuit in the summer of 2005, and the criminal case has since been re-opened. The civil trial is expected to commence in 2006. Attorneys for Wallace have stated her son's estate could be worth as much as $362 million, an amount that could bankrupt the city of Los Angeles if the LAPD is found to have played a role in Notorious B.I.G.'s murder.<ref>Philips, Chuck. "LAPD Renews Search for Rapper's Killer", Los Angeles Times, 2006-07-31. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref>
1997 - present: Posthumous career
Life After Death
Two weeks after Wallace's death, Life After Death, Wallace's sophomore album, was released and debuted at #1 on the The Billboard 200 album charts. The album's lead single "Hypnotize" was the last music video recording in which he would partake. Life After Death hit number one on the Billboard charts and spawned several hit singles. The album sold over 10 million copies in the US alone and is the second best selling hip-hop album of all time. His biggest chart hit was "Mo Money, Mo Problems," which featured Combs (under the rap alias "Puff Daddy") and rapper Ma$e, and sampled "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross. The video is noted for having started the "Shiny Suit" era in hip hop. The last video single from Life After Death was "Sky's The Limit," featuring 112, which borrowed a sample of Bobby Caldwell's "My Flame". The video for this song, directed by Spike Jonze, was noted for the use of children portraying Wallace and his contemporaries, such as Combs, Lil' Kim, and Busta Rhymes.
During the summer of 1997, Combs released his debut album, No Way Out, which featured Wallace on five songs, notably in the chorus of the single "Been Around the World". The most prominent single from the album was "I'll Be Missing You," which was dedicated to Wallace's memory. The song featured Puff Daddy, Wallace's widow Faith Evans and 112. The song sampled The Police's hit song "Every Breath You Take". During the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, they performed the song with former Police vocalist Sting.
Born Again
In 1999, Combs released Wallace's third album, Born Again. It had two hit singles: "Notorious B.I.G." featuring Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim (interpolation to the Duran Duran's song of the same name), and "Dead Wrong" a single that later was remixed with a verse from Eminem. The video for "Notorious B.I.G." also featured appearances by 98 Degrees and Fat Joe.
In 2001, one of Wallace's raps was featured in Michael Jackson's song "Unbreakable," which was included on his multi-platinum album Invincible. Wallace previously collaborated with Jackson in his 1995 song "This Time Around" from the autobiographical album HIStory.
In 2002, former producer and friend of Wallace, Irv Gotti, sampled Wallace's classic, record breaking hit "One More Chance" for his up-and-coming singer, Ashanti. The song, called "Foolish" was one of the biggest hits of 2002, and Wallace's verse from "Fuck You Tonight" (from Life After Death) was added to the remix, "Unfoolish". Gotti paid tribute to Wallace at a Hot 97 performance of the song later that year.
Also in 2002, Combs gave 50 Cent rights to sample Wallace's verses from "Niggas" (a song from the Born Again album) into a song called "The Realest Niggaz". It leaked and was a big hit on New York City hip-hop radio stations. Many have attributed that song as the first big break for 50 Cent. The song was later released on the soundtrack for the 2003 movie Bad Boys 2. Later on in 2003, Eminem remixed the 1994 Wallace/Shakur collaboration "Runnin'" and added a sample of Edgar Winter's "Dying to Live." Titled "Runnin' (Dying To Live)", the song was released as a single from the soundtrack of Tupac Resurrection.
On August 28, 2005, at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Combs (who was hosting the event) and Snoop Dogg paid a well-received tribute to Wallace: an orchestra played while the lyrics from "Juicy" and "Warning" played on the arena speakers. In September 2005, VH1 had its second annual "Hip Hop Honors," with a tribute to Wallace headlining the show.
Duets: The Final Chapter
Duets: The Final Chapter was released on December 20, 2005. The album spawned the singles "Nasty Girl", which became his first UK #1, as well as "Spit Your Game", "Whatchu Want", and "Hold Ya Head". The previously released "The Realest Niggaz" also appeared on the album.
On March 19, 2006, a judge ordered that sales of Ready to Die be halted because the title track apparently sampled "Singing in the Morning" by the Ohio Players without permission. <ref>Notorious B.I.G. Album Sales Halted. cbc.ca (2006-03-19). Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref> Combs said he plans to appeal, and is very confident he will win this time.
In an interview with XXL Magazine (conducted in 1995 but released in 2003), Wallace himself said he was planning to retire from rap music in 2000 to manage the careers of the Junior M.A.F.I.A. members.[citation needed]
Before his death, 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, B.I.G.'s managers, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow, launched a clothing line called Brooklyn Mint, with help from Jay-Z, selling T-shirts with images of Wallace on them. A portion of the proceeds go to the Christopher Wallace Foundation and to Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.<ref>Nolan Strong (2005-02-08). B.I.G.'s Brooklyn Mint Clothing Line Debuts, Jay-Z Gets Down. AllHipHop. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.</ref>
Legacy
Biggie is widely celebrated as one of the all time greatest hip-hop artists. Unfortunately, a limiting factor of Biggie's legacy is the fact that he only recorded two albums while alive, with only two posthumous releases in the near-decade since his death. In 2006, MTV ranked Biggie as the #1 MC of all time, but later rescinded. However, he still ranked number #3, with only 2Pac and Jay-Z ranked ahead of him.
Biggie's lyrics have also been sampled and quoted by many prominent hip hop artists, such as Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Nelly, Pharrell Williams, Ludacris, Big Pun, Beanie Sigel, Juelz Santana, R&B stars like Usher, Ashanti, Alicia Keys and even pop artists such as Nelly Furtato. In 2001, The Source crowned Biggie as the greatest rapper of all time. Likewise, in 2003, when XXL Magazine asked many hip-hop artists to list their 5 favorite MC's, Biggie's name appeared on more rappers' lists than anyone else.
Moments before his death, Wallace created a hip-hop supergroup called The Commission, which consisted of himself, Jay-Z, Lil' Cease, P. Diddy and Charli Baltimore. A song on the Duets album called "Whatchu Want (The Commission)" featuring Jay-Z is based on the group. The Commission was also mentioned in the song "Victory" from No Way Out. However, considering his later style of La Cosa Nostra, he was probably exulting his contemporaries as The Commission, a group in which heads of the mafia families meet. Other rumored members of the Commission included Ma$e, Cam'ron and the LOX. [citation needed]
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>Biggie, Jam Master Jay, Left Eye And Their Mothers Honored At B.I.G. Night Out. mtv.com (2003-03-21). Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref>
Biggie's branding and licensing efforts are spearheaded by Wicked Cow Entertainment, Inc. out of New York City.
Technique
From early in his career, Biggie's lyrical content involved hardcore gangsta-rap lyrics at a time when that style dominated the West Coast. During that time, most of his native New York was dominated by the jazziness of A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr and the blend of Five Percenter/far East-influenced/gangsta stylings of MCs like Afu Ra, Jeru the Damaja and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Selected discography
Albums
| Album information |
|---|
Ready to Die
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Conspiracy with Junior M.A.F.I.A.
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Life After Death
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Born Again
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Duets: The Final Chapter
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | RIAA Certification | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop | U.S. Rap | UK Singles Chart | Rhythmic Top 40 | ||||
| 1994 | "Juicy" / "Unbelievable" | #27 | #14 | #3 | #72 | #36 | Gold | Ready To Die |
| 1995 | "Big Poppa" / "Warning" | #6 | #4 | #1 | #63 | #12 | Platinum | Ready To Die |
| 1995 | "One More Chance" / "Stay With Me" (featuring Faith Evans) | #2 | #1 | #1 | #34 | #7 | Platinum | Ready To Die |
| 1997 | "Hypnotize" | #1 | #1 | #1 | #10 | #3 | Platinum | Life After Death |
| 1997 | "Mo Money Mo Problems" (featuring Puff Daddy & Mase) | #1 | #2 | #1 | #6 | #2 | Platinum | Life After Death |
| 1997 | "Going Back To Cali" | #26 | #31 | #3 | - | - | - | Life After Death |
| 1998 | "Sky's The Limit" (featuring 112) | - | - | - | #35 | - | Gold | Life After Death |
| 1999 | "Dead Wrong" (featuring Eminem) | - | #39 | - | - | - | - | Born Again |
| 1999 | "Notorious B.I.G." (featuring Puff Daddy & Lil' Kim) | #67 | #30 | - | #16 | #28 | - | Born Again |
| 2005 | "Nasty Girl" (featuring Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avery Storm) | #46 | #20 | #9 | #1 | #23 | - | Duets: The Final Chapter |
| 2006 | "Spit Your Game" / "Hold Ya Head" (featuring Twista, Krayzie Bone, 8 Ball & MJG) | - | #68 | - | #64 | - | - | Duets: The Final Chapter |
Trivia
- Amongst the performers Biggie discovered, or in some way helped further their rap careers, were The LOX, Cam'ron, Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Mase and Charli Baltimore.
- Method Man is the only artist besides B.I.G. to appear on Ready To Die, on the track "The What".
- He collaborated with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, the only group who have had the opportunity to collaborate with Biggie and each of the late rappers 2Pac, Eazy-E, and Big Pun. "Bone" was first featured with Biggie on the track "Notorious Thugs" which has been recently remixed in the track Spit Your Game. On "Notorious Thugs," Biggie modifies his lyrics to match the speed and rhythmic style of the unique Cleveland sound produced by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
- Both "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems" hit #1 after Biggie's death giving him two posthumous #1 hits - more than any other singer. Other posthumous #1 hits belong to Otis Redding ("The Dock Of The Bay"); Janis Joplin ("Me And Bobby McGee"); Jim Croce ("Time In A Bottle"); and, John Lennon ("(Just Like) Starting Over").
- Biggie had the ability to freestyle.
- Biggie's diss track "Kick In The Door" was directed towards fellow New York rappers Nas, according to Nas on his song "Last Real Nigga Alive" and Jeru the Damaja, according to a XXL Magazine interview with Jeru and producer DJ Premier. Each emcee had a verse dedicated to him: the second verse being directed at Jeru, the final and third verse of the song being directed at Nas.
- Biggie was good friends with now rivals Jay-Z and Cam'Ron and ironically instrumental in both of their careers.
- Biggie appeared on Shaquille O'Neal's song "Still Can't Stop the Reign".<ref>You Can't Stop the Reign > Overview. allmusic.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.</ref>.
- On October 25, 2006, in an episode of the animated TV show South Park titled Hell on Earth 2006, the spirit of Biggie Smalls appeared whenever the characters looked into a mirror and said his name three times. This is a play on the urban legend of Bloody Mary, or perhaps a reference to Dorothy's mantra in Wizard of Oz.
- Biggie changed his image half-way during his rise to stardom and began wearing a large black coat with the number 666 embroidered on it in silver. This number is often attributed to the Devil.
References
<references/>
External links
- Official website for the new album "Duets: The Final Chapter"
- Biggie Smalls Freestyle film clip from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, 1989
- "Brooklyn Noir", PopMatters column (12/2005)
| The Notorious B.I.G. |
|
Albums and EPs: Ready to Die | Conspiracy | Life After Death | Born Again | Duets: The Final Chapter |
|
Singles: "Party And Bullshit" | "Juicy" | "Big Poppa" | "One More Chance" | "Fuck You Tonight" | "Hypnotize" | "Mo Money Mo Problems" | "Sky's The Limit" | "Notorious B.I.G." | "Dead Wrong" | "Nasty Girl" | "Spit Your Game" | "Hold Ya Head" |
|
See Also: 2Pac vs. The Notorious B.I.G. | Bad Boy Records | Junior M.A.F.I.A. |
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