Artist profile
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G.
A defining truth about Christopher Wallace: the world calls him The Notorious B.I.G., and the Bad Boy era treated him as core family. Brooklyn raised him hard; Bad Boy gave him the runway—and what he did with it made “legendary” feel too small.
Flow effortless. Stories vivid like you were standing on St. James in real time. Humor, hustle, pain, celebration—all in one breath. Ready to Die didn’t just drop; it shifted the earth. Then he came back with Life After Death—a double album like a movie sequel where every scene hits.
We lost him too soon—March 9, 1997—and the culture still ain’t recovered right. But the music? Immortal. You play “Juicy”, you play “Hypnotize”, you play “Mo Money Mo Problems”, you play “Ten Crack Commandments”—and the room still erupts like it’s release week.
That is what GOAT status means here. Not internet debate—impact. Big taught the world how to dream big while keeping one foot in the truth of where he came from. Bad Boy for life—and Big is forever.
Awards & honors
- Nominated for Best Rap Album for *Life After Death* at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards (February 25, 1998). No Way Out ( Diddy ) won the category.
- Nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Hypnotize" at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards (February 25, 1998). Will Smith's "Men in Black" won the category.
- Nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Mo Money Mo Problems" (with Diddy and Mase ) at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards (February 25, 1998). "I'll Be Missing You" won the category that night.
Video
Related albums
Ready to Die
A landmark debut by The Notorious B.I.G. that changed the trajectory of East Coast hip-hop.
B.I.G. Mack
The classic Bad Boy promo package pairing Craig Mack’s Project Funk Da World sampler with The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die sampler—originally on cassette in 1994; later reissued for Record Store Day on LP + cassette with cleared samples.
One More Chance - Single
Lead single lane off Ready to Die—Faith Evans on the Stay With Me passes, Rashad Smith drums, plus promo mixes and The What on the flip.
Life After Death
A landmark double album that expanded The Notorious B.I.G.'s range and cemented his all-time status.
Born Again
A posthumous Biggie album built from unreleased vocals and expanded collaborations across rap's biggest names.
Duets: The Final Chapter
Archive the era correctly—slot Duets: The Final Chapter beside The Notorious B.I.G.'s 2005 studio peak work.
Greatest Hits
From the first transition, Greatest Hits signals The Notorious B.I.G.'s 2007 studio priorities: rhythm, melody, nerve.