The Notorious B.I.G.

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The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G., born Christopher Wallace on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York City, was an iconic American rapper and songwriter who highly influenced the landscape of hip-hop music. Raised in a challenging environment plagued by drugs and crime, his experiences shaped his raw and authentic lyrical expression. Despite these hardships, he emerged as one of the most noteworthy figures in East Coast hip-hop. Notorious B.I.G's breakthrough came with his debut album Ready to Die released under Bad Boy Records, the label owned by Sean Combs (Puff Daddy). The album was a commercial success that catapulted him into fame within just two years of its release. His narrative style blended with gritty depictions of street life resonated deeply with audiences across America. This success confirmed Biggie Smalls's place among rap royalty and solidified the dominance of East Coast hip hop during the mid-90s. Tragically, at just 24 years old on March 9th, 1997, Wallace met an untimely death when he became a victim of a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His murder remains unsolved but is often linked to the West-East coast rivalry which marked this era of Hip Hop culture. Biggie's posthumously released double-disc set Life After Death debuted at No.1 on Billboard charts and further cemented his legacy, as it achieved Diamond certification status by selling over ten million copies.

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