The Not

The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, real name Christopher George Latore Wallace, born on May 21, 1972, in New York and assassinated on March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles, was an American rapper and singer. A prominent figure in 1990s New York rap, he was ranked the third greatest MC in history by MTV in 2006. He is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time.

Wallace was born and raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. With the release of his debut album Ready to Die in 1994, he became the central pillar of New York rap at a time when West Coast rap dominated the hip-hop scene. The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends and his protégé group Junior M.A.F.I.A. to the top of the music charts. While recording his second album, Wallace became involved in a fierce East Coast–West Coast rap rivalry.

On March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles, Wallace was assassinated by gunfire while his car was stopped at a red light. His double album Life After Death, released 16 days later, reached number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2000. It is one of the few hip-hop albums to hold such a certification. Two other albums were also released after his death. Wallace has sold nearly 21 million records in the United States.