Early Life and Family Background
Christopher George Latore Wallace, known professionally as The Notorious B.I.G., was born on May 21, 1972, at Cumberland Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He was the only child of Jamaican immigrants: his mother, Voletta Wallace (1947–2025), was a preschool teacher, and his father, Selwyn George Latore (1933–1996), was a welder and politician.
Raised in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, near Bedford-Stuyvesant, Wallace experienced a challenging upbringing. His parents separated when he was young, and he was primarily raised by his mother, who worked two jobs to support the family.
Wallace attended St. Peter Claver Church in Brooklyn, graduating from the parish elementary school in 1982. He excelled in English at Queen of All Saints Middle School and later attended Westinghouse High School, a public school attended by several future celebrities, including Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes.
Education and Early Interests
Despite being an honor student, Wallace dropped out of school at the age of sixteen due to his growing interest in drug dealing. In 1989, he was arrested in Brooklyn on weapons charges and sentenced to five years of probation. The following year, he was arrested for violating that probation. A year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine and spent nine months in jail before making bail.
Musical Influences and Early Career
During his youth, Wallace was influenced by a diverse range of artists, including the Dramatics, Blue Magic, Teddy Pendergrass, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. He was also well acquainted with the performances of Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, and Chic. During visits to Jamaica, he was exposed to genres such as jazz, reggae, soul, and mento.
As Wallace entered adolescence, he started listening to artists like Run-DMC and LL Cool J. He adopted the stage name MC CWest and formed the Techniques with his two friends Michael Bynum and Hubert Sams. The group worked on their first songs together at Harrison’s home studio. However, as they grew older, their interests shifted; Sams became focused on high school football, while Bynum lost interest in the music industry.
Rise to Fame
In 1992, Wallace recorded a demo under the stage name Biggie Smalls. The recording caught the attention of Sean “Puffy” Combs, who then worked with Wallace at Uptown Records and in 1993 signed him to a new record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. Wallace’s first single as a solo artist, “Party and Bullshit,” was released the following year, and his first album, Ready to Die, was released in 1994 under the name The Notorious B.I.G.
Major Albums and Collaborations
Ready to Die (1994)
Released on September 13, 1994, Ready to Die was The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut studio album. The album featured hit singles such as “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” and “One More Chance.” “Big Poppa” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1996. The album received widespread critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.
Life After Death (1997)
Released on March 25, 1997, Life After Death was a double album that showcased The Notorious B.I.G.’s versatility and growth as an artist. The album featured collaborations with artists such as 112, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too Short, Angela Winbush, Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC, R. Kelly, the Lox, and Puff Daddy. Life After Death sold 690,000 copies in its first week and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for its first single “Hypnotize,” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for its second single “Mo Money Mo Problems” at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, The Notorious B.I.G. received numerous awards and honors, including:
- Grammy Award Nominations:
- Best Rap Album for Life After Death (1998)
- Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Mo Money Mo Problems” (1998)
- Best Rap Solo Performance for “Hypnotize” (1998)
- Best Rap Solo Performance for “Big Poppa” (1996)
- MTV Video Music Awards:
- Best Rap Video for “Hypnotize” (1997)
- Best Rap Video for “Mo Money Mo Problems” (1998)
- Soul Train Awards:
- Best R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year for “One More Chance” (1996)
- Best R&B/Soul Album – Male for Life After Death (1998)
- ASCAP Founders Award:
- Posthumously awarded in 2017 for his contributions
