# The Notorious B.I.G. Source: https://www.popfiltr.com/artist-profile/the-notorious-b-i-g Published: 2026-09-23T00:28:26.751Z Language: en > Brooklyn rapper whose two landmark albums defined East Coast hip-hop before his unsolved murder at 24. --- Artist profile ## The Notorious B.I.G. Brooklyn rapper whose two landmark albums defined East Coast hip-hop before his unsolved murder at 24. ## Quick facts - **Origin:** United States - **Genres:** gangsta rap, hip-hop/rap, hardcore hip-hop, east coast hip-hop - **Award-winning work:** Ready to Die, One More Chance/Stay with Me (Remix), Hypnotize - **Awards:** 4 Grammy Nominations · 4 Source Awards Wins - **Audience:** 26.5M Spotify monthly listeners, as of April 30, 2026 ![The Notorious B.I.G. official artist profile image](https://www.popfiltr.com/artist-profile-assets/v1/813/aff13a2147109cc3fa97a3734a3d40d1a6cebbb0ac5633cd77e05ae8f02e551a.jpg) *[Artist image via Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/5me0Irg2ANcsgc93uaYrpb)* - **Spotify monthly listeners:** 26.5M (No. 280 by Spotify monthly listeners) - **TikTok tracked video views:** 6.6B (No. 1223 by TikTok top-video views) - **YouTube total views:** 4.2B - **Pandora lifetime streams:** 5.1B - **Total platform audience:** 23.5M - **Spotify followers:** 13.7M (No. 226 by Spotify followers) - **YouTube subscribers:** 5M (No. 1123 by YouTube subscribers) - **TikTok followers:** 983.5K (No. 5266 by TikTok followers) Figures as of April 30, 2026. Data ## Audience, reach and discovery Figures as of April 30, 2026. ### Platform audience - **Spotify monthly listeners:** 26.5M (No. 280 by Spotify monthly listeners) - **Spotify followers:** 13.7M (No. 226 by Spotify followers) - **YouTube subscribers:** 5M (No. 1123 by YouTube subscribers) - **Instagram followers:** 1.9M (No. 4950 by Instagram followers) - **TikTok followers:** 983.5K (No. 5266 by TikTok followers) - **Deezer fans:** 1.9M (No. 314 for Deezer fans) - **Pandora 28-day listeners:** 3.5M ### Consumption and discovery - **YouTube total views:** 4.2B - **YouTube daily views:** 1.8M - **YouTube monthly views:** 45M - **TikTok likes:** 11.5M (No. 6659 for TikTok likes) - **TikTok tracked video views:** 6.6B (No. 1223 by TikTok top-video views) - **TikTok track posts:** 4.2M (No. 1735 for TikTok track posts) - **Pandora lifetime streams:** 5.1B - **Shazams:** 62M - **Genius pageviews:** 34.7M ### Playlist footprint - **Spotify playlist reach:** 189.3M - **Spotify editorial playlist reach:** 49.5M - **Spotify playlists:** 988K - **Spotify editorial playlists:** 378 - **Apple Music playlists:** 1.2K - **Apple Music editorial playlists:** 533 - **Deezer playlists:** 229 - **Deezer editorial playlists:** 32 - **YouTube playlists:** 217 - **YouTube editorial playlists:** 40 ### Top listener markets Leading cities by Spotify monthly listeners. | Rank | City | Listeners | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | London GB | 540.5K | | 2 | Sydney AU | 388.9K | | 3 | Los Angeles US | 352.8K | | 4 | São Paulo BR | 337.5K | | 5 | Chicago US | 328.4K | Biography ## Biography ### Early Life and Musical Foundations Christopher George Latore Wallace was born on May 21, 1972, at Cumberland Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of Jamaican immigrants Voletta Wallace, a preschool teacher, and Selwyn George Latore, a welder. His father left the family when Wallace was three, leaving his mother to work two jobs while raising him in the Clinton Hill neighborhood, near the border of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Wallace attended Roman Catholic schools through elementary grades, excelling in English, before transferring to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School — a public school also attended by future rap stars Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes. By his teens, the crack epidemic had transformed his neighborhood; Wallace began dealing drugs at age twelve and dropped out of school at sixteen. Arrests for weapons possession in 1989 and crack-cocaine distribution in North Carolina in 1991 — the latter resulting in a nine-month jail term — interrupted his adolescence. Throughout this period, Wallace absorbed the sounds of soul and R&B legends such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Teddy Pendergrass, as well as early hip-hop from Run-DMC and LL Cool J, and Jamaican music during family visits to the island. He began rapping under the name MC CWest, later adopting "Biggie Smalls" from a character in the 1975 film Let's Do It Again. ### Discovery and Debut Album Following his release from jail in 1991, Wallace recorded a demo titled Microphone Murderer with local DJ 50 Grand. The tape reached Mister Cee, a prominent DJ known for his work with Big Daddy Kane, who forwarded it to The Source editor Matteo "Matty C" Capoluongo. Wallace appeared in the magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column in March 1992, catching the ear of Sean Combs, then an A&R executive at Uptown Records. Combs signed Wallace and featured him on remixes for Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" and "What's the 411?" In July 1993, Combs was fired from Uptown and founded Bad Boy Records, taking Wallace with him. Wallace's first solo single, "Party and Bullshit," appeared on the Who's the Man? soundtrack in 1993. Recording sessions for his debut album began in late 1992 and continued at the Hit Factory through 1994. Combs secured a $1.5 million joint venture with Arista Records' Clive Davis, providing full creative control and funds to repurchase Wallace's master recordings from Uptown. Ready to Die was released on September 13, 1994, led by the singles "Juicy" and "Big Poppa." The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, sold 57,000 copies in its first week, and was eventually certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. Its success single-handedly shifted industry attention back to New York's hip-hop scene. ### Commercial Peak and the Coastal Feud In August 1994, Wallace married R&B singer Faith Evans, whom he had met at a promotional photoshoot. By 1995, he was the top-selling male solo artist across both pop and R&B charts. Junior M.A.F.I.A. — a collective of childhood friends including Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease — released their debut Conspiracy in August 1995, earning gold certification. At the Source Awards that month, Wallace won Best New Artist (Solo), Lyricist of the Year, and Live Performer of the Year, while Ready to Die was named Album of the Year. The Billboard Music Awards honored him as Rap Artist of the Year and awarded "One More Chance/Stay with Me (Remix)" Rap Single of the Year. Wallace also appeared on the cover of The Source under the headline "The King of New York Takes Over," referencing his Frank White alias from the film King of New York. Meanwhile, his friendship with Tupac Shakur had deteriorated into a bitter public feud after Shakur was shot in a 1994 robbery at Quad Studios in Manhattan. Shakur accused Wallace and Combs of foreknowledge; they denied involvement. After Shakur's release from prison, he signed with Death Row Records, turning the personal conflict into a label rivalry between Bad Boy and Death Row that the media framed as an East Coast–West Coast war. ### Final Months and Posthumous Legacy Throughout 1996, Wallace faced mounting legal troubles, including arrests for drug and weapons possession and a lawsuit over an alleged assault. Shakur was murdered in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting on September 7, 1996; speculation about Wallace's possible involvement persisted despite denials and a 2012 confession by convicted felon Dexter Isaac claiming responsibility for the 1994 Quad Studios robbery. Wallace traveled to Los Angeles in February 1997 to promote his forthcoming second album and film a video for "Hypnotize." On March 9, 1997, after leaving a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum, he was shot four times in a drive-by shooting while seated in an SUV. He was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at age 24. The murder remains unsolved. Life After Death was released on March 25, 1997, as a double album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 — a rare posthumous achievement — and produced the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems" (featuring Mase and Puff Daddy). The album received diamond certification in 2000, denoting over ten million units shipped. Three further posthumous albums followed: Born Again (1999), Duets: The Final Chapter (2005), and The King & I (2017, with Faith Evans). Wallace's certified U.S. sales exceed 28 million units. ### Artistry and Influence Wallace's vocal delivery was characterized by a deep, mellifluous baritone and a relaxed, behind-the-beat cadence that contrasted with the often grim subject matter of his lyrics. He employed multisyllabic rhyme schemes, internal rhymes, and a conversational storytelling mode that drew from the improvisational tradition of jazz and the narrative detail of crime fiction. His lyrics balanced autobiographical accounts of drug dealing, incarceration, and violence with bravado, humor, and celebrations of material success. Critics and peers consistently cite his technical precision: Rolling Stone called him the "greatest rapper that ever lived" in 1997; Billboard named him the greatest rapper of all time in 2015; The Source awarded the same distinction in its 150th issue; and MTV ranked him third on its 2006 Greatest MCs list, describing him as possibly "the most skillful ever on the mic." His influence extends across generations of rappers, from Jay-Z and Nas to Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, and his two lifetime albums remain benchmark texts in hip-hop historiography. ### Posthumous Honors and Cultural Preservation Wallace's cultural standing has grown steadily since his death. In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Performer category, becoming the first solo male rapper to enter the Hall in his first year of eligibility; the induction was presented by Sean Combs. In April 2024, the Library of Congress added Ready to Die to the National Recording Registry, selecting it as one of 25 recordings deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" to the nation's recorded sound heritage. The Registry noted that Ready to Die was both Wallace's debut and the only album released during his lifetime, and called it a "landmark of rap and hip-hop." A Brooklyn street was co-named Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace Way in 2019, and murals of the artist appear throughout the borough. Documentaries, biopics (Notorious, 2009), and scholarly works continue to examine his life, his unsolved murder, and his place in the broader arc of American music. Selected moments ## Career highlights 1. 1992 **Featured in The Source 'Unsigned Hype'** Wallace's demo tape was selected for The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype column in March 1992, marking his first major industry exposure and leading directly to his meeting with Sean Combs. 2. 1993 **Signed to Bad Boy Records** After Sean Combs was fired from Uptown Records, he founded Bad Boy Records and made Wallace its first signed artist, beginning a partnership that defined 1990s East Coast hip-hop. 3. 1994 **Release of Ready to Die** Wallace's debut studio album Ready to Die was released on September 13, 1994, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and eventually earning quadruple-platinum certification from the RIAA. 4. 1995 **Swept The Source Awards and Billboard Music Awards** At the 1995 Source Awards, Wallace won Best New Artist (Solo), Lyricist of the Year, Live Performer of the Year, and Album of the Year for Ready to Die. At the Billboard Music Awards, he won Rap Artist of the Year and Rap Single of the Year for "One More Chance/Stay with Me (Remix)." 5. 1997 **Posthumous No. 1 Singles and Diamond Album** Life After Death, released sixteen days after Wallace's murder, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced two posthumous Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles — "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems" — a first in rap history. The album was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2000. 6. 1997 **MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video** "Hypnotize" won Best Rap Video at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, Wallace's only VMA win. 7. 2020 **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction** Wallace was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Performer category, presented by Sean Combs, becoming the first solo male rapper inducted in his first year of eligibility. 8. 2024 **Ready to Die Added to National Recording Registry** The Library of Congress selected Ready to Die for the National Recording Registry, recognizing it as culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant to the nation's recorded sound heritage. Recognition ## Awards and Nominations Wallace received four Grammy nominations across the 38th and 40th Annual Grammy Awards but did not win. His most significant competitive wins came at the 1995 Source Awards, where he swept four categories, and the 1995 Billboard Music Awards, where he won two. Posthumous honors include the 1997 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, the 1998 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album (Male), and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. ASCAP recognized his songwriting with a Founders Award in 2017. - **Grammy Nominations:** 4 - **Source Awards Wins:** 4 - **Billboard Music Awards Wins:** 2 - **MTV Video Music Awards Wins:** 1 - **Soul Train Music Awards Wins:** 2 - **Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions:** 1 | Year | Award | Category | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1995 | The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards | New Artist of the Year (Solo) Winner | | | 1995 | The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards | Lyricist of the Year Winner | | | 1995 | The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards | Live Performer of the Year Winner | | | 1995 | The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards | Album of the Year Winner | Ready to Die | | 1995 | Billboard Music Awards | Rap Artist of the Year Winner | | | 1995 | Billboard Music Awards | Rap Single of the Year Winner | One More Chance/Stay with Me (Remix) | | 1996 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Solo Performance Nominee | Big Poppa | | 1997 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Rap Video Winner | Hypnotize | | 1997 | Soul Train Music Awards | R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year Winner | One More Chance/Stay With Me (Remix) | | 1998 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Solo Performance Nominee | Hypnotize | | 1998 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Nominee | Mo Money Mo Problems | | 1998 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Album Nominee | Life After Death | | 1998 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Rap Video Nominee | Mo Money Mo Problems | | 1998 | Soul Train Music Awards | Best R&B/Soul Album – Male Winner | Life After Death | | 2005 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards | Top Soundtrack Song of the Year Winner | Runnin' (Dying to Live) | | 2017 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards | ASCAP Founders Award Winner | | | 2020 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Performer Winner | | Sources - [Encyclopaedia Britannica — The Notorious B.I.G. Biography ↗](https://www.britannica.com/biography/The-Notorious-B-I-G) - [The Recording Academy (Grammy.com) — Notorious B.I.G. Artist Page ↗](https://www.grammy.com/artists/notorious-big/5241) - [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — The Notorious B.I.G. Inductee Page ↗](https://rockhall.com/inductees/notorious-big) - [Library of Congress — National Recording Registry 2024 Inductees ↗](https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/national-recording-registry-inducts-sounds-of-abba--blondie--the-cars--the-chicks--juan-gabriel/s/29ee4224-3060-4247-a7a4-7deea2c2f816) - [Library of Congress — Ready to Die Registry Entry ↗](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2024) - [Wikipedia — The Notorious B.I.G. (Featured Article) ↗](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notorious_B.I.G.) - [UPI Archives — 1995 Billboard Music Award Winners ↗](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/12/06/Billboard-Music-Award-winners/2972818226000) - [Variety — Library of Congress Selects Records by Green Day, the Chicks, the Notorious B.I.G. ↗](https://variety.com/2024/music/news/national-recording-registry-green-day-abba-chicks-1235972507) - [Los Angeles Times — Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Soundgarden Lead 2020 Rock Hall Nominees ↗](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-10-15/notorious-big-whitney-houston-soundgarden-rock-hall-of-fame-2020-nominees)