History Music / TheNotoriousBIG

Unfortunately, Wallace became involved in the infamous West Coast/East Coast hip-hop quarrel. In 1994, Music/TupacShakur, his former friend and associate, believed that Wallace, Combs and Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell had prior knowledge of a robbery in the same recording studio that Wallace and his entourage were in at the time of the incident that resulted in Shakur being shot repeatedly and losing thousands in jewelry. While they denied the accusations, Shakur signed onto Death Row Records in 1995, and Bad Boy Records and Death Row, now business rivals, became involved in an intense feud. Recording of Wallace's second album began in September 1995, although the 18-month process was frequently interrupted by not only the highly publicized dispute he was tangled up in, but injury and legal trouble, stemming from charges of second-degree harassment and possession of weapons and drugs.

!!Provides examples of:

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known by several stage names such as Biggie Smalls,[[note]]after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again''[[/note]] The Black Frank White,[[note]]after Creator/ChristopherWalken's character in ''Film/KingOfNewYork''[[/note]] and Big Poppa, but most prominently by '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

-->''And if you don't know, now you know, nigga.''

----

After a childhood of crime caught up with him, Wallace decided to focus on his other talent: Rapping, under the name Biggie Smalls. This lead to a chain of events that resulted in him teaming up with Uptown Records A&R and record producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. However, soon after signing the contract, Combs found himself fired from Uptown and started up a new label, Bad Boy Records, which Wallace quickly became a part. Later that year, Wallace gained exposure on a remix to Mary J. Blige's "Real Love". Wallace found out that his original pseudonym Biggie Smalls was already in use, so he adapted a new moniker: The Notorious B.I.G.(the letters apparently don't stand for anything).

->This album is dedicated to all the teachers that told me I'd never amount to nothin', to all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustlin' in front of that called the police on me when I was just tryin' to make some money to feed my daughters, and all the niggas in the struggle, you know what I'm sayin'? ''It's all good baby baby...''

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known by several stage names such as Biggie Smalls[[note]]after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again''[[/note]],The Black Frank White[[note]]after Creator/ChristopherWalken's character in ''Film/KingOfNewYork''[[/note]], and Big Poppa, but most prominently by '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known by several stage names such as Biggie Smalls[[note]]after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again''[[/note]],The Black Frank White[[note]]after Creator/ChristopherWalken's character in ''Film/KingOfNewYork''[[/note]], but most prominently by '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

After a childhood of crime caught up with him, Wallace decided to focus on his other talent: Rapping, under the name Biggie Smalls. This lead to a chain of events that resulted in him teaming up with Uptown Records A&R and record producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. However, soon after signing the contract, Combs found himself fired from Uptown and started up a new label, Bad Boy Records, which Wallace quickly became a part of. Later that year, Wallace gained exposure on a remix to Mary J. Blige's "Real Love". Wallace found out that his original pseudonym Biggie Smalls was already in use, so he adapted a new moniker: The Notorious B.I.G.(the letters apparently don't stand for anything).

* ListSong: "The Ten Crack Commandments". It originally included a sample of Chuck D counting to ten from the Music/PublicEnemy song "Shut 'Em Down", but Chuck, who is both StraightEdge and heavily critical of drug dealing, was so incensed at being sampled in a song about drug dealing that he sued to have it removed.

* VillainProtagonist: "Gimme the Loot", "Dead Wrong", and "Who Shot Ya?.

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known by several stage names (Biggie Smalls (after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again'') and The Black Frank White (after Creator/ChristopherWalken's character in ''Film/KingOfNewYork''), for example) but most prominently by '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known by several stage names (Biggie Smalls (after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again'') and The Black Frank White (after ChristopherWalken's character in ''KingOfNewYork''), for example) but most prominently by '''The Notorious B.I.G.''', was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

->This album is dedicated to all the teachers that told me I'd never amount to nothin', to all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustlin' in front of that called the police on me when I was just tryin' to make some money to feed my daughters, and all the niggas' in the struggle, 'you know what I'm sayin'? ''It's all good baby baby...''
-->--"Juicy"

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls (After a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again''), and The Black Frank White (after ChristopherWalken's character in ''KingOfNewYork''), was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed between 300 and 380 pounds.

* BolivianArmyEnding: "Gimme The Loot" ends with the two robber protagonists engaging the police in a shootout. It's not outright stated, but the voice of who is most likely a police officer (actually an Music/IceCube sample) shouting "Take that, motherfuckers!" implies that the cops win.

* ''Life After Death'' (1997)

After more successful appearances on hit songs (and his solo track "Party and Bullshit" appearing on the ''WhosTheMan?'' soundtrack), and a marriage to singer Faith Evans just nine days after meeting her at a Bad Boy photoshoot, Wallace released his first album: ''Ready to Die''. The album was a success, reaching #13 on the Billboard 200 chart and was very well received by critics and listeners alike, to the point that it's considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

* ''Ready to Die'' (1994)

* [[EvilPowerVacuum Rap Power Vacuum]]: Many cynical fans feel this is how Music/JayZ rose to prominence.

* TalkingToHimself: He portrays both himself and his partner in crime in "Gimme The Loot" - the lyrics that are supposed to be from his own point of view are rapped in his natural voice, while he affects a higher-pitched voice for the partner.

* {{Sampling}}: In addition to the "Ten Crack Commandments" debacle mentioned above, ''Ready to Die'' was pulled from shelves for a short while in 2004 due to a lawsuit about it sampling "Singing in the Morning" by Music/TheOhioPlayers without permission, but the matter was resolved quickly.\

* {{Sampling}}: In addition to the "Ten Crack Commandments" debacle mentioned above, ''Ready to Die'' was pulled from shelves for a short while in 2004 due to a lawsuit about it sampling "Singing in the Morning" by Music/TheOhioPlayers without permission, but the matter was resolved quickly.

* [[EvilPowerVacuum Rap Power Vacuum]] Many cynical fans feel this is how Music/JayZ rose to prominence.

* ShortLivedBigImpact: He died at 24, leaving a profound influence on rap in his wake.

* [[TalkingToHimself Rapping With Himself]]: "Gimme the Loot" on the ''Ready to Die'' album features two criminals plotting and carrying out a robbery - both of them are played by Biggie.
** He also raps both halves of a phone conversation in "Warning."

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997), known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls (After a fictional gangster in the 1975 film ''Let's Do It Again''), and The Black Frank White (after ChristopherWalken's character in ''KingOfNewYork''), was an American rapper. "B.I.G." and "Biggie" were rather apt names, as he stood at 6'3'' and weighed as much as 300 to 380 pounds.

* [[EvilPowerVacuum Rap Power Vacuum]] Many cynical fans feel this is how Music/{{Jay-Z}} rose to prominence.