Voletta Wallace, mother of Notorious B.I.G., passes away

Rapper Notorious B.I.G.’s mother, Voletta Wallace, died at age 78 in Pennsylvania on February 21. The New York Times reported on the news, citing the Monroe County coroner’s press release. The family of Ms. Wallace also announced the news on her Instagram page, emphasizing her commitment to her son’s legacy. The announcement said,

“We suffered a tremendous loss today. Our mother, our matriarch, the woman who dedicated herself to uplifting her son, Christopher Wallace, and preserving his legacy has passed. It is with immense sadness that we share this news with you, and ask that you give our family the space and time needed to grieve this monumental loss.

It further continued,

Thank you for your continued outpouring of love, prayers and condolences in this difficult time. Please know that we will reach out in the coming days to share how we can all honor Ms. Wallace. Thank you for your extraordinary support and love.”

Ms. Wallace, who was instrumental in administering her late son Notorious B.I.G.’s estate, contributed to the growth of the rapper’s fan base after his untimely death in 1997. Rolling Stone Magazine, in a tribute to the rapper’s mother, notes that Ms. Wallace, who was 50 years old at the time of her son’s death, was a preschool teacher who transformed her son’s estate, equaling $10 million, into a foundation serving his legacy that is valued at $160 million today.

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The rise of Notorious B.I.G.

Notorious B.I.G., or as he was also known, Biggie, was born in New York City to Voletta Wallace, who was a Jamaican immigrant, as well as a single mother.

Biggie was discovered by Sean “Diddy” Combs who served as the former’s mentor. According to the Guardian, Biggie was first associated with Combs’ Uptown Records, later following the executive to his new label, Bad Boy Records.

Biggie released his first album, Ready to Die, in 1994. One of the tracks, ‘One More Chance,’ appeared at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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The death of Notorious B.I.G.

The infamous East Coast versus West Coast fight that was synonymous with the rap scene in the 90s claimed many rappers lives at the time. The West Coast group of rappers included Los Angeles-based Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. Shakur, who was injured in a shooting, felt targeted by the release of Notorious B.I.G.’s single ‘Who Shot Ya?,’ according to BBC’s coverage of the rap wars.

Tupac finally died when he was gunned down in 1996 in Los Angeles. Merely six months later, Notorious B.I.G. was shot outside a party, according to the same report by BBC. Will Smith recently said in an interview that he had spoken to the rapper before his death.

The Associated Press reported on the 2023 arrest of Duane Keffe D. Davis, who was the primary accused in the murder of Tupac. Davis’ involvement in the Biggies case had led to his arrest. Biggie’s murder, however, remains unsolved to this day.

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Voletta Wallace and the legacy of Notorious B.I.G.

Ms. Wallace was instrumental to Notorious B.I.G., becoming the revered rap figure that he is today, according to her tribute in The New York Times. The album Life After Death, released 16 days after Biggie’s death, was very well-received according to Billboard and topped the Billboard 200 chart.

Biggie was recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, and in an interview recorded in the same year with The Breakfast Club (which was just released), Ms. Wallace said when asked how she was feeling,

“A very proud mother, very proud mother. Sad sometimes when I see things that brought tears to my eyes. Once again, as I said, he's not here to see these things.”

Undoubtedly, Ms. Wallace was a phenomenal woman and mother who worked tirelessly after Notorious B.I.G.’s death so that the world would not forget him. The Wallace family, as well as the music community, has lost an anchor with the death of Ms. Wallace.