Big los biography

He was born in Matamoros but raised in what he calls one of the toughest neighborhoods in the Rio Grande Valley.
History.
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, and Biggie.

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The Notorious B.I.G.

American rapper (1972–1997)

"Biggie" and "Biggy" redirect here. For other uses, see Biggie (disambiguation) and Biggy (disambiguation).

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage namesthe Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls,^[1] and Biggie,^[2] was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was usually semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Wallace was the first artist to sign with Sean "Puffy" Combs's Bad Boy Records in 1993. That same year, he gained recognition for his guest appearances on other artists' singles. His debut studio album, Ready to Die (1994), received widespread critical acclaim and included signature tracks "Juicy" and "Big Poppa". Thi

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Biggie Smalls

(1972-1997)

Who Was Biggie Smalls?

Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls and the Notorious B.I.G., lived a short life. He was 24 years old when he was gunned down in 1997 in Los Angeles, a murder that has never been solved. Smalls was from New York and had almost single-handedly reinvented East Coast hip hop — overtaken in the early 1990s by the West Coast "g-funk" sound of Dr. Dre and Death Row Records. With his clear, powerful baritone, effortless flow on the mic and willingness to address the vulnerability, as well as the harshness, of the hustler lifestyle, Smalls swung the spotlight back towards New York and his label home, Bad Boy Records. He styled himself as a gangster and although he was no angel, in reality he was more of a performer than a hardened criminal. In this regard, he was similar to Tupac Shakur, his one-time friend turned bitter rival — a contest that spiraled horrifyingly out of control leaving neither man alive to tell the tale.

Early Life

Christopher George Latore Wallace was born on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. His

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Review: The world that made and unmade the Notorious B.I.G.

On the Shelf

'It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him'

By Justin Tinsley
Abrams: 352 pages, $28

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If you rob me, I’ll kill you. There are countless ways to express this idea, but probably none more clever than this: “There’s gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing if my burglar alarm starts ringing.” That’s the Notorious B.I.G., born Christopher Wallace, on his aptly titled 1994 song “Warning.” Biggie plays two characters on the track, one calling the other to warn him of a plot against his life and his riches. Hip-hop doesn’t get much more creative.

At its best, Justin Tinsley’s new biography, “It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him,” pays tribute to that creativity — and to the short life and blinding talent of the rapper who loved it when you called him Big Poppa. (Biggie was shot dead in Los Angeles in 1997 at age 24.) The bo