This past weekend, New York City paid respect to one of the most important emcees in the history of hip hop. On Friday (May 20), friends and family of Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace gathered for a lighting ceremony inside the Empire State Building. The rapper, who was murdered 25 years ago, would have been 50 on Saturday (May 21). Those in attendance included the late rapper’s mother, Violetta and Biggie’s protege Lil’ Kim.
“Tonight is also a bittersweet night,” Wallace said. “I would have loved for my son to be here to witness this...and I wish with all my heart that all of you and all of the friendly faces, all of the genuine love that’s being permeated throughout this room, throughout New York City, Brooklyn, and the world. I love my son. I want to thank you all for coming up to be here to share the love – not only to spread love the Brooklyn way but to spread love worldwide.”
That same evening, Lil’ Kim hosted 2nd Annual Biggie Dinner Gala at Guastavino’s. Sponsored by Lexus and Pepsi, the rappers children CJ and T’yanna Wallace were in attendance as well as Fat Joe, Junior M.A.F.I.A. members, Sway Calloway, Havoc (of Mobb Deep) and members of Smif-N-Wessun. Along with Lil’ Kim and the Junior Mafia crew, CJ Wallace took to the stage to perform his father’s hit single “One More Chance.”
On Biggie’s actual birthday (May 21), four Brooklyn subway stations had machines that dispersed MetroCards with a portrait of the rapper on it. In total there were around 50,000 cards, prompting people to wait hours in line to get their hands on one. Earlier this month, Justin Tinley released a new biography on the Notorious B.I.G. called It Was All A Dream: Biggie And The World That Made Him.