Wallace was born and raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His debut album Ready to Die (1994) made him a central figure in East Coast hip hop and increased New York City's visibility in the genre at a time when West Coast hip hop dominated the mainstream. The following year, he led Junior M.A.F.I.A.โa protรฉgรฉ group composed of his childhood friendsโto chart success. In 1996, while recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East CoastโWest Coast hip hop feud. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His second album, Life After Death (1997), released two weeks later, rose to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. In 2000, it became one of the few hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond.
Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow"; dark, semi-autobiographical lyrics; and storytelling abilities, which focused on crime and hardship. Three more albums have been released since his death, and he has certified sales of over 17 million records in the United States, including 13.4 million albums.
Wallace was born at St. Mary's Hospital in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on May 21, 1972, the only child of Jamaican immigrant parents. His mother, Voletta Wallace, was a preschool teacher, while his father, Selwyn George Latore, was a welder and politician. His father left the family when Wallace was two years old, and his mother worked two jobs while raising him. Wallace grew up at 226 St. James Place in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill, near the border with Bedford-Stuyvesant. Wallace excelled at Queen of All Saints Middle School winning several awards as an English student. He was nicknamed "Big" because he was overweight by the age of 10. Wallace said he started dealing drugs when he was around the age of 12. His mother, often away at work, did not know of his drug dealing until he was an adult. He began rapping as a teenager, entertaining people on the streets, and performed with local groups the Old Gold Brothers and the Techniques. At his request, Wallace transferred from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, where future rappers DMX, Jay-Z, and Busta Rhymes were also attending. According to his mother, Wallace was still a good student but developed a "smart-ass" attitude at the new school. At age 17, Wallace dropped out of school and became more involved in crime. In 1989, he was arrested on weapons charges in Brooklyn and sentenced to five years' probation. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation. A year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine. He spent nine months in jail before making bail.
Wallace's lyrical topics and themes included mafioso tales ("Niggas Bleed"), his drug-dealing past ("10 Crack Commandments"), materialistic bragging ("Hypnotize"), as well as humor ("Just Playing (Dreams)"), and romance ("Me & My Bitch"). Rolling Stone named Wallace in 2004 as "one of the few young male songwriters in any pop style writing credible love songs".
Guerilla Black, in the book How to Rap, describes how Wallace was able to both "glorify the upper echelon" and "[make] you feel his struggle". According to Tourรฉ of The New York Times in 1994, Wallace's lyrics " autobiographical details about crime and violence with emotional honesty". Marriott of The New York Times (in 1997) believed his lyrics were not strictly autobiographical and wrote he "had a knack for exaggeration that increased sales". Wallace described his debut as "a big pie, with each slice indicating a different point in my life involving bitches and niggaz... from the beginning to the end".
Ready to Die is described by Rolling Stone as a contrast of "bleak" street visions and being "full of high-spirited fun, bringing the pleasure principle back to hip-hop". AllMusic write of "a sense of doom" in some of his songs and the NY Times note some being "laced with paranoia"; Wallace described himself as feeling "broke and depressed" when he made his debut. The final song on the album, "Suicidal Thoughts", featured Wallace contemplating suicide and concluded with him committing the act.
On Life After Death, Wallace's lyrics went "deeper". Krims explains how upbeat, dance-oriented tracks (which featured less heavily on his debut) alternate with "reality rap" songs on the record and suggests that he was "going pimp" through some of the lyrical topics of the former. XXL magazine wrote that Wallace "revamped his image" through the portrayal of himself between the albums, going from "midlevel hustler" on his debut to "drug lord".
AllMusic wrote that the success of Ready to Die is "mostly due to Wallace's skill as a storyteller"; in 1994, Rolling Stone described Wallace's ability in this technique as painting "a sonic picture so vibrant that you're transported right to the scene". On Life After Death, Wallace notably demonstrated this skill on "I Got a Story to Tell", creating a story as a rap for the first half of the song and then retelling the same story "for his boys" in conversation form.
Considered one of the best rappers of all time, Wallace was described by AllMusic as "the savior of East Coast hip-hop". The Source magazine named Wallace the greatest rapper of all time in its 150th issue in 2002. In 2003, when XXL magazine asked several hip hop artists to list their five favorite MCs, Wallace's name appeared on more rappers' lists than anyone else. In 2006, MTV ranked him at No. 3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, calling him possibly "the most skillful ever on the mic". Editors of About.com ranked him No. 3 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987โ2007). In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 3 on their list of the Top 50 Lyrical Leaders of all time. Rolling Stone has referred to him as the "greatest rapper that ever lived". In 2015, Billboard named Wallace as the greatest rapper of all time.
Since his death, Wallace's lyrics have been sampled and quoted by a variety of hip hop, R&B and pop artists including Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Fat Joe, Nelly, Ja Rule, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Game, Clinton Sparks, Michael Jackson and Usher. On August 28, 2005, at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Sean Combs (then using the rap alias "P. Diddy") and Snoop Dogg paid tribute to Wallace: an orchestra played while the vocals from "Juicy" and "Warning" played on the arena speakers. In September 2005, VH1 held its second annual "Hip Hop Honors", with a tribute to Wallace headlining the show.
Wallace had begun to promote a clothing line called Brooklyn Mint, which was to produce plus-sized clothing but fell dormant after he died. In 2004, his managers, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow, launched the clothing line, with help from Jay-Z, selling T-shirts with images of Wallace on them. A portion of the proceeds go to the Christopher Wallace Foundation and to Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. In 2005, Voletta Wallace hired branding and licensing agency Wicked Cow Entertainment to guide the estate's licensing efforts. Wallace-branded products on the market include action figures, blankets, and cell phone content.
The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation holds an annual black-tie dinner ("B.I.G. Night Out") to raise funds for children's school equipment and to honor Wallace's memory. For this particular event, because it is a children's schools' charity, "B.I.G." is also said to stand for "Books Instead of Guns".
There is a large portrait mural of Wallace as Mao Zedong on Fulton Street in Brooklyn a half-mile west from Wallace's old block. A fan petitioned to have the corner of Fulton Street and St. James Place, near Wallace's childhood home renamed in his honor, garnering support from local businesses and attracting more than 560 signatures.
A large portrait of Wallace features prominently in the Netflix series Luke Cage, due to the fact that he served as muse for the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of Marvel Comics character Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes.
Big Poppa
The Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Junior M.A.F.I.A., uh (hehe, mm)
Uh (I like this) yeah, yeah
Nine-fo' (keep bangin')
To all the ladies in the place with style and grace
Allow me to lace these lyrical douches, in your bushes (uh)
Who rock grooves and make moves with all the mommies
The back of the club, mackin' hoes, my crew's behind me (uh)
Mad question askin', blunt passin', music blastin'
But I just can't quit
Because one of these honies Biggie gots ta creep with
Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not
Why blow up my spot 'cause we both got hot?
Now check it, I got more Mack than Craig and in the bed
Believe me sweetie I got enough to feed the needy
No need to be greedy I got mad friends with Benz's
C-notes by the layers, true fuckin' players (uh)
Jump in the Rover and come over
Tell your friends jump in the GS3
I got the chronic by the tree, 'cause
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air, if you's a true player
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin' money playin' niggas like dummies
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Ya got a gun up in your waist, please don't shoot up the place (why?)
'Cause I see some ladies tonight
That should be havin' my baby (uh), baby (uh)
Straight up honey really I'm askin'
Most of these niggas think they be mackin', but they be actin'
Who they attractin' with that line, "What's your name, what's your sign?"
Soon as he buy that wine I just creep up from behind
And ask what your interests are, who you be with
Things to make you smile, what numbers to dial
You gon' be here for a while, I'm gon' go call my crew
You go call your crew
We can rendezvous at the bar around two
Plans to leave, throw the keys to 'Lil Cease
Pull the truck up, front, and roll up the next blunt
So we can steam on the way to the telly go fill my belly
A t-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch's grape
Conversate for a few, 'cause in a few, we gon' do
What we came to do, ain't that right boo (true)
Forget the telly we just go to the crib
And watch a movie in the jacuzzi smoke L's while you do me
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air, if you's a true player
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin' money playin' niggas like dummies
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Ya got a gun up in your waist, please don't shoot up the place (why?)
'Cause I see some ladies tonight
That should be havin' my baby (uh), baby (uh)
(How ya livin' Biggie Smalls?)
In mansion and Benz's givin' ends to my friends and it feels stupendous
Tremendous cream, fuck a dollar and a dream
Still tote gats strapped with infrared beams (what?)
Choppin O's, smokin' la in Optimos
Money hoes and clothes all a nigga knows (all a nigga knows)
A foolish pleasure, whatever
I had to find the buried treasure (for what?), so grams I had to measure
However livin' better now, Gucci sweater now
Drop top BM's, I'm the man girlfriend
Honey check it (check it)
Tell your friends, to get with my friends (your friends)
And we can be friends
Shit we can do this every weekend (that's right)
Aight? Is that aight with you?
Yeah, keep bangin'
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air, if you's a true player
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin' money playin' niggas like dummies
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Ya got a gun up in your waist, please don't shoot up the place (why?)
'Cause I see some ladies tonight
That should be havin' my baby (uh), baby (uh)
Check it out, nine-fo' shit for dat ass, uh
Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Junior M.A.F.I.A, represent baby, baby, uh
In The Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Big Poppa" the rapper discusses his lavish lifestyle and the women that come with it. He starts by addressing the "ladies in the place with style and grace" and boasts about his sexual prowess and the women who want to be with him. Then he goes on to describe how he and his crew spend their nights in the club, smoking and drinking, and trying to pick up women. Despite their losses, they still continue to try and find the right woman to keep. Biggie then goes on to describe his extravagant lifestyle, rapping about his material possessions, cars, and his successes as a rapper.
The song is primarily about sex, money, and power. Biggie brags about the number of women he can have and his ability to "mack" on them. He also boasts about his money and power, indicating that he's so wealthy that he doesn't need a "dollar and a dream" to feel fulfilled. Biggie's mellow flow and cool demeanor add to the confidence he exudes throughout the song. It's a party anthem that centers around the idea of being on top and having fun with the people who helped you get there.
Line by Line Meaning
To all the ladies in the place with style and grace
Greetings to all the graceful ladies in the vicinity
Allow me to lace these lyrical douches, in your bushes (uh)
Allow me to speak my thoughts for all the ladies to hear
Who rock grooves and make moves with all the mommies
Women who dance and are popular with men
The back of the club, sippin' Moet, is where you'll find me (what?)
I'm usually found sipping Moet at the back of the club
The back of the club, mackin' hoes, my crew's behind me (uh)
My crew watches my back while I chat up women
Mad question askin', blunt passin', music blastin'
Asking questions, smoking weed, and loud music
Because one of these honies Biggie gots ta creep with Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not
I have to secretly sleep with one of these women because it's appealing to me
I got more Mack than Craig in the bed Believe me sweetie I got enough to feed the needy No need to be greedy I got mad friends with Benz's
I am good with women and quite rich, and can share my wealth with friends and with women
C-notes by the layers, true fuckin' players (uh)
I have a lot of money and am a true player
Jump in the Rover and come over Tell your friends jump in the GS3 I got the chronic by the tree, 'cause (I love it when you call me Big Poppa)
Get in the car and come over, I have weed because it's fun to be together
Throw your hands in the air, if you's a true player
If you are a true player, raise your hands in the air
Ya got a gun up in your waist, please don't shoot up the place (why?) 'Cause I see some ladies tonight That should be havin' my baby (uh), baby (uh)
Please don't shoot here, because there are women that should be with me tonight
Most of these niggas think they be mackin', but they be actin'
Most men think they are good at getting women, but they act
And ask what your interests are, who you be with Things to make you smile, what numbers to dial You gon' be here for a while, I'm gon' go call my crew
I want to know your interests, who you're with, and what makes you happy, and I'll call my friends
We can rendezvous at the bar around two Plans to leave, throw the keys to 'Lil Cease Pull the truck up, front, and roll up the next blunt
Let's meet at the bar at two, then hand off the keys to Lil Cease, and smoke the next joint
So we can steam on the way to the telly go fill my belly A t-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch's grape Conversate for a few, 'cause in a few, we gon' do What we came to do, ain't that right boo (true)
We can go to the hotel and have dinner, and chat for a while before doing what we came to do, right?
Forget the telly we just go to the crib And watch a movie in the jacuzzi smoke L's while you do me
Let's skip the hotel and go straight to my place. Watch a movie and have a smoke while we have fun
In mansion and Benz's givin' ends to my friends and it feels stupendous Tremendous cream, fuck a dollar and a dream Still tote gats strapped with infrared beams (what?)
I live in a mansion and own Benzes. Giving to my friends makes me feel good. I have extreme wealth and power
Choppin O's, smokin' lye an' Optimo's Money hoes and clothes all a nigga knows (all a nigga knows) A foolish pleasure, whatever
Selling drugs and smoking gets me cash to buy what I want. Women, and designer clothes.
I had to find the buried treasure (for what?), So grams I had to measure However living better now, Gucci sweater now Drop top BM's, I'm the man girlfriend
To be this rich I had to sell drugs. But now my life has improved dramatically. Designer clothes, expensive cars, and rich girlfriends
Check it out, nine-fo' shit for dat ass, uh Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Junior M.A.F.I.A, represent baby, baby, uh
Nine-four represents Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Junior M.A.F.I.A, and me
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: O'Kelly Isley, Christopher Jasper, Ernie Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley, Christopher Wallace, Marvin Isley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@im_s3ed
Stop asking who's still listening, we never stop listening
@elviaortiz2387
Fax
@Whatsuppp
Yes because we like it when she calls us Big Popppa
@nxisosensei3362
Ong talk yo shit
@woleisaac7787
Till the end of time
@V1nny00
Bullshit
@seannyboi1
If youโre seeing this right now, you have great taste in music.
@nellvalenciaespiritu3570
seannyboy 1234 so true
@kimsuwus7412
Yehhh boi
@darrel6724
Yeh