The world lost a legend in The Notorious B.I.G., a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, on March 9, 1997, when the Brooklyn-raised rapper with the impeccable flow was tragically murdered in a drive-by shooting. The 24-year-old had only released two albums in his short lifetime, but he was already a major commercial and critical success. Sixteen days after his death, his sophomore album Life After Death was re-released and hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, garnering critical acclaim and even earning a Diamond certification by the year 2000.
Two more albums were released in Biggie Smalls' honor posthumously, including Born Again and Duets: The Final Chapter, which featured a star-studded cast of guest artists, including Eminem, Jay Z, Faith Evans, 2Pac, and Mary J. Blige. Perhaps my favorite of these posthumous collaborations is "Hold Ya Head," featuring the vocals of the late, great Bob Marley. The video is filmed across a series of neighborhoods, from Overtown, Miami to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and even features a brief cameo from Biggie's mother, Ms. Wallace herself. Scenes of everyday street life paired with Biggie's dark, depressed, and self-critical lyrics make for a chilling memoriam.
R.I.P. Biggie Smalls.
