Voletta Wallace, the mother of rap icon The Notorious B. I. G. , has died at the age of 78. Wallace, who played a crucial role in preserving and expanding her son’ s legacy after his tragic death in 1997, passed away in hospice care at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The Monroe County coroner, Thomas Yanac, confirmed her passing, though the cause was not specified....Read Full Article >>➤
Born in Jamaica, Wallace immigrated to the United States and raised her son, Christopher Wallace, as a single mother in Brooklyn. Her life took an unexpected turn in 1997 when The Notorious B. I. G. , also known as Biggie Smalls, was fatally shot in a drive- by attack in Los Angeles at just 24 years old.
His death occurred six months after the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, marking a violent period in hip- hop history that deepened the divide between the East and West Coast rap scenes.
In the years following her son’ s death, Wallace became a vocal advocate for justice. In 2002, she and Biggie’ s widow, singer Faith Evans, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, alleging police involvement in the rapper’ s murder.
The legal battle continued for years, with a mistrial declared in 2005 after a judge ruled that the Los Angeles Police Department had withheld crucial evidence. An amended lawsuit in 2007 estimated financial losses at $500 million, but the case was dismissed in 2010 to avoid interfering with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Despite the unresolved case, Wallace remained committed to preserving Biggie’ s influence in hip- hop culture. She played a key role in the 2009 biopic Notorious, serving as a producer and working closely with actor Jamal Woolard, who portrayed her son.
Angela Bassett played Wallace in the film, which aimed to tell Biggie’ s story through his mother’ s perspective.
” Ever since I was a little girl, I liked stories, ” Wallace said in the documentary. ”
When he was a little boy, I always had the radio on, tuned into the country music station. I love my Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings. He listened to it all with me because he had no other choice. ”
Wallace’ s dedication to her son’ s memory ensured that The Notorious B. I. G. remained a towering figure in hip- hop long after his death. Her passing marks the end of an era for those who admired her resilience and unwavering commitment to keeping his legacy alive. ...Read Full Article >>➤
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