It’s hard to forget where you were and what you were doing when it was announced that Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace had been killed in 1997 after being shot four times on a street in Los Angeles. Murdered two months before his 24th birthday and six months after Tupac “2Pac” Shakur, Wallace’s death served as another sad example of the violence that plagues young black men in America.
After 13 years, Wallace’s murder remains unsolved and it was discovered that several detectives who worked for the LAPD hid evidence in the case. With possible corruption by the LAPD and a lack of witnesses, it’s highly unlikely that the murder will be solved in the near future.
However, Wallace’s influence on hip-hop will always be celebrated. Although he only recorded two albums before his death (Ready To Die, Life After Death), Wallace’s rugged lyricism and crossover appeal created a template for other hip-hop artists who wanted to garner radio play while remaining hardcore.
Sean “Diddy” Combs hopes to make March 9 a national hip-hop holiday. –amir shaw
