The Notorious B.I.G.
A rap titan from Brooklyn whose vivid, cinematic storytelling and effortless flow chronicled street life with unparalleled grandeur and detail.
1972–1997 (age 25)·American rapper·Birthday: May 21·Generation X
Biography
Christopher Wallace transformed himself from a Brooklyn hustler into the Notorious B.I.G., a figure whose brief, monumental career reshaped hip-hop. His 1994 debut, 'Ready to Die,' was a raw, unflinching autobiography set to soulful, luxurious beats, introducing a rapper whose flow was deceptively smooth, his voice a rich baritone that carried both menace and weariness. Biggie's genius lay in his narrative scope; he painted detailed portraits of ambition, paranoia, and excess, making the specifics of street life feel epic and universal. His sudden rise ignited a coastal rivalry that tragically defined the era, and his murder in 1997 left his second album, 'Life After Death,' as a chilling, opulent postscript. More than a gangsta rapper, he was a masterful poet of urban aspiration, whose influence on lyricism, flow, and albumcraft remains the absolute standard in the genre.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
The was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When The Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
The's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1997Died at 25
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Released the landmark debut album 'Ready to Die' (1994), a cornerstone of East Coast hip-hop.
- His double album 'Life After Death' (1997) was released posthumously and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
- Had back-to-back number-one singles with "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money Mo Problems."
- Won the Billboard Music Award for Rap Artist of the Year in 1995.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed 'Big' because of his size, standing over 6 feet tall and weighing over 300 pounds at times.
Before his music career, he was a straight-A student in elementary school.
He worked as a crack cocaine dealer in Brooklyn during his teenage years.
The song "Juicy" was based on a true story about his mother chiding him for playing his music too loud.
“I'm going, going, back, back, to Cali, Cali.”
