Voletta Wallace, the mother of the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G., died at the age of 78. She died of natural causes at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. She was known for continuing her son’s legacy after the rapper’s untimely murder at the age of 24. Fans wondered who would inherit Biggie’s estate after his mother worked hard to build it to a $160 million fortune.
The Notorious B.I.G. had daughter T’yanna with high-school sweetheart Jan Jackson in 1993 and later son Christopher Jordan, aka CJ Wallace, with wife Faith Evans in 1996. It is believed that his eldest, T’yanna, would now be in charge of the rapper’s estate.
What happens to The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate after Voletta Wallace’s passing?
The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in a drive-by shooting in 1997. His mother Voletta Wallace made sure that his name would remain relevant in the music world in the 28 years since the murder. Wallace was vocal about seeking justice for her son but the murder remains unsolved even after years.
In the years following his death, Wallace attended countless interviews and award shows to promote her son’s name. She dedicated her life to carrying on her son’s legacy, taking over Biggie Smalls’ $10 million estate. She grew the estate to $160 million through merchandise and licensing his likeness (via TMZ).
Wallace wrote the 2005 memoir Biggie about her son. She was also the producer of the 2009 biopic, Notorious, where Jamal Woolard played the rapper and Angela Bassett played Wallace. She executive produced the 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell. In 2021, WME Legends Group signed a deal to represent the rapper’s estate (via Variety).
Wallace passed away at the age of 78 on Friday morning. According to Monroe County Coroner’s report, she spent some time in hospice care before her death due to natural causes (via Associated Press). With Voletta Wallace’s passing, the responsibilities of the estate will now go to T’yanna Dream Wallace, his firstborn daughter.
Both T’yanna and his son CJ Wallace are already involved with the estate and they have helped their grandmother to grow the Notorious brand.
The Notorious B.I.G’s family: Wife Faith Evans, daughter T’yanna, and son CJ Wallace
The Notorious B.I.G had his first daughter, T’yanna Wallace, with his high school sweetheart Jan Jackson. T’yanna started her own line of clothing, Notoriouss Clothing, while still attending Penn State University. In 2024, she opened The Biggie Experience giving an opportunity for fans to peek into her father’s life and impact. She shared with Forbes:
I always wanted to be the person who says, ‘OK, my dad’s not here anymore, but I know how special he is.’ So, I want to continue his legacy in any way possible. I always wanted his legacy to be available to his fans.
She received support from her brother CJ Wallace to open the exhibit. In 2022, they attended Biggie Estate’s event to light up the Empire State Building in The Notorious B.I.G’s honor. T’yanna seems to have the business acumen to carry on the business dealings of the estate.
The rapper had his second child with wife Faith Evans, son CJ Wallace. Wallace owns a lifestyle company called Frank White named after Biggie Smalls’ alias. He also started the Think BIG initiative, seeking cannabis legalization and criminal justice reform.
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