Voletta Wallace, the devoted mother of legendary rapper The Notorious B.I.G., passed away on Friday morning at the age of 78.
Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac confirmed her death to The Associated Press, stating that she died of natural causes at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, after a period in hospice care.
A representative for The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Wallace was a steadfast guardian of her son’s legacy. Born Christopher Wallace, The Notorious B.I.G. rose to fame with his vivid storytelling about Brooklyn street life. Initially, his mother dismissed his music as “noise,” but after his passing, she came to appreciate his artistry.
In a 2017 interview with AP, she reflected on the first time she truly listened to his lyrics:
“I cried so much that day just listening to the music. I remember I sat, I stood. I rested my head on the stereo and I just cried like a baby. And that was therapy for me. And I said, ‘Oh my God — that was a talented young man to put those words together.’ He had a beautiful voice. I love his voice.”
Wallace later served as an executive producer on the 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell, shedding light on her journey in the public eye.
“They never knew me. The public never knew me. I was thrust into this environment after he passed away because I’m a very private person,” she shared. “What he was doing out there, maybe I should have known. But honestly, I didn’t.”
Her son, The Notorious B.I.G., was shot and killed in Los Angeles in 1997 at the age of 24. His murder remains unsolved.
His 1994 debut album, Ready to Die, has sold over 6 million copies, featuring classics like Juicy and Big Poppa. His posthumous 1997 album, Life After Death, sold over 11 million copies and produced the No. 1 hits Mo Money Mo Problems and Hypnotize.
