The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G. was the stage name of Christopher Wallace (1972–1997), a Brooklyn rapper widely considered one of hip-hop's greatest lyricists.
Also called Biggie Smalls or simply Biggie, he became the face of East Coast rap during its rivalry with West Coast artists in the 1990s.
He was murdered in a drive-by shooting at age 24, a crime that remains unsolved.
His name invokes both his large physical stature and his outsized influence on the genre.
Brooklyn neighborhood nickname
- Bedford-StuyvesantBrooklyn residential district
- BrownsvilleSouth Texas border town
- FlatbushBrooklyn neighborhood name
- East CoastAmerica's eastern shoreline
New York · projects · block · corner · bodega · stoop · hometown · birthplace
Recounting events aloud
- narrativeAccount of events
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
- punchlinesJokes' concluding zingers
- barsRods, taverns, or measures
verses · flow · delivery · cadence · multisyllabic · metaphor · vivid · autobiographical
Unbroken forward movement
- beatsPulses or defeats
- rhymesMatching word endings
- samplingExtracting subset for study
- DJMusic mixer performer
mixtape · turntablism · boombox · cipher · hardcore · producer
Pictorial screen symbol
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- influentialHaving considerable effect
- game-changerSomething transforming everything
groundbreaking · immortal · timeless · classic · seminal · pantheon · greatest · G.O.A.T.
Highest combat weight class
- larger-than-lifeImpressively exceeding normal proportions
- charismaMagnetic personal appeal
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
Bed-Stuy
Brooklyn neighborhood nickname
- Bedford-StuyvesantBrooklyn residential district
- BrownsvilleSouth Texas border town
- FlatbushBrooklyn neighborhood name
East Coast · New York · projects · block · corner · bodega · stoop · hometown · birthplace · borough
storytelling
Recounting events aloud
- narrativeAccount of events
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
- punchlinesJokes' concluding zingers
bars · verses · flow · delivery · cadence · multisyllabic · metaphor · vivid · autobiographical · confessional
flow
Unbroken forward movement
DJ · mixtape · turntablism · boombox · cipher · hardcore · producer
icon
Pictorial screen symbol
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- influentialHaving considerable effect
game-changer · groundbreaking · immortal · timeless · classic · seminal · pantheon · greatest · G.O.A.T. · posthumous
heavyweight
Highest combat weight class
- larger-than-lifeImpressively exceeding normal proportions
- charismaMagnetic personal appeal
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
Duets
Paired vocal performances
- platinumDense precious silvery metal
The Notorious B.I.G.Busta Rhymes
The Notorious B.I.G.MC Hammer
Nineties hip-hop performer
Will Smith · Vanilla Ice · A Tribe Called Quest · De La Soul · Shaquille O'Neal
The Notorious B.I.G.Tupac Shakur
Snoop Dogg · Dr. Dre · Death Row Records · G-funk · Ice Cube