Voletta Wallace, the 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 that Wallace died at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, after receiving hospice care. She passed away from natural causes.
Voletta Wallace, the mother of rapper Notorious B.I.G., has died at 78, officials confirm. https://t.co/14ve6KBHde
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 21, 2025
A Devoted Mother and Guardian of Biggie’s Legacy
Born Christopher Wallace, The Notorious B.I.G. was one of hip-hop’s greatest artists. He was tragically shot and killed in Los Angeles in 1997 at just 24 years old—a case that remains unsolved.
Though Wallace once dismissed her son’s music as “noise,” she later embraced his artistry after his passing. In a 2017 interview, she shared how emotional it was to finally listen to his music:
“I cried so much that day just listening to the music. I rested my head on the stereo and just cried like a baby. That was therapy for me. And I said, ‘Oh my God—he was a talented young man.’”
Keeping His Memory Alive
Wallace played a key role in preserving her son’s legacy. In 2021, she worked as an executive producer on the Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell. She reflected on her unexpected rise to public attention, admitting that she was always a private person and unaware of certain aspects of her son’s life.
The Notorious B.I.G.’s Impact on Hip-Hop
Biggie’s debut album, Ready to Die (1994), became a hip-hop classic, featuring hits like Juicy and Big Poppa. As of 2018, it had sold over six million copies.
His second album, Life After Death, was released just two weeks after his passing. It went on to sell over 11 million copies and produced timeless hits like Mo Money Mo Problems and Hypnotize.
Wallace remained a devoted mother and protector of Biggie’s legacy until her final days.
Her passing was first reported by TMZ.
