Biggie Smalls: Rise to Fame Before 'Ready to Die' | Childhood, Friends, & Early Struggles - Biggie, Part 1

Christopher Wallace, known by his stage name Biggie Smalls or The Notorious B.I.G., was born on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in the rough neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Biggie was the only child of Voletta Wallace, a Jamaican immigrant and preschool teacher, and Selwyn George Latore, a welder and politician who left the family when Biggie was just two years old. Biggie's mother, Voletta, worked multiple jobs to provide for her son, instilling in him the importance of education and hard work. Despite her efforts, Biggie became involved in the local street scene. He attended the Roman Catholic Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School before transferring to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, where future rappers Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes were also students. As a teenager, Biggie began dealing drugs, a decision that led to several run-ins with the law. He was arrested on weapons charges in 1989 and for a probation violation in 1990. In 1991, he spent nine months in jail for dealing crack cocaine. Despite his criminal activities, Biggie was developing his skills as a rapper. He gained attention in the local hip-hop scene with a demo tape that eventually reached the hands of Sean "Puffy" Combs, who was working at Uptown Records at the time. Impressed by Biggie's talent, Combs signed him to his newly formed label, Bad Boy Records, after leaving Uptown. Biggie's early career was marked by collaborations with friends and fellow artists. He formed the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes), which included childhood friends like Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease. The group played a significant role in Biggie's rise to fame, adding to the East Coast hip-hop scene's growing influence. In 1994, Biggie's debut album, "Ready to Die," was released on Bad Boy Records. The album was critically acclaimed and helped revitalize the East Coast rap scene, which had been overshadowed by West Coast artists. With hits like "Juicy," "Big Poppa," and "One More Chance," Biggie's vivid storytelling, lyrical prowess, and deep, commanding voice made him a standout figure in hip-hop. "Ready to Die" solidified Biggie's status as one of the leading artists in the genre, setting the stage for his enduring legacy as one of the greatest rappers of all time.

⏳𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 ⏳

00:00 – Tupac or Biggie for ME?

04:05 – Christopher George Latore Wallas, the beginning

11:13 – Biggie’s criminal history

18:10 – Biggie as a tennager

21:28 – Junior M.A.F.I.A.

25:16 – Ollie

26:52 – Building Biggie’s musical career

30:17 – Sean “P. Diddy”, “Puff Daddy”, “Puffy” Combs

42:09 – More of the Music

🍁 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 🍁

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