Record producer Voletta Wallace, mother of slain gangsta rap icon The Notorious B.I.G., has died at age 78, according to reports from multiple outlets.
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Wallace died of natural causes at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, where she was receiving hospice care. Her family confirmed her death in a social media post Friday (Feb. 21.)
“Our mother, our matriarch, the woman who dedicated herself to uplifting her son, Christopher Wallace, and preserving his legacy has passed,” the caption read.
How Voletta Wallace Kept Her Son’s Light Burning
Born in Jamaica, she raised her son (whose real name was Christopher Wallace) as a single mom in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Voletta Wallace worked two jobs to support the young Notorious B.I.G., including as a preschool teacher.
Also known as Biggie Smalls, the rapper released just one album during his lifetime, 1994’s Ready to Die. Enjoying immense success, he was set to release the follow-up, Life After Death,16 days after he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California. Biggie was just 24 years old when he died on March 9, 1997.
Reeling from her son’s still-unsolved murder, Voletta Wallace threw herself into activism. She started the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, dedicated to community empowerment through arts and education.
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who represents New York’s 9th congressional district, called Wallace “a truly triumphant and inspiring woman” in a social media tribute Friday (Feb. 21.)
All of Brooklyn is mourning the loss of Ms. Voletta Wallace – a truly triumphant and inspiring woman who devoted her life to upholding the legacy of her son and ensuring his music and memory would always be celebrated.
— @repyvetteclarke.bsky.social (@RepYvetteClarke) February 21, 2025
May she rest in power and peace. pic.twitter.com/fSABpNCrh4
“All of Brooklyn is mourning the loss of Ms. Voletta Wallace,” Clarke wrote.
[RELATED: 3 Movies Every Notorious B.I.G. Fan Should See]
She Embraced The Mother of Her Son’s Rival
Six months prior to Biggie’s death, his lyrical arch-nemesis, Tupac Shakur, also died in a drive-by shooting, in Las Vegas.
Despite the two’s very public feud, Voletta Wallace made headlines when she hugged Afeni Shakur, mother of Tupac, onstage at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The two women appeared onstage together to present the award for Best Rap Music Video.
Afeni Shakur died in 2016 at age 69. “they’re together again,” one YouTube user wrote.
Featured image by Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
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