The Notorious B.I.G.: The Life, Legacy, and Legend of Biggie Smalls
The Rise of a Hip-Hop Icon Christopher George Latore Wallace, known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G. , was born on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up in the rough neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Biggie was exposed to the struggles of inner-city life from a young age. Raised by his mother, Voletta Wallace, a Jamaican preschool teacher, he was taught discipline and hard work even as he navigated the harsh realities of the streets.