Voletta Wallace, Mother of The Notorious B.I.G., Dies at 72
Voletta Wallace, the devoted mother who fiercely protected and preserved the legacy of her son, The Notorious B.I.G., has passed away at the age of 72.
According to the Monroe County Coroner and TMZ, which was the first to report the news, Wallace died of natural causes at home under hospice care on Friday morning (Feb. 21) in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Originally from Jamaica, Wallace relocated to New York and settled in Brooklyn, where she raised the iconic rapper. She pursued a career in education, working as a preschool teacher, according to Heavy.
After losing her only child in 1997, Wallace dedicated her life to keeping his influence alive. She founded the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, named after her late son, and played a pivotal role in managing his estate—now reportedly valued at $160 million—ensuring that Biggie’s music and impact resonated across generations.
Wallace also helped bring her son’s story to the big screen as a producer of the 2009 biopic “Notorious,” in which she was portrayed by award-winning actress Angela Bassett.
When Biggie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, she expressed her pride to Billboard, stating, “As a mother, I’m extremely proud of his accomplishments… I still see such a young man at a young age, and sadly, he’s not here to witness all this. But it’s an astute honor, and as a mother, I’m just elated for that.”
One of Wallace’s final Instagram posts, dated December 4, 2024, celebrated Biggie’s Spotify Wrapped achievement of garnering 992 million streams on the platform.
BET extends its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Voletta Wallace.
This is a developing story.
