Source: Adger Cowans / Getty
“Biggie Smalls is the Illest.”
In the early 90s, the New York rap scene was searching for a new star. West Coast Hip-Hop had taken hold of the game, taking the sound and styles that encompassed California life to dizzying new heights.
Enter a hungry young rapper from Brooklyn: Armed with a charismatic flow and hard-hitting lyrics, The Notorious B.I.G. was as comfortable on a radio smash as he was a grimy mixtape cut. His debut album, Ready To Die, became an instant classic, solidifying his place as one of rap’s most skilled lyricists and reestablishing The Big Apple’s spot in Hip-Hop.
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Sadly, Biggie would be killed before the release of his second album. Life After Death, released just weeks after his murder, would go on to become another hit with fans and music critics alike.
We lost a legend on March 9, 1997, but his music would live on – inspiring not only his contemporaries – but scores of rappers to come.
Today we celebrate what would have been his 49th birthday with a gallery of rare photos highlighting the life of Brooklyn’s Finest.
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
1. A Young Christopher Wallace
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
2. Biggie & Faith Evans
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
3. Big Shows Love To Fans
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
4. Brooklyn’s Finest
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
5. Biggie Grabs A Pic With Whitney & Bobby Brown
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
6. Biggie Smalls Is The Illest
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
7. Tour Life with B.I.G.
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
8. Dream Big
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
9. Big With Lil Kim & Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
10. Spread Love, Is The Brooklyn Way
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
11. A Future Rap Legend
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
12. Busta Rhymes and Poppa
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
13. Brooklyn Is Definitely In The House
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
14. Junior MAFIA’s The Clique
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
15. 90s Swag With Puff Daddy & The Notorious One
15 Rare Pics of The Notorious B.I.G. was originally published on zhiphopcleveland.com
