Long after his untimely passing, The Notorious B.I.G is being honored in a big way in the form of an interactive statue in Brooklyn.
Coming in at over 9-foot-tall, the towering sculpture is installed at the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. The new piece is housed at the northeast corner of Prospect Street and Washington Street.
The artwork, designed by local artist Sherwin Banfield, also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. The steel and bronze structure features the crowned head of Biggie on top. Among the many decorations embellishing the piece is a heart that reads “spread love.” As The Notorious B.I.G. put it, it’s the Brooklyn way.
Spread Love, It’s the Brooklyn Way: The Notorious B.I.G Honored With Art Installation at Brooklyn Bridge – https://t.co/T4wh0rLHeU pic.twitter.com/Ynwka4YyVg
— 1063 ATL Radio (@1063atl) December 9, 2022
Visitors can also hear some of the NYC icon’s biggest hits played through the speakers, with a few of his albums adorning the sculpture itself.
Banfield set out to pay homage to Biggie and challenge “the traditions of western public sculpture by representing his African American artistry, lineage and evolution,” according to an official press release.
“’It was all a dream,’ the opening lyric from The Notorious B.I.G.’s#### track ‘Juicy,’ exemplifies my dream of creating this monument,” the artist explained. “Delivering this project means so much to me personally, my story and artistic development as well as countless fans of Hip-Hop Culture who continue to be positively affected and influenced by the communal experiences and sonic frequencies of B.I.G.’s artistry. I cherish the significance of the potential impact on young children of color who will have an opportunity to experience a public sculpture that represents and reflects their identity, circumstance and/or dreams.”
The new public art installation will be available for visitors and fans to see the spring of 2023.
The striking sculpture is one of a number of tributes to The Notorious B.I.G. commissioned in Brooklyn this year. A pair of murals were erected in Bed-Stuy in May, marking the 25th anniversary of his passing.
In June, Proto Inc. paid homage to The Notorious B.I.G. with a hologram of the legendary rapper at the Brooklyn Chop House restaurant in NYC.
