Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace is one of the most documented figures in the history of Hip Hop culture. Countless fictional and non-fictional motion pictures, television shows, and podcasts have been produced about the Brooklyn-born music icon.
Netflix is set to present its own 98-minute documentary covering the life of The Notorious B.I.G. on March 1. Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell has the backing of the late emcee’s mother Voletta Wallace, the Christopher Wallace Estate, and Bad Boy Entertainment founder Sean “Diddy” Combs (aka Puff Daddy).
A synopsis for Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell reads:
In the wake of The Notorious B.I.G.’s landmark induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and ahead of what would have been his 50th birthday, Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell offers a fresh look at one of the greatest, most influential rappers of all time by those who knew him best. Made in collaboration with Biggie’s estate, I Got A Story To Tell is an intimate rendering of a man whose rapid ascent and tragic end has been at the center of rap lore for more than twenty years. Directed by Emmett Malloy, this intimate documentary features rare footage filmed by his best friend Damion “D-Roc” Butler and new interviews with his closest friends and family, revealing a side of Christopher Wallace that the world never knew. I Got A Story To Tell is executive produced by Sean Combs, Voletta Wallace, Mark Pitts, Stanley Buchthal, and Emmett and Brendan Malloy.
Prior to his still-unsolved murder in 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. rose to become the hottest rap star on the planet. His 1994 album Ready to Die is often cited as a Hip Hop masterpiece partly because of the New Yorker’s ability to craft a project that seamlessly blended the radio-friendly Bad Boy sound with East Coast street anthems.
Ready to Die is now certified 6x-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Biggie’s 1997 classic, Life After Death, surpassed the commercial success of his debut album by earning 11x-Platinum status. Even though only two official studio LPs were created while he was alive, B.I.G. managed to influence generations of musicians that came after him.
Diddy posthumously inducted The Notorious B.I.G. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class along with performers Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, and T. Rex. Christopher Wallace was just 24 years old when he was killed in Los Angeles during a drive-by shooting.