The Notorious B.I.G. to Be Honored as King of New York on May 21

Kathryn Milewski -

Many consider The Notorious B.I.G. to be a king of rap music, but on May 21, the hip-hop artist will also be honored by the city of New York as a king. It all happens on what would have been the late rapper's 50th birthday.

The celebration will consist of multiple tributes across Manhattan and Brooklyn. In honor of Christopher Wallace, the Empire State Building will light up in red and white, with an illuminated crown spinning around its center on May 21. In Brooklyn, the Barclays Center entrance will display a video montage of classic Biggie records. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will also release a special edition MetroCard featuring the rapper, which will be available at three subway stations near his old Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood (Lafayette Avenue, Clinton – Washington Ave., and Atlantic Ave. – Barclays Center).

Additionally, Amazon Music and their catalog music brand, [RE]DISCOVER, will take over the Clinton – Washington Ave. station with artwork based on Biggie’s iconic “King of New York” crown photo. At the station, fans will be able to scan a QR code that will give them access to a special Instagram filter celebrating his life and legacy.

The night before (May 20), Wallace's family members, close friends, and some collaborators – including Lil’ Cease and Lil Kim – will attend a special ceremony at the Empire State Building for the late rapper.

In related news, Bad Boy Records, Atlantic Records, and Rhino Records will release a special vinyl edition of Biggie's Life After Death on June 10 in celebration of the album's 25th anniversary. The vinyl set – as well as Christopher Wallace being hailed as King of New York – are all part of a campaign by his estate dubbed "The Sky’s the Limit: A Year Celebrating the Legacy of the Notorious B.I.G."


Check out our selection of free stations streaming The Notorious B.I.G. music at Live365.com.

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Article Image: Brown stencils of The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace) wearing a crown on a white background. (Twayna Mayne [CC BY 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons.)