Voletta Wallace, Mother of Legendary Rapper ‘The Notorious B.I.G.’, Passes Away at 78

Voletta Wallace, the mother of legendary rapper Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, has passed away at the age of 78. The news was confirmed by Monroe County coroner Thomas Yanac, who stated that Wallace died of natural causes while receiving hospice care at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Born in Jamaica, Voletta Wallace later moved to the United States, where she worked as a preschool teacher in Brooklyn, New York. She was the proud mother of Christopher Wallace, whose impact on hip-hop remains profound even decades after his tragic death. Following his still-unsolved murder in 1997, Voletta took on the role of preserving his legacy, ensuring that his music and influence would never be forgotten.

Stepping Into the Spotlight After Tragedy

Just months after her son’s murder, Voletta Wallace took to the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1997 to accept the Best Rap Video award for “Hypnotize” on his behalf. This moment marked the beginning of her public presence in the music industry, as she continued to honor her son’s contributions.

Two years later, at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, she made another powerful appearance, this time alongside Afeni Shakur, the mother of Tupac Shakur. The two mothers stood united in an effort to move past the infamous East Coast-West Coast rap feud that had contributed to the deaths of both their sons.

“The fact that we are even standing here shows what the power of faith, friends, family, loved ones, and fans can do to bring us all closer,” Voletta said during the event. “Music can enhance our chances to hold us together, help us to reach others, cross language barriers and color lines, thus giving us hope for the next millennium.”

Speaking Out Against Sean “Diddy” Combs

The Notorious B.I.G.’s career was closely tied to that of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, as Biggie became one of the breakout stars on Combs’ Bad Boy record label. However, in recent years, Voletta Wallace expressed disappointment and anger towards Combs, particularly after allegations of sexual and physical abuse surfaced against him.

“I hope that I see Sean one day and the only thing I want to do is slap the daylights out of him. And you can quote me on that,” Wallace told Rolling Stone in May 2023. “Because I liked him. I didn’t want to believe all the awful things, but I’m so ashamed and embarrassed.”

Ensuring Biggie’s Legacy Lives On

As time went on, Voletta Wallace remained a central figure in keeping her son’s legacy alive. As The Notorious B.I.G.’s children, T’yanna and C.J. Wallace, grew into adulthood, they took on the responsibility of representing their father’s influence, even delivering his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech in 2020. However, Voletta continued to be involved in projects honoring Biggie’s life, including approving the first-ever authorized documentary about him.

In 2017, on the 20th anniversary of Biggie’s death, Wallace spoke about the continued impact of his music. “It brings so much joy to my heart that my son Christopher’s music has made such an impact on the music community and his stories have positively inspired so many young men and women over the years, and still influencing the youth all over the world today,” she said.