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Stroudsburg, PA – Voletta Wallace, mother of the late rapper Notorious B.I.G., passed away Friday morning. She was under hospice care at the time of her death, which was attributed to natural causes.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Voletta raised her son, Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls, as a single mother after his father left the family. She worked multiple jobs, including as a preschool teacher, to provide for her son.
Biggie Smalls rose to fame with his 1994 debut album “Ready to Die.” His life was tragically cut short in 1997 when he was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles at the age of 24. He left behind his mother and two children.
Following her son’s death, Voletta Wallace dedicated herself to preserving his legacy. She oversaw his estate and established the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation. She was present to celebrate his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
Voletta remained a vocal advocate for her son, often using her social media presence to highlight his achievements and seek answers regarding his unsolved murder. She was also a key figure in the production of the 2009 biopic, Notorious.
As recently as May 2024, Voletta spoke publicly about her disappointment and anger towards Sean “Diddy” Combs, a former friend of her son’s, following allegations of assault.