The Notorious B.I.G. would have turned 49 years old today (May 21) and his fans, friends and family are marking the day by honoring and celebrating his long-lasting legacy. On Friday morning, REVOLT premiered a never-before-seen upgraded version of the Brooklyn rap star’s hit music video “Juicy” in 4K resolution.
Later in the day, Diddy shared a video montage of pictures dedicated to his late friend.
“I MISS YOU BROTHER!!! The WHOLE WORLD MISSES YOU. FOREVER LOVE!!!” Diddy captioned the clip, adding, #HappyBirthdayBIG.”
Nas also shared a throwback photo of Biggie along with two other legends — JAY-Z and Busta Rhymes — to commemorate the day.
“Biggie, Busta & JAY-Z,” Nas captioned the black-and-white shot. “Happy Birthday Notorious B.I.G. & King.”
Nas also tagged Busta in the post, as yesterday (May 20) marked the “Break Ya Neck” rapper’s 49th birthday. Nas didn’t say when or where the photo of Hov, Biggie and Busta was taken, but the three emcees have been connected since a young age. As teenagers, they all attended the George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School together in Brooklyn.
Earlier in the week, Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace, also shared pictures of herself with her son. She captioned the sweet post, “Forever my [heart].”
On Twitter, fans reflected on Biggie’s lasting influence on hip hop music and culture.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIGGIE! I know u rockin the Heavens w/ Prodigy, X, Pac, & so many more hip hop has lost… We still have u in heavy rotation,” one fan wrote. “We love & miss u & have never forgotten your greatness… Thank u for the music & memories u left us!!”
“Remembering Christopher Wallace a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G. on his 49th birthday,” another fan tweeted. “The legendary rapper was one of the greatest rappers of all time. He is missed more than words could ever express.”
Earlier this year, more of Biggie’s friends and collaborators — including Faith Evans, Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s Lil’ Cease and more — honored his memory by sharing their stories of him in the Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell documentary. The film was executive produced by Diddy and Voletta, who also appeared in it.
See happy birthday tributes to Biggie on social media below.