Voletta Wallace, mother of the legendary Notorious B.I.G., dies at 72

Voletta Wallace has passed away at the age of 72, the Monroe County Coroner confirmed on Friday (Feb. 21).

According to TMZ, the mother of the legendary Notorious B.I.G., died of natural causes in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, under hospice care. In a statement, the family said more details on “how we can all honor Ms. Wallace” will be shared in the coming days.

“We suffered a tremendous loss today. Our mother, our matriarch, the woman who dedicated herself to uplifting her son, Christopher Wallace, and preserving his legacy has passed away,” her loved ones expressed. “It is with immense sadness that we share this news with you, and ask that you please give our family the space and time needed to grieve this monumental loss. Thank you for your continued outpouring of love, prayers and condolences in this difficult time.”

Born in Jamaica and later settling in Brooklyn, New York, Voletta welcomed B.I.G. with Selwyn George Latore, who left when their son was only 2. She later worked as a preschool teacher and raised him as a single mother in the borough’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.

TMZ further noted that at the time of the “Big Poppa” rapper’s passing — which, to this day, remains unsolved — in 1997, his net worth was estimated to be around $10 million. Since then, that number has skyrocketed to a reported $160 million, largely due to Voletta overseeing his estate.

In 2021, Voletta spoke with Entertainment Weekly about how her son’s music helped her stay connected to him after his death. “After his passing, I heard a lot of positive and negative things that were being said about him. As a mother, I only wanted to hear positive things because I’m biased,” she explained at the time.

REVOLT sends our condolences to Voletta Wallace’s family and loved ones.