New York City will honor the Notorious B.I.G. on the late rapper’s 50th birthday with a massive celebration.
The party will kick off Saturday, May 21st, with various tributes taking place throughout the city. The Empire State Building in Manhattan will illuminate red and white for B.I.G.
An illuminated crown will also spin around the 102-story building, reminding onlookers everywhere that the “One More Chance” rapper is still the undisputed hip-hop “King of New York.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will have a special edition MetroCard with Biggie’s likeness for the special day. The MetroCard will be available for all transit users or fans who request one as a keepsake. Amazon Music will also be providing a unique QR code that will unlock custom Instagram filters honoring the late rapper.
Before the day of celebration kicks off, Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace, and children CJ and T’yanna Wallace will speak at a ceremony at the Empire State Building on Friday, May 20th. Other family members and close friends, such as Lil Kim and Lil Cease, are also expected to attend.
In addition, [RE]DISCOVER has teamed up with Beautify Earth to unveil all-new Biggie murals in every borough of New York City.
This weekend will not be the only upcoming honors for the rapper. On June 10th, the Lincoln Center will host a free black-tie orchestral tribute to B.I.G. The show will be live-streamed on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel. On that same day, Bad Boy/Atlantic/Rhino Records will release a vinyl version of The Notorious B.I.G.’s critically acclaimed album, “Life After Death.” The 25th-anniversary box set will include 8 LPs and a booklet with rare photos of the Brooklyn MC, liner notes, and memories from the team who helped put the album together.
