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Editorial Review Product Description
The legend of Notorious B.I.G. (born Christopher Wallace, but also known as Biggie Smalls), has only grown since he was murdered on the night of March 9, 1997 - executed at point-blank range through the passenger side of his car. Due to their tremendous influence on hip-hop culture as well as their untimely deaths, Biggie's name has been paired with Tupac Shakur's and held up as examples of how stars can rise and fall. In this touching book, Biggie's mother Voletta Wallace now brings a human face back to the icon that was her beloved son. In this lavishly illustrated memoir, with many never-before-published photographs, Voletta Wallace charts her son's climb to stardom, recalling Biggie's childhood in Brooklyn, and how she tried to keep her bright, precocious son on the straight and narrow. She shares memories of the night that her son was shot, when she rushed to Los Angeles to be with Biggie's wife, Faith Evans. Straightforward and candid, Voletta Wallace condemns her son's 'friends' - who treated her with little respect after Biggie's death - and shares serious misgivings about the treacherous nature of the entertainment industry.Finally, she delves deeply into her own personal life, discussing her health scare and ongoing efforts to identify the killers of her son. With new photographs and opinions concerning A-list members of the hip-hop community, in addition to theories behind her son's unsolved murder, "Biggie" is not only a poignant tribute from a mother to son, but an eye-opening read. ... Read more Customer Reviews (7) 
WHAT IN THE WORLD
I GUESS THAT A MOTHER CAN ONLY TELL HER SIDE THE WAY THAT SHE SEEN IT. I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS BOOK. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT VOLETTA THEN THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT RIP B.I.G
A mother speaks on her son the Superstar--
"BIGGIE" is a biography of the late, popular hip-hop musician Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls, but known to his family as Christopher Wallace.His mother, Ms. Voletta Wallace, is the author.She combines an autobiographical narrative of her own life in Jamaica, then transplanted to New York City, where she met Christopher's father.
The book is a large-print hardcover, with occasional pictures throughout; After Ms. Wallace accounts her own life and Christopher's childhood, she describes her life during his rise to fame as a rap artist.From there, she goes into her perspective on the night he was murdered, and what has happened in the years since his death.
The narrative is very good, she doesn't short-shrift on Biggie's shortcomings:She speaks frankly about her disapproval of his choice to be a street-level drug peddler, as well about 'girl crazy' Christopher's philandering, and her initial anger concerning his whirlwind romance & marriage to Faith Evans.The same frankness also goes for some of the others in Christopher's life, e.g. Puffy ("The truth is, Christopher accepted the illusion of a friend and mentor for about $25,000.That's the amount Puffy lured my son with... It was enough money to make my son believe that Puffy was ready to do anything for him...That same admiration and loyalty have [Shyne] in jail with a ten-year sentence"), Cease ("It was me, Voletta Wallace, who [bailed Cease out and] waited for almost a year to get my money back... I guess in a business of lies and deception it just sounded better for him to say it was Jay-Z who bailed him out... Perhaps the whole lie put him in good standing...") She sheds light on her initial reaction to Biggie & Faith's marriage & breakup, and stresses there was no feuding with her after his death, but Kim's behavior became increasingly troublesome ("her album was about to drop that week... whenever the television was on, there she was. it seemed to me, that she was never talking about herself. every other breath awas about my son... she had something new and more salacious to say about my son".)
She also goes into interesting accounts on the Tupac/Biggie feud, and her friendship with Afeni Shakur, as the two are bound by their son's early deaths and legacies.
Interesting
Biggie will always be remembered to me for his style and music. to his mother, she will always remember the only child that she lost. Reading Ms Wallace's book was very inspirational. She showed that yes, I was tricked and hurt by my son's father, being alone in a new country by myself, but despite of it, she went on, worked, made sure she gave her son the best, and completed college. As a child of a parent born and raised in the West Indies, she really gave me some insight as far as how the school system was in the Caribbean. She is right, to learn is a privilege and right and a lot of us throw it away. We have only heard so much from Ms Wallace, and now you get to hear the rest of the story. A very good memoir that should be read by all, especially those who have lost, and all hip hoppers wanting to hear a mother's comment on her famous son. There were times when I thought she was being partial as far as her son was concerned. but it was her book, and she had to admit that despite of all, she made some mistakes and doesn't see her son as an angel either.
A Mother's Love is BIG
Voletta Wallace, the mother of the late Christopher "Notorious B.I.G.; Biggie, BIG" has written a heartfelt and deeply moving account of her life and that of her son.
Faith Evans writes in her introduction that readers will feel compelled to finish this book once they start it and she is right.The love this mother had for her only child will touch the hearts of all who read her account.I finished this book in one straight sitting and came away with a different view of Christopher Wallace.
Voletta, a native Jamaican from Trelawny describes her hardscrabble life against the contradictory tropical beauty of the Island.The youngest of 3 children, Voletta learns to fend for herself against her older sister Ruby, with whom she has a volatile relationship.She is, however close to her brother Volan.
Voletta describes the educational system in the West Indies and the punitive approach that is so readily applied.Students are whipped and beaten by teachers for small infractions including not knowing the answer to a lesson; parental whippings are equally common.Voletta knew that despite the punitive system that education was her ticket to a better life.At age 16, determined to attend the local high school without paying tuition as is common in the Islands, she moves with a relative.That arrangement is short lived once the relative's husband makes lewd advances toward her.
Luck intervenes; in 1969 at age 16 Voletta is able to leave the Islands for New York and continue her education there.She earns her G.E.D.; secures employment and moves into a small flat.
In 1971 her friend introduced her to Selwyn, the man who would father her only child.In time she discovers Selwyn was married and had been lying to and using her.When Christopher was born on May 21, 1972, Selwyn had little impact in his son's life.He did buy food and baby supplies for the boy until he was two; after that, his contact with that family ceased.Voletta was determined to see that her son had a better life and more chances than she had growing up.She wisely wants her son to know his father despite her bad experiences with the man.She wanted Christopher to make his own mind up about him and to reserve judgment until he has the chance to do so.
Determined to pursue her education and career, Voletta secures teaching jobs after discovering that nursing was not for her.She insists Christopher apply himself to his studies as he was bright and learned quickly.Sadly, Christopher answered the siren song from the street and all but abandoned his studies once he entered the teen years.Desperate, Voletta did everything she could to get him to continue his education.
In the early 1990s, Voletta heard Christopher "rapping" on the radio.By chance, she could not get her regular station tuned in and accidentally heard her son on another.It was then she and Christopher talked about his career in the rap world and his rising popularity among his peers.
Christopher adopted the street/rapper name of B.I.G.; Biggie and The Notorious Big, which was a nod to his considerable girth.A large, husky man, Big was notorious among the rap crowd.
Sadly, on March 9, 1997 Big was gunned down during a rap feud between East and West Coast rappers.He became a casualty of the lifestyle he readily embraced.
Voletta describes how her son's loss deeply impacted her life; that of his wife; that of Lil Kim, who claimed to be his wife and his daughter.Learning about how each one of these people had a place in his life makes for a fuller and clearer picture of The Notorious Big.
Although I never liked rap and can't claim to have enjoyed Biggie's work, I have nothing but the deepest respect for Voletta Wallace.The love she had for her only child is so palpable; so deep; so intense that readers are acutely aware of it throught the entire book.It is her love for this son that makes the book so worth reading.This book might make you cry, but you will certainly take Voletta Wallace into your heart.It is a very serious and grim portrait of how street culture has claimed many casualties.
(RAW Rating: 3.5) - Biggie Remembered
Voletta Wallace chronicles a slice of her life and that of her son, the Notorious B.I.G., in BIGGIE: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son. Born and raised in Jamaica, Voletta Wallace always had dreams of moving to America where it seemed everyone was rich, fashionable, and happy. She was a hard-working young woman who made her dreams a reality through perseverance and holding steadfast to her values of education and self-improvement. When she was unexpectedly blessed with a son, her life changed markedly. Instead of striving to improve herself for her own gain, Christopher became the central motivation to better her circumstances.
Although life seemed charmed once Biggie made it to superstardom, her grandchildren were born, and she had successfully fought breast cancer, devastation reigned in Voletta's life when Biggie was murdered while visiting Los Angeles. After being faced with this tragedy and the aftermath that it brought with it, Voletta was faced with even more challenges. Yet, she never let mishaps and unfortunate turns of events shatter her. She remains a strong figure in her family and in the entertainment industry.
While this was an interesting glimpse into how Biggie came up and the role his mother played in his life, I would like to have seen more insight and details. However, this isn't really a biography of Christopher Wallace, or even his alter ego, The Notorious B.I.G. Instead, it is more of a memorial piece that briefly touches on the life of a man who became a central figure in the rap game and touched the lives of his fans, his family and friends, and the world of hip-hop.
Reviewed by CandaceK
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