ONE37pm Speaks To CJ Wallace Ahead of Biggie's 50th Birthday Celebration

Ha! Sicker than your average.

Biggie wasn’t kidding when he said that epic one-liner, and now on the eve of his 50th birthday, we are commemorating a legend. The celebrations have already started in New York and will continue with many more events through June.

Yesterday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, welcomed the family of The Notorious B.I.G to his City Hall office to honor them with an official proclamation for the late rapper, artist, writer, poet, producer, actor, designer, teacher, and leader. Biggie influenced individuals worldwide and forever impacted global culture. He was and will always be the King of New York hip-hop, as his legacy continues to be deeply felt in New York City and across the world. 

And that’s not all. Near Biggie’s neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant where he grew up, the MTA also plans to roll out a special edition MetroCard for the three subway stops nearest to his home. Lafayette Avenue, Clinton-Washington Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue will all feature the new subway card tomorrow. Amazon Music also plans to honor The Notorious B.I.G. as well alongside their music brand [RE]DISCOVER, which plans to ​​take over the Clinton-Washington Ave. Station to decorate it with art and murals in honor of Biggie. 

Speaking of CJ Wallace, we caught up with him before the festivities.

ONE37pm: Now there are more honors/events that are being planned through June including something with Amazon Music and a tribute event at Barclays correct?

Wallace: Yes! It’s crazy to see the impact that my dad has had over the past 25 years, and I’m happy to be a part of it. I know we’re also doing an event at the Lincoln Center in June as well.

ONE37pm: And you are also partnering with Lexus right?

Wallace: To be able to work with Lexus is a real game-changer. Lexus actually came to us. My dad was a real driving force in their career and vice versa. They reached out to us before they even knew about the 25th anniversary and 50th birthday. We’re happy to celebrate the collaboration, and there’s going to be merchandise, NFTs, and more.

ONE37pm: How can fans continue to keep your father’s legacy alive through June and beyond?

Wallace: There’s been a lot of cool things the fans have been doing. I know there are these three girls on Instagram that consistently dance to different Biggie records. TikTok is a huge thing, and there have been so many people who have been able to discover his different records through the platform. We also have the charity we are working with called the Youth Design Center, which is another way of keeping his legacy alive.