A new Biggie mural has been unveiled on Christopher Wallace Way by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
On Thursday (March 9), city leaders and loyal fans gathered on the street named after Biggie to celebrate the occasion. Adams spoke about the monumental event at a press conference in the late rapper’s hometown of Brooklyn.
“We are larger than our surroundings,” Adams said, according to PIX11 News. “The possibilities are endless if we go within and use the creativity for our life experiences, how do we tell our stories, and how do we make sure we leave from our block of Brooklyn and become a global phenomenon.”
Brooklyn-based artist Jan Carlos Pinto created the mural, which shows Biggie made out of glass and various pieces of stone while rocking a crown and his famous Coogi sweater. A mirror sits where his face would be, allowing fans to see themselves as the “King of New York.”
The mural references Barron Claiborne’s famous 1997 photo of Biggie during his “King of New York” photo shoot for his feature in Rap Pagesmagazine.
Check out photos and videos of the mural below:
This isn’t the first time Biggie’s legacy has been honored by New York City.
In 2016, former Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams declared Biggie Smalls’ birthday (May 21) a holiday and presented his daughter T’yanna Wallace and friend/collaborator Lil’ Cease with a proclamation.
“On his birthday, Brooklyn salutes one of our own, who has never been forgotten as long as his music plays,” Adams said. “His energy will remain and continue to inspire people throughout not only the borough of Brooklyn, but Biggie put Brooklyn on the map.”
March 9 marked the 26th anniversary of the Brooklyn rapper’s tragic murder in Los Angeles in 1997. Diddypaid tribute to his former friend and artist on Twitter by reposting a rare interview of him at the height of his career.
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“There will NEVER be another,” the Bad Boy boss wrote. “The GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME. Today we celebrate and honor you king. Love and miss you!”
The clip finds Biggie saluting individuality and those daring enough to blaze their own path rather than follow along with the crowd of what’s trending.
“Don’t be a fool and sit back and do it because somebody else is doing it,” he proclaims. “Because only thing you gon’ do is follow in somebody else’s footsteps and you gon’ be a shadow. Who wants to be a shadow for the rest of they life?
“If you got a lil’ something that you know how to do, progress that and keep trying. God knows what could happen, you know what I’m saying? That’s what I did. I kept on rapping and it happened to get to the right ears.”
