Biggie‘s songs could soon have a new home in exchange for a massive payment, according to a brand-new report.
On Friday (February 28), The Hollywood Reporter shared that half of the rap icon’s publishing rights and master rights, along with publicity rights, were reportedly being bid on by the publisher Primary Wave, in a deal that was likely to be finalized “in the next couple of weeks.”
The outlet, citing “multiple sources,” said that the late rap icon’s publishing rights (which involve the compositions, not the sound recordings) were set to go for $100 million, while the master rights (rights to the sound recordings) would cost in the $30-$50 million range. They did, however, note that other sources told them the total amount of the sale would come in at under $100 million.
Primary Wave, per the company’s website, “is home to some of the most iconic songwriters, artists, and record labels across the history of recorded music,” including Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson, Prince, Sly & The Family Stone and Stax soul legend Steve Cropper.
News of the deal broke just a week after the death of Biggie’s beloved mother, Violetta Wallace.
TMZ confirmed the news on Friday (February 21), revealing that she passed away at the age of 78 while in hospice care in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Hours later, the Instagram page for Biggie’s Invisible Bully clothing company shared a tribute.
“We suffered a tremendous loss today,” it read. “Our mother, our matriarch, the woman who dedicated herself to uplifting her son, Christopher Wallace, and preserving his legacy has passed away. 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. In the coming days, we will share how we can all honor Ms. Wallace. Thank you for your immense support and love.”
Voletta Wallace was in charge of Biggie’s estate after his passing, and grew it from around $10 million when he died in 1997 to over $160 million as it stands now.
Crazy that you worked hard in life to get to a point only to get gunned down at the halfway point and die leaving your legacy to the white man. I hope CJ and Tyanna are good financially.
@crazy he was a rapper who rapped about r@ping kids on his songs, you act like he built an empire and changed the world like Henry Ford or Walt Disney LOL. Biggie legit was a private school, well off kid who wanted to go to public school and be a thug to be “cool”. Just another complete phony, like 99% of other gangster rappers.
@Idiot great job at living up to your name
How? Biggie and all rappers in that time did it. Biggie mentioned Raven the same way RKelly mentions Aaliyah. Biggie got down with Puffy they were getting down and so was Pac but live in the lie. These guys weren’t real thugs. Eazy-E was the only real one of that time.
@lLol please explain why I’m wrong? Did biggie change the world? Did he not say some terrible things in his raps, that in retrospect likely happened? Was he not a well off private school kids who sought the life of a thug for reasons unnecessary? Tell the truth, you’re just butthurt I’m right, which is why you resorted to personal insults rather than arguments.
@Idiot You’re the person who named themself “Idiot”, not me. U wanna know how you can tell that you’re wrong? Because you’re typing essays in the comment section and repeatedly liking your own comment 😂
@Idiot Btw, you called the person who wrote the original post an idiot, yet are crying that someone else called you the same name. Stop weeping like a little girl
bustin at 2 popos just as real as drug dealin banger not to mention Panther blood!
die slow all were Kings & poets wordsmiths legends prohets children in g o d
@lol always resorting to personal insults, rather thab discussing the topic at hand. And writing a few sentences = lack of argument to you? You act as if it takes more than 30 seconds to type a paragraph or two. Again, maybe for you it does. And I’m not liking my own comments. I know, it’s hard for you to beleive that other people don’t like Biggie, especially after Diddy going down and many of the things they rapped about not just being fronts… couple of freaks.
I don’t know why his wife and children couldn’t be offered to buy his publishing rights first.
They don’t have the funds to buy it, hence selling it. Puffy made sure all his artists were broke AF. Name a bad boy artists that still has it made…. They’re all broke still on tour, on crack, or dead.
Faith wasn’t his wife when he died. He didn’t have a wife. Unless you mean Charlie Baltimore.
@Loud_Pack not true at all. They were separated at the time of his murder but still married. They weren’t divorced
literally all fits on a $3 sd card I really dont get it. people really payin 4 music 50 years from now when noones really paid in 20+
This is for the right to use it in movies and commercials and any other media that comes down the pike. If you own it, you don’t have to pay to use it. Also, when someone who doesn’t own it wants to use it, they have to pay you.
That’s messed up hopefully his daughter and son are taken care of and receive money from this.
A dope comment. Artists need to start thinking about their futures, their legacies etc. once you make it, make a will, get your growing estate in order and procure all the earnings of your artistry. Go indie and do good. We don’t need these record labels. Tech 9 is never included in the narrative bc he’s indie and makes bank on his own. They don’t want artists to know that. Artists on Griselda, Tha God Fahim, Marci, Mach-Hommy…they’ve all figured it out. It’s easy when bread is offered by these labels, but at what cost? I mean read this article? Like you said, hopefully the fam is fed.
Kanye could and should buy it
He’s a gay fish
You let the zionist joke stick years later. South Park in its later season was more restricted it’s why the show went downhill and why they attacked him for speaking truth. Look how different early seasons were.
Then, his mom just died. music industry is full of shit.
Why didn’t the bitch leave the rights in her will to biggies kids? She’s a hater!
Be honest all these guys were frauds. Protect the guys today learn from their mistakes don’t stay with major labels or these execs. Kay Flock, YoungBoy, Kodak, Carti all of you get out of label deals pull a Ye or 50 and get dropped.