A memorial for Notorious B.I.G., a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, born Christopher George Latore Wallace, was one of the events planned to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the legendary rapper’s death on Thursday. News media gathered in the afternoon at Sojourn, East 79th Street, Manhattan, for the memorial. Donations were accepted at the door for the “Dream Big Basketball tournament given by his daughter T’yanna and her mother Jan [Jackson] in memory of the Notorious B.I.G. which benefits Youth of Bedford Stuyvesant where he grew up,” according to the invitation. After nearly three hours of waiting, throwback Biggie jams spun by DJ Scratchator and nervous watch-glaces and pacing from restaurant staff who needed to open for the dinner hour, T’yanna Wallace, the first daughter of hip hop appeared to be a no-show.
https://t.co/R1Tj8ippmV pic.twitter.com/9kPtledzZj
— T’yanna Wallace (@Tyanna810) February 27, 2017
Later, Metro spoke to the general manager of Sojourn who said Wallace did make an appearance, spoke “very briefly” and everyone cleared out just before 7 p.m. The manager told Metro that the entire event, which began at 3:30 p.m., was the memorial. On Twitter, Wallace advertised a “Biggie anniversary pop-up shop party” to be held in Brooklyn to celebrate the latest from her clothing line, Notoriouss, which she started in 2013. The brand, which uses her father’s moniker and likeness, dropped a new collection “Notoriouss X Rettro” on the anniversary of her father’s still-unsolved murder in 1997.
Dropping March 9th. Notoriouss X Rettro collab. pic.twitter.com/ZkEM2mLAdF
— T’yanna Wallace (@Tyanna810) March 6, 2017
Pop out to Williamsburg today ! pic.twitter.com/IrluDQbioC
— T’yanna Wallace (@Tyanna810) March 9, 2017
Wallace is the daughter of Biggie and his high school sweetheart, Jackson, who split when Jackson was pregnant. Wallace was three when her dad was shot while riding in an SUV.
Biggie’s star rose and he married R&B singer Faith Evans just days after meeting her on a photo shoot. Biggie and Evans had a son, Christopher J. Wallace, who works in the music industry. The couple was still married at the time of his murder. A Penn State 2014 grad and businesswoman, Wallace made waves in 2016 when she briefly beefed with Sean “P Diddy” Combs on Twitter. In a now-deleted tweet, Wallace called out her father’s former right-hand man by writing, “Puff Does Nothing for My Family, I’m Tired of Lying,” the website Heavy reported. RELATED:On 20th anniversary of his death, tributes roll in for The Notorious B.I.G. Once Combs gave Wallace a ticket to a reunion concert held for what would have been her father’s 44th birthday, it seemed things were mended.
“Me & puff talked, a lot of things were cleared up & everything is LOVE!! ❤️ So everybody can calm down….,” Wallace tweeted.
Combs replied: “@Tyanna810 LOVE you babygrl!! See you at the concert!! We’re gonna have a great night!!”
@Tyanna810 LOVE you babygrl!! See you at the concert!! We’re gonna have a great night!!
— Sean Diddy Combs (@diddy) April 6, 2016
Playing lots of @diddy at the #notoriousbig tribute. Guess the hatchet has been buried with Puff and @Tyanna810. @metronewyork #FBLIVE soon
— Kimberly M. Aquilina (@KimESTAqui) March 9, 2017
Metro was unable to reach the publicistfor the event, Stephanie Ovida, despite multiple attempts to contact her on Thursday evening. Metro also reached out to theDream Big Foundation, the intended recipient of the donations, and is awaiting a reply.
