NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — In honor of the 25th anniversary of Biggie Smalls’ death, a new mural was unveiled in the late rapper’s Brooklyn neighborhood.
The mural is steps away from Smalls’ childhood home on Fulton Street in Clinton Hill, now called Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace Way, and across the street from the Key Food where he worked bagging groceries.
“The vision is to have this kind of like Abbey Road, the 56 Hope Road where Bob Marley's from, a Graceland of hip-hop,” said LeRoy McCarthy who spearheaded the effort to get the street renamed in honor of Smalls and the mural up.
“I'm so grateful that they're putting all these things together and appreciating him,” said Tyieast Lloyd, sister of fellow Junior Mafia member Lil’ Cease.
Smalls, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was killed on March 9, 1997 at 24 years old while leaving a music industry party in Los Angeles.
No one was ever charged for his murder.
Painted on the side of Fine Care pharmacy, the mural shows two depictions of Smalls—one as his iconic Biggie persona with the New York City skyline, the other of him at his grade school graduation.
The mural was painted by local artists in just a week and advocates like Jumaane Williams, who attended the unveiling, hope it can be used to inspire others to break the cycle of gun violence and “spread love” the Brooklyn way.
“He found an art form to help elevate out of that, and he brought some people with him,” said McCarthy. “So it's amazing to see what art can do.”
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