Looks like the legacy of The Notorious B.I.G. is about to make another major business move. Word on the street is that half of Biggie’s publishing rights, master rights, and publicity rights are about to be scooped up by Primary Wave. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the deal is still being finalized but should be locked in within the next couple of weeks. If everything goes through, Biggie will be in the same company as icons like Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Stevie Nicks, and Luther Vandross under Primary Wave’s management.
The details on how much this deal is worth are still hush-hush, but insiders say it’s somewhere in the eight-figure range. What’s interesting is the timing — this news comes just a week after Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace, passed away at 78. Ms. Wallace played a huge role in keeping Biggie’s legacy alive over the years. She was behind his biopic Notorious, managed his estate, and made sure his name stayed relevant through merch, licensing deals, and even digital projects like NFTs and a Biggie hologram. Under her watch, Biggie’s block in Brooklyn got renamed to Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace Way in 2019. She also stood alongside Biggie’s kids, T’yanna and C.J., when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow — two guys who were around Biggie back in his Bad Boy Records days — are still running the estate. They’re the ones brokering this deal alongside Primary Wave’s Larry Mestel and Steve Greener, who’s worked with names like Bernie Mac and Fantasia. If this deal goes through, it could open up even more ways for Biggie’s legacy to live on. The King of New York’s influence isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.