The estate of the Notorious B.I.G. has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Primary Wave Music, covering the late rapper’s music publishing, recordings, name, image, and likeness. This collaboration ensures that the estate and Primary Wave will work together on all future business ventures related to the legendary artist.
The deal was finalized just weeks after the passing of Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s mother and longtime manager of his estate. According to sources, she played an integral role in the negotiations before her passing.
While the financial details remain undisclosed, the Wall Street Journal reports that Primary Wave has acquired a 50% stake in the estate, which was valued at $200 million. Biggie, who died without a will, originally had a standard publishing deal with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records that granted him a 50% interest in his songwriting catalog. However, Voletta Wallace successfully renegotiated the estate’s stake, increasing it to 85% in the early 2000s, before securing full ownership in 2020. The estate also expanded its rights to Biggie’s sound recordings in 2023 through discussions with Bad Boy and Warner Music Group.
In 2018, Primary Wave acquired a portion of Bob Marley’s music publishing rights in a $50 million deal with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. The company further expanded its reach in 2019 by partnering with Whitney Houston’s estate, gaining interests in her publishing rights, master recordings, and image likeness, including revenue from films such as The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale.
The company stated, “The estate and Primary Wave will collaborate on all business moving forward in an effort to continue the incredible and innovative work done thus far, with one goal in mind: to keep the legacy of the Notorious B.I.G. alive.”
Despite his untimely death at the age of 24, Notorious B.I.G. (real name: Christopher Wallace) remains one of the greatest rappers of all time. His debut album, Ready to Die (1994), balanced gritty street rap with radio-friendly hits like “Juicy.” His follow-up, Life After Death, was completed shortly before his passing and included classics such as “Hypnotize.” While posthumous releases have followed, none have matched the cultural impact of his first two albums.
The new partnership between the estate and Primary Wave is expected to bring renewed attention to Biggie’s legacy, ensuring that his music continues to resonate with fans old and new.
