

and two of the most powerful and influential men in the genre today, Jay-Z and Diddy). His monstrous impact still resonates to this day - especially within the school of artists that came under his tutelage (The LOX, Ma$e, Cam’ron, Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A.

The late, great Biggie Smalls, real name Christopher Wallace was and still is one of the most beloved and respected icons of hip-hop. READ: Who Shouted Ya? 50 Famous Namedrops From The Notorious B.I.G.

Very few rappers could illustrate this life as vividly, candidly, and with such unflinching, unapologetic honesty and wit like The Notorious B.I.G. The fact of the matter is that there are overwhelming numbers of black youth (both men and women) trapped in the vicious cycles of poverty, hopeless, and crime. Life as a young black man in America can be one of the roughest experiences over any other group of people in this country.
