When it comes to the legacy of the Notorious B.I.G., prepare for even more Biggie.
According to a new report in The Wall Street Journal, Biggie’s estate has teamed up with Primary Wave, the music publishing company that has partnered with many pop estates, including those of Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Prince, and, most recently, the late Cars leader Ric Ocasek and alt-country legend Jerry Jeff Walker. Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, Primary Wave’s 50 percent stake in Biggie’s estate gives the company a major role in all things Biggie, including his publishing, master recordings, and likeness.
“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,” Primary Wave said in a statement.
The arrangement arrives at a particularly poignant moment: Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s mother and notoriously protective overseer of his legacy and estate, died last month at 78. She had approved the deal before her passing.
Exactly how the late Christopher Wallace’s legacy will be monetized has yet to be spelled out, although the WSJ reported on a possible “immersive music experiences based on his catalog, some using the rapper’s digital avatar.”
Another possibility is a Broadway show based on Biggie’s life and music. Jukebox musicals remain viable; earlier this week, a show incorporating the songs of James Taylor, to be called Fire and Rain, was announced, although a spokesperson tells RS that the show is only in development at this stage.
Newly written hip hop has hop musical has been incorporated into select shows in recent years, most notably Hamilton. But should it come together, a Biggie musical could likely be historic: the first time rap back catalog has been used as the basis for a Broadway musical, potentially ushering in a new era.
Even before the deal was announced, the business of Biggie remained booming. Greatest Hits, a compilation released a decade after his murder in 1997, has now spent 385 weeks on the Billboard album chart. His estate has been estimated to be worth more than $200 million.
