Biggie Smalls is the illest
(Unbelievable)
Yeah, this album is dedicated/ To all the teachers that told me I’d never amount to nothin’/ To all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustlin’ in front of/ Called the police on me when I was just tryin’ to make some money to feed my daughter (it’s all good)/ And all the niggas in the struggle/ You know what I’m sayin’? It’s all good, baby baby,
(Juicy)
The Notorious B.I.G — also known as Biggie Smalls, Biggie, and Big Poppa — is an undeniable icon. His icon was a multi-faceted one representing a genre of music, a decade, a city, and a neighborhood. Without him all the Cardis, Drakes, and Kanyes may not exist. So it feels almost obvious that someone of his status, especially given his death at such a young age (24), would be immortalized in a mural. It feels even more obvious given his place of birth, New York City.
In 2015 two street artists, Rocko and Zimer, created a two story mural of Biggie, titled “King of NY,” in the neighborhood which Biggie grew up in, Bed Stuy. The landlord of the building wished to take it down, but after public outrage decided to keep the mural. To me, this mural functions in a number of ways. It beautifies the neighborhood and creates a sense of pride in the neighborhood. It also serves as a source of inspiration — everyone walking by can think to themselves “he was once where I am and now he’s a huge mural and known as the King of NY.”
I like the fact that the mural has many meanings and does different things as you stated. While it makes the neighborhood more beautiful, it sends a message of inspiration. Especially because some youth may feel like they cannot succeed or become something big, that mural is there to remind them that anything is possible. It’s also interesting because for the landlord, it had a different meaning, something more negative. I think that would be interesting to explore: does the landlord not like rap music? Do they think it encourages negative activities? Is it Biggie specifically that he doesn’t like? What about the mural upsets him and why?