Busta Rhymes Honors Notorious B.I.G. on Late Rap Icon’s Birthday
Veteran MC pays homage to Christopher Wallace with heartfelt warm IG post and crown emojis
Poulami is an associate editor. She did her MA in English from Miranda House, University of Delhi and has qualified UGC-NET. She also holds a PG diploma in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University. Her journey as a content writer began in 2017 and since then, Poulami has garnered diverse interests along the way.
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Biggie’s Birthday Tribute
On May 21, veteran MC Busta Rhymes took to Instagram to celebrate the birthday of the late Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace. In a caps-locked caption, the rapper wrote, “HAPPY BORN DAY TO THE LATE GREAT NOTORIOUS GLORIOUS @thenotoriousbig WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU KING!! CONTINUE TO REST EASY KING!! 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑”. The post featured three images, each spotlighting iconic shots of the Brooklyn legend, framed with crown emojis as a nod to his enduring title as the “King of New York.”
Remembering Biggie’s Legacy
May 21 would have marked the 51st birthday of the East Coast pioneer, born May 21, 1972. Biggie’s debut album, Ready to Die (1994), and its platinum follow-up, Life After Death (1997), reshaped hip-hop with raw storytelling and a magnetic flow. Although Wallace was gunned down in March 1997, his influence has only grown—his verses, cadences and larger-than-life persona continue to inspire generations of artists.
Rhymes On Wallace’s Influence
Busta Rhymes, born Trevor Smith Jr., broke through in the early 1990s with Leaders of the New School. He quickly aligned with Biggie and fellow Bad Boy artists, sharing stages and studio time. Over the years, Rhymes has credited Wallace’s effortless delivery and fearless lyricism for opening doors for fast-paced flows and cinematic narratives in rap.
A Touching Instagram Homage
In his Instagram gallery, Rhymes paired each portrait of Biggie with nine crown emojis—echoing the famous 1997 portrait of Wallace wearing a tilted crown. The post’s simplicity underscores the depth of his respect: a concise greeting and a visual salute to a fallen comrade. Fans flooded the comments, sharing memories of both rappers’ performances and debating which Biggie verses remain untouchable classics.
Why The Tribute Resonates
Social media tributes on birthdays of deceased icons have become part of hip-hop ritual. For Rhymes, this annual homage connects newer fans to the genre’s formative years. His message serves as a reminder that even icons we lost too soon continue to “rest easy” in the collective memory of music lovers.
In parallel, Rhymes has maintained a tradition of marking milestones with gratitude. Last year on his own birthday, he shared scenes from a family dinner with four of his six children, calling them his greatest gifts. While that personal post highlighted Rhymes’s role as a father, his Biggie tribute spotlights his deep roots in hip-hop history.
The Notorious B.I.G.’s catalog still racks up streams by the millions, and his legacy lives on through posthumous releases, documentaries and museum exhibits. Contemporary artists—from Kendrick Lamar to A$AP Rocky—cite Biggie as a blueprint for wordplay and charisma.
Rhymes’s May 21 homage arrives just ahead of several high-profile anniversary events, including a planned biopic and tribute concerts. It’s fitting that one East Coast legend would salute another, using nothing more than an Instagram caption and a crown motif to affirm an unbreakable bond.
Today’s post continues a decade-long pattern. Every year, Rhymes and other peers pause to celebrate Wallace’s impact on culture. It’s more than nostalgia: it’s an acknowledgement that hip-hop, at its best, thrives on respect, remembrance and the passing of torches from one generation to the next.
Through the crown emojis and the all-caps cheer, Busta Rhymes extends an invitation to fans old and new: revisit Biggie’s verses, honor his artistry, and remember that the King still reigns in playlists around the world.
As digital archives grow, so does the reach of these tributes. On May 21 and beyond, Wallace’s voice—channelled by those who knew him, emulated by those he inspired—remains woven into the fabric of music history. And thanks to gestures like Rhymes’s Instagram salute, his memory will never fade.
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