The Notorious B.I.G. Used to Leave Voicemails With Made-Up Rap Lyrics For His Friends

Rap legend The Notorious B.I.G. was known for his skills as a rhymer. But behind the scenes, Christopher Wallace was a mild-mannered person compared to the braggadocio that his music communicated. Part of his real-life persona included being a jokester.

The Notorious B.I.G. was a friendly person

When he wasn’t rapping, The Notorious B.I.G. acted like a normal young man in his early twenties, playing pranks on his friends and having fun. In a 2015 interview with VladTV, three of his former Junior M.A.F.I.A. groupmates — Lil’ Cease, Trife, and Larceny — reflected on the practical jokes he’d pull, which included putting matches between his friends’ knuckles while they slept and lighting them on fire.

The 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell painted a picture of a soft-spoken Christopher Wallace when he wasn’t on stage or in the studio. In a clip from Biggie’s final interview in March 1997 with radio station with KYLD 107.7, he was asked if he was shy as a child, to which he answered simply, “I’m still shy.”

“I’m a quiet dude, man,” he continued. “I kind of get the voice for certain things I want to say in my music.”

The Notorious B.I.G. used to leave special voicemails for his friends

Biggie’s friendly personality was evident in nearly every aspect of his life outside the spotlight. In Justin Tinsley’s 2022 book It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him, former record executive Drew Dixon reflected on her relationship with her friend and neighbor Biggie Smalls.

“Over the years, whenever Biggie would call me and leave a voice message he’d leave a rhyme,” Dixon remembered. “It’d be like, ‘Drew, eyes blue … whatcha gonna do? Call me back!'”

“I didn’t save those. I just never thought to save them,” Dixon admitted. “I never thought Biggie wouldn’t be here forever.”

Biggie drew a line between his rap persona and his real-life persona

Biggie valued drawing a distinction between The Notorious B.I.G. and Christopher Wallace, the person behind the rapper, who had two children of his own. In another interview given before his death, Biggie explained the difference between the two people.

“Biggie is an entertainer. He makes music and he makes videos,” he said. “That’s Biggie Smalls, but Christopher Wallace is the person. That’s the one that has to take care of the family. The daughter, the wife — all of that. That’s Christopher. That’s the real person. I leave all that Biggie stuff alone. We don’t blend too much.”

He died in 1997 at age 24

The Notorious B.I.G.’s talent as an emcee was evident from his early days as a crack dealer on the streets of Brooklyn. He became known around the neighborhood for his rhyming skills, showing off his freestyling at block parties and wowing everyone in attendance. He eventually caught the attention of record executive Sean “Diddy” Combs (then known as Puffy), and went on to release his debut album Ready to Die in 1994. The album has since been certified six-times platinum.

In March 1997, Biggie died by drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, six months after the death of his onetime friend, Tupac Shakur. His second and final album, the posthumous Life After Death, was released two weeks after his death. The album was certified 11-times platinum and racked up Grammy nominations thanks to hit songs “Hypnotize” and “Mo Money Mo Problems.”