The Most Common Theories Floated About The Notorious B.I.G.’s Death
The Notorious B.I.G. was at the top of the hip-hop game when he was gunned down in 1997. His death, shortly after the death of Tupac Shakur, ignited conversations around gun and gang violence within the hip-hop community. A murder suspect was never named, and, despite the hip-hop community’s interest, the case went cold. Theories, however, have been floated over the years. These are the three most discussed.
The Notorious B.I.G.’s Death Mystery Gripped the Hip-Hop World
On March 9, 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. was leaving a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum following the Soul Train Music Awards. The night had gone off largely uneventfully. After the rapper left the event, in the passenger seat of an SUV, a dark Chevrolet Impala pulled alongside him and opened fire.
He was fatally struck, dying shortly after the attack at just 24. The killing came almost exactly six months after the murder of his one-time friend and rap rival, Tupac Shakur, who died in a different city, but in a similar fashion. Tupac was gunned down in Las Vegas in September 1996 while sitting in the passenger seat of a car driven by Suge Knight. Fans immediately assumed the two deaths were connected, though police have never confirmed that.
While Duane “Keffe D” Davis is now standing trial for his alleged connection to Tupac’s death, Notorious B.I.G.’s killer has never been found.
Some theorists have tied Suge Knight to the crime
One of the most persistent theories centers on Marion “Suge” Knight, the former head of Death Row Records and Shakur’s label boss. Retired LAPD detective Greg Kading, who investigated the case as part of a task force, has alleged that Knight orchestrated Biggie Smalls’ murder as retaliation for Shakur’s death, believing Bad Boy Records was responsible.
According to Kading’s theory, Knight enlisted the help of Wardell “Poochie” Fouse, a member of the Bloods, to carry out the shooting. A woman who claims to have insider knowledge once accused Knight of paying just $9,000 for the murder. Fouse himself was killed in an unrelated drive-by shooting in 2003 and was never charged. Knight insists he was not involved.
Some conspiracy theorists think a corrupt LAPD officer orchestrated the hit
While the Suge Knight theory is the most prevalent, considering Notorious B.I.G.’s connection to Tupac and the proximity of their deaths, it is far from the only theory. A different theory suggests former LAPD officer David Mack might be to blame. The theory suggests Mack, a crooked cop, worked with Suge Knight to orchestrate the shooting, though he is not believed to have pulled the trigger.
Retired FBI agent Phil Carson and former LAPD detective Russell Poole both pointed to Amir Muhammad, also known as Harry Billups, as the likely shooter. Muhammad was close friends with Mack and reportedly served as godfather to Mack’s children. Carson told the New York Post in 2021 that “all the evidence points to Amir Muhammad,” though Muhammad has denied any involvement and has never been charged.
Mack was later convicted of bank robbery. He reportedly stole over $700,000.
Some people think Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was involved
A less common, but still widely known theory, points the finger at Sean “Diddy” Combs, though the theory doesn’t suggest he executed the shooting. According to the theory, Combs had knowledge that the attack was going to take place and did nothing to stop it.
Some fans suspect that Diddy, jealous of Notorious B.I.G.’s talent and following, allowed the hit to take place to get the rapper out of the picture. The theory has little evidence to back it up, aside from rumors linked to some of Diddy’s more violent alleged antics in later years.
The Case Remains Unsolved
Biggie Smalls’ death has haunted the hip-hop world and his family for decades. While the criminal case has never been solved, his family continues to pursue answers through civil court filings, including a wrongful death lawsuit in 2005. The case, which ended in a mistrial, accused the LAPD of concealing evidence that linked David Mack and his partner to the killing.
The FBI separately opened its own civil rights investigation into possible police corruption but closed it in 2005 without bringing charges. In 2011, declassified FBI files revealed additional forensic details, including that Notorious B.I.G. was killed with rare armor-piercing ammunition, but even that new information failed to produce an arrest.
It has been more than 29 years since the murder. While cold cases can be solved, it appears this one will remain cold unless an unexpected break, like the one in Shakur’s case, suddenly materializes.
