The Biggie Experience Is A King's Legacy Continued

The value of a man's life is not measured in his deeds when he was alive only. It is measured by how the man is remembered as the years pass on when he is no longer walking among his people. On March 9th, 1997 The Notorious B.I.G. was assassinated in Los Angeles and the Hip-Hop community has been at a great loss since his untimely death. His death left a hole in the East Coast and bigger Hip-Hop community because blood was spilled and a life was taken unjustly by the hands of people that to this day have yet to be brought to justice to the dismay of the Hip-Hop community. Since Big has been gone Hip-Hop has gone through many changes. The biggest is that through its growth in technology more people have access to his music and the history of the work he has done to take Hip-Hop music and fashion to a higher level. The loss of this man has been put people in a state of creativity though as he lives on in many works in the world. I for one have Funko Pops of Big and people have seen statues and murals of Big around New York and overseas to cement his place in the culture but what about in the community he once walked in?

Yes there are mural of him there too as in Hip-Hop culture when a great or man of respect dies people will use graphic art, and graffiti to tag a building to show their undying love for their own. The Biggie Experience opened and the legacy of the notorious one raised the bar on how a man can be remembered by honoring his past. In Brooklyn today we have a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of an Icon that will forever live on in the heart of his hometown.

On March 9th 2024 T'yanna Wallace the daughter of The Notorious B.I.G opened The Biggie Experience a couple of steps down from The Barclays Arena in Brooklyn, NY at 503 Atlantic Ave. When I went to the venue and got in I was amazed to see the recreation of the legends bedroom. The television was playing the episode of Martin he was on, with a Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo in the room. If you are a fan the Juicy song comes to mind when you see this and you are taken to the place where Big was birthed into his love of music. Peter Tosh records and the West Indies are shown love as well as the Hip-Hop he displayed in his lyrics from Juicy. Posters of rappers and Rapping Duke was on the wall as well as pictures of the notorious king when he was an up and coming prince in his youth. The closet that holds his jersey's and boots are on display as well as the stereo system he listened to his music on. The next room was a journey from the block to the Billboard charts.

The next room had the bodega set up Big rapped in front of with a ready to die boom box playing the infamous freestyle from the video that showed the store and the freestyle. It had a park sign dedicated to Big with Party and Bullshit under a basketball hoop. A hologram of Big standing in the room. An exhibit was displayed with Big's music on the charts, and dedications to Life After Death, his last album, Junior Mafia and the video One More Chance. The crown and throne he sat in on the video sat are there for pictures as well. In the middle of the floor was a display case of his awards, music and special promos and collectibles of the great for all his fans to see and share in as well. The back wall is a mural or the Ready to Die album cover and on it's side is a mural of Big with the crown on. The very back room had more pictures and his jersey from the Juicy video and the young ladies that showed me around walked around to make sure all was good and merch was available if I wanted it.

When Jay-Z was honored at the Brooklyn Library it was for a limited time. The Biggie Experience will be around for the foreseeable future and I pray more is added to the space as there is so much more he has done that is not touched on in the venue. His daughter and all that are involved in creating this space has made Big's Legacy that much more appreciated from me as I got to see, live and feel apart of the life of one of the few artists that touched my desire to be greater and not to just exist.

Existing is fine but it is a slow journey into being forgotten. Your legacy is carried on by those that remember you and keep your words, lessons and contributions alive after you cease to travel on this side of life any longer. The Biggie Experience is the legacy of a man kept alive by his own legacy. T'yanna Wallace his oldest child and entrepreneur of this project keeps her father's legacy alive by her own work and this can live on after she passes as well. The Notorious B.I.G. will live on for others to see, know and understand his impact on the world the same as we have The Museum Of Natural History and The Museum Of Modern Art. The Notorious B.I.G has more to be remembered for than an East Coast - West Coast rivalry in Hip-Hop history. With The Biggie Experience we can peacefully enjoy the impact of one of musics greats and share his legacy with the generations to come. Every man's dream is to pass on his legacy and Christopher Wallace's legacy is not only one of a father, or music artist any longer. He is now just as his music, art to be forever appreciated.

Blerd-Hop Edition: The Return of The King.

Legacy is a word that many people throw around not really understanding the long view of what having a legacy means. Most people think about having children and having them live off of our personal or professional achievements when asked about establishing a legacy. The truth of the matter is that legacy is not fully appreciated or seen until a person dies. That is when we all see how the world picks up from the loss or the example of the person that is not physically around to be with us anymore. Chadwick Boseman's legacy is being celebrated this week and the response of his reappearance shows the world how much he is missed.

On Tuesday August 17th, 2021 Black Panther was added to the Marvel Avengers game on home consoles. I personally saw young children get excited to play a video game with a black superhero. After experiencing the movie, many children saw a hero that they could relate to and saw themselves as the mythical man on the screen. With toys sold and now a video game, to play as Black Panther is a larger than life dream of being an action hero that little boys of color will see themselves as instead of seeing a person they wish they could be. Chadwick Boseman brought that feeling to the mind of every young brown to dark skinned little boy that wanted to be a hero but didn't see themselves in that role or setting. His legacy is present in the reception of the game's version of Black Panther even though he did not voice the character. Chadwick Boseman filled a gap that was long needed in the Blerd community and that was a live action hero who is one of us that closed the gap of generations by being royal in character on and off the screen. He gave us all an honorable example to look towards for inspiration.

When Chadwick Boseman passed away the pain of the Marvel movie fans and actors was felt worldwide. The air and joy of the victory of being on screen and in the world's view came to a crashing halt. Our King had moved on to become an ancestor and what were we supposed to do? With Black Panther 2 in question and the fans speculating on what should be done, we were all blessed when What If... season one episode two came out. Chadwick was alive in our ears one more time as the cartoon version of T'Challa the Star Lord from Wakanda. To hear his voice again was a joy and when I saw how the younger family members I have reacted to the voice of their hero I saw Chadwick's legacy in front of my eyes. The young men had their hero and they heard his strength return and he is once again the hero children wanted and needed in an instance.

In my opinion Chadwick Boseman did more than bring a comic book character to life. He gave an identity to young men that wanted to be heroes. Shuri and the Dora Milaje did the same for young women in the movie but I can only talk here from the male perspective of what I have seen in my life and the reactions of little boys and grown men that I have seen watch the movie and walk away with something bigger than a motion picture. Chadwick wanted to leave a lasting effect in his role as T'Challa the Black Panther and from it I have seen young men strive for better with being the Black Panther as an example of excellence to mimic or portray. Now given that Mr. Boseman has passed we have this season of What If... to hear and see Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther for the first season of the show at least. While we live in the here and now we have our Black Panther back and damn it feels good to hear his voice again. With people on Twitter reacting to the episode saying to the world "I burst in tears when the show ended..." or reading quotes about how Mr. Boseman wanted Black Panther to be out there for all to experience so he put his best in every line and did them 2 to 3 times over to capture the importance of the character.

Once again Chadwick Boseman will leave us again after all the episodes are finished and the first season of What If... is done. Yet, the world is a better place now that the king has returned and we here his voice one last time. Mr. Boseman's legacy lives on in the joy of the children that love Black Panther. He lives on in the tears of the family, friends and fans that do miss him. He also lives on in the captions that honor his that Marvel Studios shares in the movies and shows that will honor him as time goes on. Chadwick Boseman's legacy in my opinion is being an example of doing for other through sacrifice and he did until he ultimately gave his last breathe and joined the spirit of life and eternal righteousness that lives forever, Amen. Once again Rest In Peace Chadwick Boseman and may the world always honor what you stood for and fought to show the world: purpose, excellence, and class. The king returned this week and the world was a better place even for 30 mins of our day. Thank you for your performance sir. Once again you showed the embodiment and example of a man that does his best in all things and we are forever grateful for what you have given us as not only an example and standard to live by. You are an inspiration to us all that live our purpose and honor God with it. Long Live The King!