Biggie: The Real King of New York!

The legend Biggie Smalls

Today marks another grave milestone in American music.

On March 9, 1997, a rap legend died. The legendary Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in Los Angeles after attending a party for Vibe Magazine. The 25 year old rapper's death still remains a mystery to this day.

I woke up to hearing the news. My mom told us that this rapper named Biggie was shot. I was shocked by this. We all knew this day was coming. I was just listening to the single "Notorious Thugs" on the radio two days ago and I had used the cassette tape to record it.

Never in my day, that rap lost two legends in a six month period.

If you're a real fan of hip-hop, you would know Biggie Smalls (aka Frank White).

The Brooklyn MC who is the real king of New York hip-hop.

No one can take that. Not even Nas or Jay-Z.

Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. When he released his debut album Ready to Die in 1994, he became a central figure in the East Coast hip hop scene and increased New York's visibility in the genre at a time when West Coast hip hop was dominant in the mainstream.

The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A. While recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East Coast/West Coast hip hop feud.

Before the release of his Life After Death album, got booed by some West Coast rappers at the Soul Train Awards after presenting an award.

During the night, he was with his entourage attending a Vibe Magazine party. Then when he was leaving for his hotel, a vehicle pulls up and opens fire on him. He was hit four times. Out of three bullets one managed to hit the vitals. He was rushed to the hospital and died that night.

That led to speculation that Big Suge ordered a hit on him in retaliation. There are some who believed that Tupac Shakur's murder was orchestrated by Biggie and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Biggie and Shakur's death led to the decline of quality hip-hop. Although this decline in music still exist, many rappers dedicate their legacies to them.

Many in the law enforcement industry feels that hip-hop's no snitching philosophy doomed their chances to solve these mysteries.

But still we here at Journal de la Reyna send our condolences to family of the Notorious B.I.G.

Also R.I.P. to Christopher Rios (aka Big Pun), Chad Butler (aka Pimp C), Lisa Lopes (aka Left-Eye), Aaliyah Houghton, Tupac Shakur (aka Makaveli), Eric Wright (aka Eazy-E), Jason Mizell (aka Jam Master Jay), James Adarryl Tapp (aka Soulja Slim), Russell Jones (aka Ol' Dirty Bastard), DeShaun Holton (aka Proof) and every rapper or R & B singer who passed away.

BIGGIE: WE MISS YA!