NYC is Planning a Big Celebration for The Notorious B.I.G.'s 50th Birthday

To honor the 50th birthday of The Notorious B.I.G., New York City will host celebrations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and more.

This weekend, The Notorious B.I.G. will be honored in New York City for his 50th birthday with a reigning 'King of New York' status.

To ring in the festivities, on Friday, May 20th, the Empire State Building will hold a ceremony with special appearances from Biggie's family members, closest friends and collaborators, including his children CJ and Tyanna Wallace, his mother Voletta Wallace, former Junior M.A.F.I.A. members Lil Kim and Lil Cease and more. In celebration of the now-deceased rapper's birthday on Saturday, May 21st, the Empire State Building will glow red and white in homage to Biggie's 1994 debut album Ready to Die, with a crown spinning around its mast.

Also on Saturday, near Biggie's former stomping grounds of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, the Barclays Center will broadcast a visual montage of the rapper's videos on a display above the venue's entrance. New York City MTA will also unveil a one-day special edition MetroCard which will be available at three subway stations near Bedford-Stuyvesant –  Lafayette Avenue, Clinton-Washington Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue.

Amazon Music and their catalog music brand, [RE]DISCOVER will host a takeover of the Clinton-Washington Avenue, decorating the station with art and murals dedicated to Biggie. In partnership with Beautify Earth, each borough of New York City will also debut Biggie-centric murals.

The celebration of Biggie isn't reserved to his birthday this weekend. Next month, the Lincoln Theater will hold an orchestral tribute to Biggie on June 10th, also when his posthumous sophomore album Life After Death will have a 25th anniversary deluxe release.