Highlighting The Notorious B.I.G.'s Most Stylish Moments

Biggie On 'Hypnotize' Set — Source: Nitro / Getty

Tomorrow marks what would have been The Notorious B.I.G.’s birthday, and when you talk about Biggie, it never takes long before the word “legend” starts getting thrown around. Born Christopher Wallace on May 21, 1972, the Brooklyn giant became one of the most important voices Hip-Hop has ever produced, even though his career was tragically cut short before he turned 25. In just a few years, Biggie gave rap two defining albums — Ready to Die and Life After Death — and helped reshape the sound, swagger and commercial ceiling of East Coast Hip-Hop.

What made Biggie special wasn’t just that voice, even though the voice alone could stop a room. It was the way he could make street stories feel cinematic, funny, heartbreaking and luxurious all at the same time. He could rap like he was talking directly to the block, then turn around and make a radio record that sounded effortless. Songs like “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” “Warning,” “Hypnotize,” “Mo Money Mo Problems” and “One More Chance” all showed different sides of him: the hustler, the lover, the comedian, the villain, the dreamer and the superstar.

The accolades still speak loudly. Biggie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, with the Hall calling Ready to Die and Life After Death two of Hip-Hop’s most influential albums. He earned four Grammy nominations, won major Billboard and Source awards during his lifetime and left behind a catalog that still gets quoted, sampled, studied and celebrated nearly three decades later.

But Biggie wasn’t only moving culture through the music. He was also getting dressed! Before every rapper had a stylist, a brand deal and a rollout deck, Biggie understood image. His fashion sense matched the music: loud, smooth, expensive, street, grown, playful and unmistakably Brooklyn. He made Coogi sweaters feel like rap royalty, turned dark shades into part of the uniform and wore luxury in a way that felt aspirational without ever feeling like he was trying too hard.

That was the magic of Biggie’s style. He could be in a colorful knit, leather jacket, Kangol, Versace frames, gold chain or a full suit and still look completely like himself. Nothing felt forced. The clothes weren’t wearing him; he was giving the clothes a story. His look helped build the Big Poppa persona — the fly, confident, larger-than-life figure who could be laid back and intimidating at the same time.

His influence is still easy to spot. Coogi has directly connected Biggie’s legacy to its patterned sweaters, while Versace’s “Biggie” sunglasses are literally named after him and described by the brand as a nod to his love of luxury fashion and the connection between Hip-Hop and high fashion. That says everything about how deep his fashion impact runs. Biggie didn’t just wear pieces. He helped make them cultural artifacts.

So as fans get ready to celebrate Biggie’s birthday, it only feels right to remember every part of what made him iconic. The bars, the videos, the albums and the voice will always come first. But the fits deserve their own flowers too, because Biggie was one of those rare artists who looked exactly how his music sounded: rich, raw, smooth, bold and unforgettable.