The hip-hop world gathered to bid farewell to a legend’s mother, as Faith Evans and Lil’ Kim came together—alongside Biggie Smalls’ children and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ son, Christian—for the funeral of Voletta Wallace.
The beloved matriarch of the late Notorious B.I.G. passed away last month at 78, leaving behind a legacy deeply intertwined with hip-hop history.
A Star-Studded Send-Off
The service, held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on New York City’s Upper East Side—the same place where Biggie’s funeral was held in 1997—was an emotional reunion of the hip-hop elite.
Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, Bad Boy Records’ artist Mase, and RCA Records president Mark Pitts, who co-managed Biggie, were among those in attendance to pay their respects.
Evans, 51, who was married to Biggie at the time of his tragic 1997 murder, arrived in a cream-colored Gucci tuxedo, making a statement with both fashion and presence.
Their son, Christopher Jordan “C.J.” Wallace, arrived just before his mother, while Biggie’s daughter, T’yanna Wallace—whom he shared with his high school sweetheart, Jan Jackson—made her entrance right before the service began.
Meanwhile, Christian Combs (aka “King”) represented his father, Diddy, who is currently facing serious legal troubles and remains incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, awaiting trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
Despite the controversy surrounding his father, Christian stood tall, paying respects to the woman who helped shape his father’s legendary protégé.
Faith & Kim: From Feuding to Family
While once rumored to be rivals due to Lil’ Kim’s alleged affair with Biggie during his marriage to Evans, the two women have long since buried the hatchet.
Evans confirmed in 2017 that any bad blood between them had dissolved after Biggie’s passing, even leading to their collaboration on the song Lovin’ You for Life.
The funeral saw them standing in solidarity, a touching moment of unity in the name of the man they both loved.
Honoring Voletta Wallace’s Legacy
Voletta Wallace wasn’t just Biggie’s mother—she was a pillar in the hip-hop community, a Jamaican immigrant who raised her son single-handedly in Brooklyn after his father walked out in 1974.
She dedicated her life to preserving Biggie’s memory after his untimely death, turning her heartbreak into a lifelong mission.
Her casket was surrounded by pink and white flowers, while a screen displayed cherished family photos, reminding everyone of the woman who raised a rap icon.
She spent her final days in hospice care at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, passing away peacefully from natural causes on February 21.
The Shadows of Hip-Hop’s Darkest Hour
Of course, no remembrance of Biggie’s life comes without revisiting the tragedy of his death.
The rapper was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on March 9, 1997, at just 24 years old, after leaving a Soul Train Awards after-party in Los Angeles.
The murder, suspected to be tied to the infamous East Coast-West Coast rap feud, remains unsolved.
Just six months earlier, his rival, Tupac Shakur, had been killed under eerily similar circumstances.
While rumors swirled for years about Diddy’s involvement in Tupac’s murder, no charges were ever brought against him.
However, in a shocking twist, former LA gang leader Duane “Keefe D” Davis was arrested in 2023 and charged with Tupac’s murder. His trial, initially scheduled for next month, has now been pushed to February 2026.
Rest in peace, Queen Voletta.
