Biggie Smalls Gets His Own Tall Boy Can With Budweiser Collaboration
Born Christopher Wallace, the Notorious B.I.G is arguably one of the greatest rappers of all time. Sadly, it’s been almost 25 years since he was tragically shot and killed in Los Angeles. He was only 24 years old at the time of his death. Even though so much time has passed, his legacy continues to live on through his music and the countless lives that he touched. On top of that, his image and likeness are still used frequently, and they’re about to be used yet again. Notorious B.I.G.’s estate will be working with the popular beer brand Budweiser on a new tallboy can featuring the late rapper. Even though this doesn’t technically have anything to do with music, it’s yet another representation of how influential Biggie was during his lifetime. Keep reading to learn more about the Biggie and Budweiser collaboration.
What Will The Cans Look Like?
One of the coolest things about this collaboration is the fact that it offers a good amount of variety. There will be four different designs, each commemorating Biggie and the place that meant so much to him: New York. According to HipHopDx, “the limited-edition cans come with a design inspired by the late rapper’s legendary career. It features a hand-drawn sketch of Biggie with phrases such as “Brooklyn’s Finest” and “King of New York”. The Brooklyn skyline is also present, and lyrics from Biggie’s Ready To Die album hit “Unbelievable” replacing the beer company’s creed on the can”. Unfortunately, however, the cans will only be available in Biggie’s home state of New York. It’s unclear exactly how long they will be for sale.
In addition to the tallboy cans, Budweiser is also selling other items designed in honor of Biggie. These items include t-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. Pricing starts at $25. These items are perfect for people who live outside of New York and can’t purchase the Biggie-themed beer cans. In addition to the collaboration, Budweiser will also be hosting a free concert in Brooklyn on August 19, 2021. Some of the people who are expected to perform include Biggie’s former labelmates, Lil Kim and The Lox.
When talking about the partnership, Daniel Blake, Budweiser’s VP of marketing said, “We’re grateful for the collaboration with the Christopher Wallace Estate and Biggie’s mother Voletta Wallace to bring this special can to life so that we can celebrate the legacy of the greatest rapper of all time”.
How Does Biggie’s Family Feel About The Budweiser Collaboration?
Since Notorious B.I.G.’s death, his mother, Voletta Wallace, has been instrumental in keeping her son’s legacy alive. Losing a child is probably the most difficult thing a person can endure. But Voletta has always managed to move forward. She has been involved in all of his posthumous projects and she has also spoken out against gun violence. In 2021, she was an executive producer for the Netflix documentary.
Needless to say, she has also had input on this deal with Budweiser. She’s grateful to have gotten the chance to work with the company. According to All Hip Hop, Ms. Wallace said, “I am honored to know that a brand such as Budweiser wanted to celebrate my son in this way. Christopher’s legacy and brand value is extremely important to myself and the family and memorializing him on the can of an iconic beer brand as ‘Budweiser’ is something I believe he would be happy with.” We weren’t able to find any information on whether Biggie’s children had any involvement with the project.
Biggie’s Legacy Continues To Life On
At this point, there are countless hip-hop fans who weren’t even thought of yet when Biggie was around. Collaborations like this one are a great way to keep his name alive and ensure that younger generations will be introduced to him and his music. Even though his career was relatively short, the impact he’s had has been unimaginable. His sound was unlike anything people had heard at the time. Almost every successful rapper lists him as one of their influences. In fact, in many ways, the impact he’s had after his passing has been more significant than the one he had during his lifetime.
There were no sources that appeared to report on whether Biggie’s estate has plans to partner with any other companies any time soon. However, it wouldn’t be surprising. Since March 2022 will mark 25 years since his death, there will probably be lots of things going on to commemorate the tragic anniversary. Biggie probably never envisioned how powerful his work would be, but his success is proof that good music lasts forever.