Trustees of Brooklyn rap icon Notorious B.I.G.'s estate, including his mother Voletta Wallace and widow Faith Evans, have partnered with a marketing company to begin branding Biggie's name.

Signing a licensing deal with Brand Sense Partners, the trustees of the fallen hip-hop legend's estate have begun the first steps towards licensing and merchandising his name and likeness.

"The family and I are excited to move forward with the exceptional team at BSP," Biggie's former manager Wayne Barrow said in a statement. "Their understanding of Christopher's cultural impact as well as their vision for our brand mission made them the best partner possible for the task. We look forward to working hand in hand with them to build on Christopher's unique legacy."

Brand Sense Partners' president Ramez Toubassy, who has previously released successful merchandising lines with the estates of Steve McQueen and Albert Einstein, said that he believes Biggie, born Christopher Wallace, has "untapped" potential as a brand.

"Christopher Wallace was a pioneer in the hip-hop and rap music movement, paving the way for a countless number of today's talent and we are excited to leverage the untapped equity in his brand," explained Toubassy.

The deal was officially confirmed on Friday (May 20), just a day before Biggie's 39th birthday. The revered MC was gunned down after the record release party for his sophomore album 'Life After Death,' in Los Angeles in March, 1997.



Watch Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Hypnotize'


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