The Notorious B.I.G. to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Congratulations Big Poppa!
This coming May, The Notorious B.I.G. will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The well-deserving inductee will be joined by the late soul icon Whitney Houston and rock bands Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails and T-Rex.
With the induction, Biggie adds onto an impressive hip hop Rock & Roll Hall of Fame roster. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five were the first rap group to be inducted in 2007, followed by Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A. and finally Tupac Shakur in 2017.
Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their debut record. Biggie’s first studio album Ready to Die arrived in 1994, which made him eligible for induction last year. He was nominated back in October.
Recently, the late rapper’s far-reaching legacy was also honored with murals in his hometown of Brooklyn. Passing away at only 24 years old, Biggie’s style set the standard for New York rap and quickly became, and has remained, massively influential on hip hop music and culture. With hits ranging from “Juicy” to “Hypnotize,” Biggie also became the first artist to earn multiple No. 1 charting singles after his death. Releasing Ready to Die and Life After Death, Biggie’s music lived on in three posthumous albums, Born Again, Duets: The Final Chapter and the Faith Evans-collaborated The King & I.
According to CNBC, the 35th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on May 2 at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is located. The Saturday night showing will be televised live for the first time on HBO at 8 p.m. EST. Tickets for the induction ceremony go on sale Feb. 27. The performers for the event will be announced at a later time.