C. J. Wallace (actor)
C. J. Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Born | Christopher Jordan Wallace October 29, 1996 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Parent(s) | The Notorious B.I.G. Faith Evans |
Christopher Jordan "C. J." Wallace (born October 29, 1996), also known by his stage name Lil Biggie, is an American actor.[1][a] He is the son of the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G and American singer Faith Evans.
Early life
[edit]Christopher Jordan Wallace was born in New York City on October 29, 1996. He is the son of American singer Faith Evans and late rapper, Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, who was murdered in March 1997, when Wallace was just four months old.[3] His paternal grandparents were from Jamaica,[4][5] his maternal grandfather was of English and possibly Italian descent and his maternal grandmother was Helene Evans, a Black professional singer.[6][7] He has a paternal half-sister and three maternal half-siblings.
Career
[edit]Wallace's breakthrough role was in the 2009 biopic Notorious. In 2010, he starred in the comedy film Everything Must Go,[8][9][10] but did not have another acting role until starring in the 2016 adventure film Kicks.[11] In 2019, he played Amir in the third season of the VH1 slasher series Scream.[12][13]
Wallace, alongside his former stepfather Todd Russaw and entrepreneur Willie Mack, launched a cannabis company called Think BIG in March 2019.[14] The brand aims to challenge the public's perception of cannabis by launching brands, products, and collaborations that emphasize "curiosity, creativity, contemplation, and healing". The brand also prioritizes social justice initiatives.[15] In April 2019, the company launched a brand of cannabis called Frank White, named after Wallace's father's alter-ego,[16] as well as pre-rolls of cannabis in collaboration with Lowell Herb Co.[17][18] Wallace has also partnered with brands such as Lexus,[19] Mitchell & Ness,[20] State Bicycle Co.[21] Santa Cruz Shredder[22] and more.
In August 2020, Wallace released "Big Poppa (House Mix)", remixing his father's classic hit single with Sean Combs, in conjunction with Mack and Jonathan Hay.[23] Wallace and his sister T'Yanna later gave acceptance speeches on behalf of their father, following The Notorious B.I.G.'s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[24] In 2023, Wallace starred on the Paramount+ network show MTV's Family Legacy.[25]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Notorious | Young Christopher Wallace | |
| 2010 | Everything Must Go | Kenny | |
| 2016 | Kicks | Albert | |
| 2018 | Monsters and Men | Kael | |
| 2019 | She's Missing | Taylor |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Scream: Resurrection | Amir Ayoub | Main role (season 3) |
| 2023 | MTV's Family Legacy | Himself | Main role |
References
[edit]- ^ "Christopher Jordan Wallace". IMDb.
- ^ Wallace, Voletta (November 2005). Biggie: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416516484.
- ^ Nessif, Bruna (June 3, 2014). "Rapper Notorious B.I.G and Faith Evans' Son Graduates From High School—See the Pics!". E!. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
- ^ Lang, Holly (2007). The Notorious B.I.G: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-0-313-34156-4.
- ^ Coker, Cheo H. (March 8, 2005). "Excerpt: Unbelievable – The Life, Death, and Afterlife of The Notorious B.I.G." Vibe. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009.
- ^ Wood, Gaby (July 10, 2005). "Rap's first lady". The Guardian. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
- ^ Evans, Faith; Aliya S. King (August 2008). Keep the Faith: A Memoir. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0446199506.
- ^ "[VIDEO] Notorious B.I.G.'s Son, Christopher 'CJ' Wallace Stars in 'Everything Must Go'". 93.1 WZAK. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ^ Scott, A. O. (May 12, 2011). "A Picture Window on a Life Turned Inside Out". The New York Times.
- ^ "Biggie's Son to Star in New Movie". BET.com. April 3, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ^ Boo, Bernard (September 9, 2016). "Exposing the Ridiculousness of Hypermasculinity: An Interview With Justin Tipping". PopMatters.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 17, 2017). "'Scream' Casts Tyga & C.J. Wallace, Sets MTV Premiere Date For Season 3 Reboot". Deadline. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- ^ Samhan, Jamie (June 24, 2019). "'Scream' Reboot Gets Trailer With Cameo From Paris Jackson". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- ^ Price, Emily. "CJ Wallace, Son Of The Notorious B.I.G., Talks About His New Cannabis Brand Honoring His Father". Forbes. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ "About". Think BIG. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ Erickson, Nate (April 9, 2019). "The Notorious B.I.G.'s Son Just Launched a Weed Brand to Honor His Dad". Esquire. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ "Cannabis Brand Founded by CJ Wallace to Honor His Late Father, Notorious B.I.G." Black Enterprise. April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Mullings, Morgan (September 26, 2019). "Children of Rap: C.J. Wallace on Honoring His Dad Biggie's Legacy".
- ^ Jordan, Atiya (May 23, 2022). "Lexus Partners With The Notorious B.I.G.'s Son, CJ Wallace, To Commemorate The Icon's Legacy".
- ^ Inman, DeMicia (June 9, 2021). "Biggie's Son CJ Wallace Drops Frank White x Mitchell & Ness Capsule Collection".
- ^ "State Bicycle Co. Honors The Notorious B.I.G.'s Legendary Album 'Ready to Die'". Hypebeast. July 6, 2020.
- ^ Price, Stephanie (November 1, 2023). "Iconic SCS Collabs With Frank White To Mark 50 Years of Hip Hop".
- ^ "Notorious B.I.G.'s Son Shares 'Big Poppa' House Remix". Spin. August 12, 2020.
- ^ "CJ and T'yanna Wallace Acceptance Speeches on Behalf of The Notorious B.I.G. | 2020 Induction". November 7, 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ "'MTV's Family Legacy' star CJ Wallace on what his dad, The Notorious B.I.G., brought to hip-hop | ABC Audio Digital Syndication". digital.abcaudio.com.
Notes
[edit]- ^ According to his paternal grandmother Voletta Wallace's autobiography, CJ's middle name is Jordan, not George Latore like his father: "Christopher [Biggie] was a fan of Michael Jordan's, so he thought about Michael for a middle name, then decided on Jordan. And that was it: Christopher Jordan Wallace."[2]