The stickers on the Notorious B.I.G.'s bullet-riddled Suburban read "Think B.I.G. March 25, 1997" - a promotion for his upcoming album "Life After Death . . . 'Til Death Do Us Part."
The Notorious B.I.G., who went from a Brooklyn crack dealer to a platinum-selling gangsta rapper, was shot to death early Sunday outside a party celebrating the 11th annual Soul Train Music Awards.The 24-year-old rap star, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was sitting in his parked GMC Suburban. He was rushed in the same sports utility vehicle to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls, was the second major rap star to die in a drive-by shooting in six months. Tupac Shakur, who had accused Wallace of copying his style, was killed in Las Vegas in September.
The party was sponsored by VIBE magazine and attended by its founder, Quincy Jones, publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed. Jones did not return calls Sunday, but Robinson said the well-known composer and producer was stunned by Wallace's death.
Wallace's estranged wife, singer Faith Evans, and dozens of partygoers, security guards and parking attendants witnessed the shooting. But authorities said late Sunday that they had no description of the gunman and that witnesses were afraid to talk to police.
"It's frustrating," said detective Raymond Futami, one of almost a dozen investigators assigned to the case. "I'm sure there's a little bit of an intimidation factor because of the reputation of some of the people who are involved."
Wallace built his gangsta rap persona around authenticity, singing about his past as a crack cocaine dealer in Bedford-Stu-yve-sant, Brooklyn, one of New York City's toughest neighborhoods.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound rapper worked with Bad Boy Entertainment, run by East Coast producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. His "Ready to Die" debut recording went platinum.
"We are overwhelmed with grief by the death of a great artist, a family member and our friend, the Notorious B.I.G.," a company release said.
Shakur was shot in a Sept. 7 drive-by attack in Las Vegas as he rode in a car with Death Row Records president Marion "Suge" Knight. Shakur died six days later.