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New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries used the House floor on Thursday to commemorate a fellow Brooklynite’s lasting impact on the world.

Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of rapper Christopher Wallace‘s (aka Biggie Smalls) death. Wallace was killed on March 9, 1997 in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

Jeffries took about 30 seconds to recite the opening verse of “Juicy,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut 1994 single, which catapulted him to stardom and solidified his position among rap greats.

“Juicy,” is a classic tale of overcoming the pitfalls of life, documenting the joys and hardships the rapper experienced growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a north Brooklyn neighborhood.

Jeffries followed with a brief speech on Biggie’s humble beginnings and his global reach.

“Those were the words of the late great Notorious B.I.G. Biggie Smalls. Frank White. The king of New York,” he said.

“He died 20 years ago today in a tragedy that occurred in Los Angeles. But his words live on forever. I got the privilege of representing the district where Biggie Smalls was raised. We know he ‘went from negative to positive,’ and emerged as one of the world’s most important hip-hop stars. His rags-to-riches life story is the classic embodiment of the American dream. Biggie Smalls is gone but he will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Notorious B.I.G. Where Brooklyn at?” Jeffries said in closing.

Jeffries was just one of the millions who celebrated Biggie’s legacy on Thursday.

Friend and collaborator Sean “Diddy” Combs, along with widow, Faith Evans, rapper Lil’ Kim and countless others, flooded social media with images of the rapper along with retrospective reflections on his life and work.

 

 

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SOURCE: New York Daily News

SEE ALSO:

The Life and Legacy of Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: Blacks Have Consistently Lived Under Systemic Oppression

Verses To Live By: The Notorious B.I.G.’s 23 Greatest Lines
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