This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced this Wednesday (January 15) and it included notable acts such as The Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, the late Whitney Houston and more. Most importantly for Hip-Hop fans, legendary rapper Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G. was added to the inductee list.
Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace, and his longtime friend Diddy, had the warmest receptions to this breaking news.
Wallace’s mother carried out her appreciation in the form of an over-the-phone interview with Billboard. Wallace expressed her gratitude saying, “Today, I’m feeling great… As a mother, I’m extremely proud of his accomplishments. You know, I still see such a young man at a young age, and sadly, he’s not here to witness all this. But it’s an astute honor, and as a mother, I’m just elated for that.”
She continued, “Many of (his songs) speak truth. It might be gritty, and maybe the language is so out there, but he was honest. There was nothing fake about what he was doing. I think for such a young man to resonate such honesty in his lyrics is awesome. This legacy was trusted to me, and I have to respect it. I couldn’t walk away from his legacy, so I have to care for it, I have to love it, and I have to respect it.”
In an Instagram clip that started off with a scream and Biggie’s “Juicy” playing in the background, Diddy says, “Whew! Ayo, I wanna share this special moment, special announcement with y’all. Biggie, you did it! You did it, motherfker! Yeah! The Notorious BIG is going to be inducted into the rock and roll motherfking Hall of Fame. What the fk! What the fk! Love! We miss you, king. New York stand up! Brooklyn, yeah!”
The 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class induction ceremony will take place in May at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium & Conference Center.
