Notorious B.I.G. remembered 19 years after death

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Christopher Wallace, better known as 'The Notorious B.I.G.' and arguably one of the greatest rappers of all time, died 19 years ago Wednesday.

'Biggie,' who tipped the scales at nearly 400 lbs., was gunned down at the age of 24 in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles at the height of his career.

His 1997 shooting remains an unsolved mystery. His family has alleged that Los Angeles officials withheld documents and covered up police misconduct.

Fellow rappers, fans and the hip-hop community took to social media Wednesday to remember the star credited with establishing the rap scene on the East Coast.

"(He was a) good friend of mine. I really suffered. We still suffer. One of my favorite rappers of all time, probably the greatest. I remember when I found out. A friend of mine, Steve Lobel, told me that 'Biggie' had been gunned down. People don't understand, people look at him as 'the Notorious B.I.G.' I saw him as the cute teddy bear, tells jokes, charismatic. My heart just dropped when I heard what happened," said fellow rapper Fat Joe.

'Biggie's' hits included "Juicy" and "Big Poppa" off his 1994 debut album, "Ready to Die," which told his life story from drug dealer to music sensation. 

“Excellence is my presence. Never tense, never hesitant.”