Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or Biggie,[2] was an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest rappers of all time.[3] He was noted for his loose and easy flow, dark and semi-autobiographical lyrics, and storytelling abilities which focused on crime and hardship.