Who Is CJ Wallace? Meet The Notorious B.I.G.’s Son

CJ Wallace, born Christopher Jordan Wallace on October 29, 1996, in New York City, is the son of legendary rapper The Notorious B.I.G. and Grammy-winning singer Faith Evans. He is an actor, musician, and entrepreneur known for his role in the 2009 film Notorious, where he portrayed his own father as a young boy.

Introduction

Some people are born into ordinary lives and build their way toward greatness. Others arrive in the world already carrying a name that echoes across generations. CJ Wallace belongs to the second group. From the moment he came into the world in October 1996, he was already connected to one of the most celebrated stories in the history of American music. His father, Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, was — and still is — widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers to ever pick up a microphone. His mother, Faith Evans, is a Grammy-winning R&B singer with a powerful legacy of her own.

Growing up as the child of two music icons would be enough to define most people. But CJ Wallace has spent his life trying to define himself on his own terms. Through acting, music, and entrepreneurship, he has stepped out of the shadow of his father’s name and into the light of his own story. This is a closer look at who CJ Wallace is, where he comes from, and what he is building for the future.

Early Life and Family Background

CJ Wallace was born on October 29, 1996, in New York City. He came into the world under extraordinary circumstances. His father, The Notorious B.I.G., was one of the biggest names in hip-hop at the time, with a debut album that had already changed the sound of East Coast rap. His mother, Faith Evans, was a rising R&B star signed to the same record label, Bad Boy Records.

Tragically, CJ was only five months old when his father was murdered on March 9, 1997, in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. The loss shaped the family deeply. CJ would grow up never having known his father in person, relying instead on music, memories shared by family, and the enormous public record of his father’s life and work.

He was raised primarily by his mother, Faith Evans, alongside his stepfather Todd Russaw. Growing up, he was surrounded by music, creativity, and the constant presence of his father’s cultural legacy. The Notorious B.I.G.’s music played everywhere — on radio, in films, in stores, and at tribute events — making it impossible for CJ to escape the question of who his father was. Over time, he turned that unavoidable truth into something meaningful rather than something burdensome.

Education and Academic Journey

CJ Wallace attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School in California, where he completed his secondary education and graduated in 2014. His time at school seems to have shaped a young man who was both grounded and quietly ambitious. Friends and family have described him as thoughtful and driven, someone who takes his responsibilities seriously without being loud about it.

After high school, CJ continued exploring the creative industries rather than following a traditional academic path. His education, in many ways, came from the experiences he gathered working on film sets, music studios, and business ventures. He had a natural talent for creative work, and he chose to build his knowledge through doing.

Physical Appearance and Personality

CJ Wallace stands approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and carries himself with a calm confidence that people who have worked with him often mention. Unlike his father, who was famously large in both physical stature and personality, CJ has a leaner build and a quieter presence. He has his father’s dark complexion and shares some of his father’s expressive facial features.

Those who know him describe CJ as thoughtful, entrepreneurial, and deeply loyal to his family. He does not seek out drama or controversy, and he tends to speak carefully about his father’s legacy, always with deep respect and genuine emotion. He is known to be private about his romantic life and personal relationships, choosing to let his professional work speak for itself.

Parents

Father

Christopher George Latore Wallace, known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was born on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in the Clinton Hill neighborhood, near the border of Bedford-Stuyvesant, in circumstances that were financially difficult. His mother worked two jobs to support him after his father left the family when Biggie was just two years old.

Despite a troubled youth that included time spent dealing drugs and brushes with the law, Biggie found his true calling in hip-hop. His voice was like nothing the industry had heard before — deep, rhythmic, storytelling at its finest. He signed with Bad Boy Records in 1993 and released his debut album, Ready to Die, in 1994. The album was an instant classic and made him one of the most recognizable names in American music.

He married Faith Evans in 1994, just eight days after they met, and the two had a son together before their relationship became strained. Biggie was murdered in March 1997 at just 24 years old. His second album, Life After Death, was released two weeks after his death and debuted at number one. His murder remains officially unsolved. He left behind two children, a body of work that continues to inspire new generations, and an estate that has grown to an estimated value of $160 million under the management of his family.

Mother

Faith Renée Evans was born on June 10, 1973, in Lakeland, Florida. She is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and record producer who is best known for her soulful R&B voice and her role as one of the first artists signed to Bad Boy Records. Her debut album in 1995 established her as a major force in contemporary R&B.

After Biggie’s death, Faith Evans continued to build her career while also raising her children. She has released multiple studio albums over the years and has remained a respected and beloved figure in the music world. She later married producer Todd Russaw and went on to release a tribute album with The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate. She has been a consistent source of support and inspiration for CJ throughout his life.

Siblings and Extended Family

CJ’s relationship with his sister, T’yanna Wallace, is one of the important family bonds in his life. T’yanna, born in August 1993, is the daughter of The Notorious B.I.G. and his high school girlfriend, Jan Jackson. She is a few years older than CJ and has taken a different path from her brother. T’yanna studied business at Penn State University and has pursued a career as an entrepreneur and social media personality. She appeared as a baby in the music video for her father’s iconic song “Juicy.”

CJ also grew up alongside Joshua Jahad Russaw and Chyna Tahjere Griffin, his step-siblings from his mother Faith Evans’s relationship with Todd Russaw. The extended Wallace family, including his paternal grandmother Voletta Wallace — who managed Biggie’s estate until her death in February 2025 at age 78 — has always been a close-knit circle bound together by love, music, and shared grief.

Career and Professional Life

CJ Wallace’s most visible professional achievement came in 2009 when he was cast in the biopic Notorious, a film about the life of his father. The role was both emotionally meaningful and professionally significant. Playing a younger version of The Notorious B.I.G. on screen, CJ brought a kind of authenticity to the role that no other actor could have matched. The film, produced in part by his grandmother Voletta Wallace and Sean “Diddy” Combs, grossed over $44 million globally.

In 2010, he appeared alongside Will Ferrell in the comedy film Everything Must Go, showing range and a willingness to step beyond the shadow of his father’s story. In 2016, he starred in the adventure film Kicks, and in 2019, he joined the cast of the VH1 slasher series Scream: Resurrection as a series regular, playing the role of Amir, a reserved high school student. The role marked his first major ongoing television appearance.

Beyond acting, CJ has pursued music in a way that honors his father without simply copying him. In August 2020, he released Ready to Dance, a debut music project that reimagined songs by The Notorious B.I.G. through house and dance music. The project did not use original samples or vocals, making it a creative reinvention rather than a simple tribute. He has also performed live tributes to his father, including reciting his father’s verse from “One More Chance” at a 2022 event marking what would have been Biggie’s 50th birthday.

In March 2019, CJ, along with his stepfather Todd Russaw and entrepreneur Willie Mack, launched Think BIG, a cannabis company. The brand was designed to shift public perception of cannabis through thoughtful branding and collaboration. The company reflected CJ’s entrepreneurial instincts and his ability to connect his family’s cultural identity with modern business opportunities.

Personal Life and Privacy

CJ Wallace keeps his romantic life largely out of the public eye. There is no confirmed information about a current partner or spouse. He has spoken openly about his father in interviews, describing the experience of growing up without him in deeply personal terms. He has said that he feels his father’s presence through the music, through the stories told by family and friends, and through the weight of the name he carries.

He is known to be close to his family, particularly his mother Faith Evans, and has spoken about the importance of preserving his father’s legacy with dignity. The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, established in Biggie’s memory, holds an annual fundraising dinner called “B.I.G. Night Out” to raise money for school supplies and equipment for children. CJ has been involved in efforts connected to this foundation, continuing his family’s commitment to giving back to the communities that shaped his father.

Media Presence and Public Perception

CJ Wallace is active on social media, particularly Instagram, where he shares moments from his professional projects and pays tribute to his father on significant anniversaries. He is generally well-regarded by the public as someone who carries his family’s legacy with grace and seriousness.

The public perception of CJ has always been shaped in part by the mythology surrounding his father. People are naturally curious about the son of one of hip-hop’s greatest figures, and CJ has navigated that curiosity with patience. He does not court celebrity for its own sake, and he rarely appears in tabloids or entertainment gossip. When he speaks publicly, it is usually about his work or his father’s memory.

Net Worth and Lifestyle

CJ Wallace has an estimated net worth of around $20 million, according to reports from celebrity financial trackers. This figure reflects both his own professional earnings from acting, music, and entrepreneurship, as well as his connection to his father’s estate. The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate has grown significantly over the decades, reaching an estimated value of $160 million by 2021, and CJ is among the beneficiaries of that legacy.

His lifestyle appears to be comfortable without being ostentatious. He lives in California and keeps a relatively low profile for someone with his name and resources. His focus seems to be on creative and entrepreneurial work rather than public displays of wealth.

Future Prospects

CJ Wallace has shown that he is serious about building a career that stands on its own. His work as an actor has been steady, and his move into music and business suggests he is thinking long-term about his public identity. He is still in his late twenties, which means his most significant professional achievements may still be ahead of him.

The launch of Think BIG and his Ready to Dance project both showed creativity and business acumen. As the cultural conversation around his father’s legacy continues — through documentaries, retrospectives, and the ongoing global reach of Biggie’s music — CJ will likely remain a central figure in how that legacy is remembered and carried forward.

Legacy and Influence of Family

The Notorious B.I.G. left behind more than music. He left behind a way of seeing the world, a voice that told the truth about poverty and ambition and survival in ways that resonated with millions of people. His children carry that truth forward, each in their own way.

T’yanna Wallace has built her own life as an entrepreneur. CJ has channeled his inheritance into creative work. Their grandmother Voletta Wallace spent decades protecting and growing their father’s legacy before her passing in 2025. Faith Evans has continued to honor Biggie’s memory through music and advocacy. Together, this family has turned grief into something productive and lasting.

CJ Wallace represents a new chapter in a story that began on the streets of Brooklyn in 1972. He did not choose the circumstances of his birth, but he has chosen, deliberately and thoughtfully, what to make of them.

Conclusion

CJ Wallace is many things at once. He is the son of a legend, the child of a Grammy-winning mother, and a young man building a life that is very much his own. He has worked as an actor, stepped into the music world with creativity and respect, and launched a business that connects his father’s name to the present moment. He has done all of this while keeping his personal life private and handling the weight of his family’s extraordinary history with care and dignity.

There is something both moving and inspiring about a person who inherits so much and still works hard to earn their own place. CJ Wallace is doing exactly that, and the world is watching with genuine warmth and curiosity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is CJ Wallace?

CJ Wallace, whose full name is Christopher George Latore Wallace Jr., is an American actor, musician, and entrepreneur. He is the son of late rap legend The Notorious B.I.G. and Grammy-winning singer Faith Evans. He was born on October 29, 1996, in New York City.

How old was CJ Wallace when his father died?

CJ Wallace was just five months old when his father, The Notorious B.I.G., was murdered on March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles. He never had the chance to know his father personally.

What movies has CJ Wallace appeared in?

CJ Wallace is best known for his role in the 2009 biopic Notorious, where he played a younger version of his father. He also appeared in Everything Must Go (2010) alongside Will Ferrell and starred in the adventure film Kicks (2016). He appeared as a series regular in Scream: Resurrection on VH1 in 2019.

Who is CJ Wallace’s mother?

CJ Wallace’s mother is Faith Evans, a celebrated American R&B singer and songwriter who was one of the first artists signed to Bad Boy Records. She was married to The Notorious B.I.G. from 1994 until his death in 1997.

Does CJ Wallace make music?

Yes. In August 2020, CJ Wallace released Ready to Dance, a debut music project that reimagined songs by his father through house and dance music. He has also performed live tributes to The Notorious B.I.G. at events honoring the rapper’s legacy.

What business ventures has CJ Wallace pursued?

In March 2019, CJ Wallace co-founded Think BIG, a cannabis company launched alongside his stepfather Todd Russaw and entrepreneur Willie Mack. The brand aimed to challenge public perceptions of cannabis through thoughtful branding and culturally connected collaborations.

What is CJ Wallace’s net worth?

CJ Wallace’s estimated net worth is around $20 million, reflecting both his own professional income from acting, music, and entrepreneurship, as well as his connection to his father’s estate, which has been valued at approximately $160 million.

Does CJ Wallace have siblings?

CJ Wallace has a half-sister, T’yanna Wallace, who is the older daughter of The Notorious B.I.G. from a previous relationship. He also grew up with step-siblings Joshua Jahad Russaw and Chyna Tahjere Griffin through his mother Faith Evans’s relationship with Todd Russaw.