How did Biggie Smalls die & how old was he when he died?

10 March 2026, 17:56

Biggie Smalls had an untimely death. Picture: Getty

Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell told the story of the rapper's life and death of The Notorious B.I.G, but how did he die, and how old was he when he passed? Here are all the details

Biggie- I Got a Story to Tell | Official Trailer | Netflix

Biggie is one of the most iconic rappers of his generation, famous for his friendship and then fallout with fellow rapper Tupac, as well as his shocking death. But when did Biggie die? And who killed Biggie?

The Netflix film, Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell delved into the life and death of The Notorious B.I.G and included interviews with his close friends and appearances from Diddy, as well his mother Voletta Wallace.

As fans honour the rapper year in year out, questions have been swirling around his death.

So, how did Biggie Smalls die? And how old was he when he died?

The Notorious B.I.G was only in his mid-twenties when he was killed. Picture: Getty

How did Biggie Smalls die?

Biggie Smalls was killed on March 9, 1997, after he was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles - according to a number of reports, only the final shot he endured was fatal.

Leading up to the time of his death, Biggie had revealed in an interview with American talk show The Dog House that he had increased his security because he feared for his safety.

His death came just six months after the killing of fellow rapper and former friend, Tupac, who was also shot in a drive-by shooting, before dying of internal bleeding six days later.

Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell streams on Netflix from March 1st. Picture: Netflix

Many theories claim the cause of Biggie’s death was tied to Tupac’s, as their long-term feud was a huge talking point in the media around that time.

A huge theory claims that Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight was involved in the killings of both rappers, however, he has never been arrested or charged for involvement in their deaths and neither murder has been solved.