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Famous Celebrities Who Died In Their 20s

Christopher Wallace, known better as The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, left a lasting legacy in the world of rap, yet he only released a single album in his lifetime. The rapper, a New Yorker, is said to have "almost single-handedly reinvented East Coast hip hop" during a time when West Coast rap dominated, with his cool ​​baritone instantly recognizable on tracks (via Biography). Signed to Sean "Puffy" Combs' label, Bad Boy Records, Biggie released his now-iconic single, "Juicy," in August of 1994, with his first album, "Ready to Die," following the next month. As Biography notes, within two months, the album was certified gold and has only grown in the years since, becoming quadruple-platinum.

Sadly, Biggie's successes were short-lived, as a mere three years since his debut album was released, the rapper was killed. According to History, on March 9, 1997, Biggie was shot at a stoplight in Los Angeles, dying instantly. His eerily-titled second album, "Life After Death," was set to be released a shocking two weeks after his untimely passing.

To this day, Biggie's death remains unsolved. What's more, it turns out that the rapper was "concerned for his safety" during his trip to L.A. According to MTV, during one of his final interviews with ​​San Francisco's KYLD-FM, Biggie reflected that anyone who is as high profile as himself is a target. "They gonna' attack you if you on top," he explained, adding, "It's your job to bob and weave. I need the security."

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