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Brooklyn born and raised, he was the Notorious B.I.G., a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, nee Christoper Wallace. By the age of 24, he was one of rap’s most stunning talents and a legend. Twenty-two years after his death, Wallace’s son is honoring his father with a new strain of CJ Wallace cannabis.
Think B.I.G.ger
CJ Wallace has big plans. The Think BIG Biggie Smalls company is focused on cannabis and social change. Wallace developed the brand with entrepreneur Willie Mack and music producer Todd Russaw. Russaw is Wallace’s stepfather.
The first cannabis launch from the brand will be Frank White. It’s a name Biggie Smalls used in his branding and and also known for in the rap game. With the intent of inspiring creativity and artistry, find Frank White in limited:
- Pre-rolls
- Gummies
- Vapes
- Top-shelf flower
- Apparel
- Pens and pencils
- Journals
- Sketch pads
Frank White will be on the market in April 2021. You’ll soon find the products and any news about Think B.I.G. on the website. Everything about Think B.I.G. keeps the legend shining as it has since the Notorious B.I.G. death anniversary.
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Beyond legally-crown cannabis, Think B.I.G. has an ambitious agenda. The company hopes to reform the cannabis space in the criminal justice system. It also looks to reach the communities through charitable projects and education.
From Frankwhite.co
Think BIG Biggie Smalls partner Mack lays out the agenda. “The rise of social justice movements like BLM, LGBTQ+ rights, and the fight for socially equitable democracies around the world is rising and cannabis is a big part of that conversation. I have been in the cannabis industry for over four years now and it is one of the fastest-growing industries globally for a reason, because it touches every part of society; legal, finance, banking, creativity, art, design, legal, politics, education, science, beauty, cosmetics, agriculture, climate change! These two plants, cannabis and hemp, are going to change and maybe save the world.”
The company hopes to destroy the war on cannabis. They believe this misdirection is destroying lives. The jails are overrun with individuals subjected to ill-balanced marijuana laws. The BIPOC community is disproportionately targeted to enforce these laws. Think B.I.G. promotes the concept the healing power of marijuana is what we should fight for.
Think B.I.G. supports Autism Speaks, Minority Cannabis Business Association, Last Prisoners Project and Marijuana Policy Project. The company looks to organize causes to reform mass incarceration, to correct social injustice, as well as tackle environmental issues.
The Wallace Family Inspiration
Think B.I.G. isn’t just linked to Wallace’s famous father. The company was born out of the son’s passion for cannabis as a resource for wellness and health. CJ’s youngest brother, Ryder, is autistic. Their mother, singer Faith Evans, fought against applications like Ritalin and other pharmaceuticals. CJ also recalls painful experiences with his grandmother, a breast cancer victim.
Carrying these family experiences, CJ Wallace was adamant about legalized marijuana. He advocated for getting people to talk about suicidal thoughts, mental health and other dark topics. These matters and forbidden discussions, he felt, were harmful to the black community, even in his own home.
He says, “Everything was so hush-hush. I always felt more comfortable around my friends’ parents because they’d let them drink in the house, smoke around them. … As a Black community, we should be more open. The birds and the bees talk should be as important as the alcohol and cannabis conversations.”
Carrying the Wallace Name
Throughout his childhood, CJ Wallace had it ingrained in his DNA that he had a strong legacy to upkeep. But Wallace was thankful his stepdad delineated how to manage it. “My second dad, Todd, has always instilled in me to make sure that I carry on the legacy in my own unique way, and that — because my name holds weight —I can’t do anything half-assed. I have to do my best.”
He did better than that. Like his father, CJ’s a Grammy winner and a highly respected producer. He’s also an actor. In 2009, he appeared in his father’s Notorious biopic. He was on the TV show Scream and had roles in the feature films Kicks, Everything Must Go, She’s Missing and Monsters and Men.
CJ believes this move bridges the gap between his two dads as the brand’s inspired by his birth father and his stepdad’s unrelenting support.
The Creative Flow & Cannabis
CJ Wallace and cannabis had formed a bond early in his young life. He saw his parents use it regularly. As well as their famous friends. They smoked in the studio, to medicate, to relieve stress, but most importantly for their creative expression,” he says.
In that environment, he saw genius sprout from the likes of Missy and Pharrell. From his birth parents and beyond, he’s seen cannabis as a tool for creative expression. He’d also come to see the value in cannabis as a medicinal solution for everything from glaucoma to depression and stress.
The Notorious Biggie Smalls
Christopher Wallace took the world of rap by storm almost immediately. He had a powerful baritone. His lyrics were harsh and street, yet simultaneously vulnerable and humorous. Through Bad Boy Records, the Notorious B.I.G. brought rap back to New York after the West Coast reached for the throne.
He and fellow Bad Boy labelmates, Faith Evans, seemed to have fallen in love instantly. They married soon after meeting. Evans gave birth to CJ (Christoper Wallace Jr.) in 1996. CJ already had an older sister, Tyanna. She was born three years earlier, to Wallace and Jan Jackson. Younger brother Ryder was born to Evans and Russaw.
On March 9, 1997, the entertainment industry saw one of its darkest days when someone shot Biggie. It was eerily reminiscent of the killing of Tupac Shakur, either a rival or friend, depending on the rumor.
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Conclusion
CJ Wallace has always fought for global cannabis legalization. Something anyone could easily see his father standing up for. It’s the son using his voice to promote the medicinal purposes of hemp alongside his company’s mission for social change. It’s the voice of his legacy. It’s CJ Wallace cannabis as we near the Notorious B.I.G. death anniversary. The Notorious B.I.G. would be happy.
