FOLLOW US

Case Insights

• Faith Evans faces allegations of hoarding proceeds from a $100 million sale of The Notorious B.I.G.'s music catalog to Primary Wave Music
• The lawsuit claims Evans excluded Biggie's late mother's estate trust from both financial distributions and business operations following Voletta Wallace's death in February
• Trust manager Wayne Barrow seeks court intervention to force Evans to distribute withheld funds intended for the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation

By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald

The widow of legendary rapper The Notorious B.I.G. is facing serious legal challenges as she stands accused of allegedly enriching herself at the expense of her late husband's estate trust following a massive $100 million music catalog sale.

Faith Evans, who married Christopher Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G.) in 1994, is being sued by the estate of Biggie's late mother, Voletta Wallace, in a Delaware court case that was unsealed on July 8, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that Evans has been systematically excluding the trust from both financial distributions and business decisions since assuming sole management control of the rapper's estate.

Background of the $100 Million Deal

The controversy stems from a significant business transaction involving the sale of The Notorious B.I.G.'s music catalog to Primary Wave Music for approximately $100 million. This deal represented one of the most substantial music catalog acquisitions in recent years, involving the works of one of hip-hop's most influential artists who was tragically killed in 1997 at the age of 24.

The estate's complex structure includes multiple beneficiaries, including Evans herself, Biggie's children Ty'anna and CJ Wallace, and a trust established for his late mother, Voletta Wallace, who passed away in February 2025.

Trust Manager's Allegations

Wayne Barrow, who serves as the manager of Voletta Wallace's trust, has filed the lawsuit claiming that Evans has been acting improperly since taking control of the estate's Limited Liability Company (LLC) following Voletta's death. According to the court documents, Barrow alleges that Evans has been distributing sale proceeds selectively while deliberately withholding the trust's rightful share.

"Ms. Evans has distributed sale proceeds to Ty'anna, CJ, and presumably to herself," Barrow stated in the legal filing. "She, however, has wrongfully withheld the Trust's share of the proceeds, in the amount of [redacted]."

The lawsuit paints a picture of Evans allegedly cutting off communication with Barrow regarding all business matters related to the estate, effectively treating the trust as if it no longer exists within the estate's structure.