Biggie’s Ghost to Appear in “House of Wallace” Cartoon, Will You Watch? Posted by Ru Porter on 03/13/13 | Filed under Opinion, Notorious B.I.G.

In a recent article regarding the 16th anniversary of the Notorious B.I.G.'s death, Nathan made a very valid point: there's a fine line between paying homage and using Biggie's death for self-promotion and profit. Great minds think alike, because I thought the exact same thing when Ossian Media announced they will be producing the animated series, "House of Wallace", featuring the Bed-Stuy emcee’s two children. As legend has it, Biggie built his own studio to consolidate creative control once his musical career began to flourish, so main characters C.J. and T'yanna Wallace will attempt to keep his studio in Brooklyn alive, despite numerous trials and tribulations.

The premise finds an international music conglomerate threatening to buy out the "House of Wallace" and replace it with a cookie cutter "entertainment factory", and C.J. and T'yanna decide to stand up for their immortal father’s heritage and the "real" music he represents. The spirit of B.I.G. himself serves as a central character, appearing to the children in ethereal form, and under Big’s guidance C.J. and T'yanna invent a novel approach to creating alternative revenue streams – re-imagining their Dad's studio as a 'jingle house by day', where some of the world's greatest talents lend their voices and abilities to some of the world's best-known brand names.

By night the Wallace kids return to the studio to work on their own musical projects, all while being inspired by the association with Biggie's signature sound. "Come to cut a multi-platinum new album, stay to record a hit commercial!" is the phrase they like to employ as a means of enticing these artists to participate in their fledgling jingle 'side business'. "It's been 16 years since our Dad was murdered and we miss him dearly. It is such an honor for us to be able to carry on his legacy, not only through his music but also by channeling him through our own creativity. "House Of Wallace" is a great opportunity for us to bridge the gap between our parents who loved his music and the kids and young adults our ages, that were not around to really appreciate it," said T'yanna and C.J.

According to Ossian Media, Not only will C.J. and T'yanna be voicing their own characters, but a bevy of musical artists will also appear on the show, alongside a hilarious staff of studio employees. And hip-hop music will constitute a central component of the show, including original songs from guest stars and re-imagined renditions of classics from the Notorious B.I.G.’s catalog.

Personally, I’m all for a cartoon series centered around hip-hop -- the closest I’ve ever seen as a kid that catered to the urban demographic back in the day was "C Bear and Jamal" with Tone Loc on Fox Kids in ’96. Will you watch?

See Also:  Remembering The Notorious B.I.G.‘s Death The Right Way