The careers of these young black celebrities were cut short by gun violence

The Notorious B.I.G 

Born Christopher Wallace, the life of The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls was brought to an abrupt end in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

Described as “the saviour of East Coast hip-hop”, he was considered one of the best in his time with his rivalry with West Coast’s Tupac Shakur.

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His double-disc set Life After Death released 16 days later, rose to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts and was certified Diamond in 2000. He was 24 years old.