Meta is hosting a posthumous Notorious B.I.G. concert. Yes, you read that correctly.
Meta is celebrating what would be Biggie’s 50th birthday with a virtual reality concert where Biggie’s “hyper-realistic” avatar will perform Biggie classics. The event is a partnership between Willingie, Gunpowder & Sky, and The Notorious B.I.G. Estate and will take place on Dec. 16 in Horizon Worlds.
Prior to the concert, there will be a virtual recreation of a day in Biggie’s life in Brooklyn. It will feature narration from American writer and music journalist Touré. The concert will also feature performances from Sean “Diddy” Combs, The Lox, Latto, Nardo Wick, and Lil’ Cease.
This is not the first time technology has enabled fans to experience their favorite artists after their death. Notably, a hologram of the late Elvis Presley sang with Celine Dion on American Idol and a hologram of Tupac performed with Snoop Dogg at Coachella in 2012. As virtual reality technology advances, so does the opportunity for events like Biggie’s concert that would be impossible in the real world.
The concert also comes at a time when metaverse concerts are gaining mainstream attention. This year MTV introduced the “Best Metaverse Performance” category which BLACKPINK won for their “pretty savage” concert in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUGB) Mobile.