Delaware Court Orders Faith Evans to Pay $12.5M to Biggie’s Estate Trust
A Delaware judge ruled that R&B singer Faith Evans must pay $12.5 million, plus interest, to the trust of late rapper Notorious B.I.G.’s mother, Voletta Wallace. The decision rejects Evans’ attempt to limit payments to $48,612 while a separate family dispute over estate control remains pending in Pennsylvania.
Key points
- Judge Kathaleen St. J. McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery awarded the Voletta Wallace Revocable Trust $12,518,336 in distributions from Notorious B.I.G., LLC.
- The ruling includes prejudgment interest, bringing the total amount owed to nearly $14 million according to the trust’s attorney.
- Evans argued the trust should not receive funds until a Pennsylvania lawsuit challenging the executor’s authority is resolved, but the judge rejected this delay.
- The court determined that economic rights transferred to the trust upon Voletta Wallace’s death in February 2025, regardless of later administrative changes.
- The funds are to be distributed to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation as specified in Voletta Wallace’s will.
Background
This dispute follows the 2025 sale of a stake in Biggie’s music catalog to Primary Wave and the death of his mother, Voletta Wallace, in February 2025. Evans and Wallace formed the LLC in 2007, with distribution rights split among Wallace, Evans, and their children. The current conflict stems from a will change granting sole control to former manager Wayne Barrow, which Biggie’s son CJ Wallace is challenging in Pennsylvania.
How outlets are covering it
Rolling Stone and AllHipHop emphasize the finality of the Delaware judgment and the rejection of Evans’ proposal to hold funds in escrow. Billboard highlights the immediate financial impact, noting the total payout with interest reaches nearly $14 million and must be donated to a foundation. While all sources agree on the judgment amount, Billboard provides additional detail on the intended use of the funds and the ongoing Pennsylvania litigation regarding the will’s validity, which the other outlets mention only as a background factor.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies the financial rights of estate trusts in intellectual property disputes and sets a precedent for the immediate distribution of assets despite pending challenges to executor authority. It resolves a significant portion of the financial conflict surrounding one of hip-hop’s most valuable catalogs, though it does not end the broader family legal battles over estate control.
What to watch
Barrow has 20 days to submit a final order reflecting the judgment. Evans’ legal team has not yet responded to the ruling. The separate Pennsylvania lawsuit challenging Barrow’s appointment as sole executor remains ongoing and is expected to continue independently of the Delaware financial settlement.
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- Notorious B.I.G. Estate Lawsuit Ends With Faith Evans Sending $14M to Voletta Wallace’s Trust Billboard
- TSR Staff Lawrencia! @lawrencia.cg _____________________________________ #FaithEvans has been ordered to pay nearly $14 million from The #NotoriousBIG’s estate to a trust established by his late mother, #VolettaWallace. ___________________ Instagram
- Judge Orders Faith Evans to Pay $12.5 Million to the Trust of the Notorious B.I.G.’s Late Mother Complex
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