The late East Coast rap icon Notorious B.I.G.’s hyper-realistic avatar will hold a concert and play songs from his discography in Meta’s Horizon Worlds on December 16. The programme will also include performances by special guests including Sean “Diddy” Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, and a narrative trip through Biggie’s life by American music journalist Touré, using a virtual recreation of Brooklyn from the 1990s as its backdrop. Of course, not everyone is impressed with Meta’s decision to revive a deceased artist in the guise of an avatar, and the initiative received a barrage of criticism in HotNewHipHop’s tweet about it. However, according to Meta, the concert will honour Notorious B.I.G.’s life and legacy and has The Notorious B.I.G. Estate’s approval. Touré, who oversaw the concert’s narrative, added that he “interviewed Biggie’s mother and sat in her kitchen, so she understands that [he] loves [her son] and will take care of [his] legacy.”

The company’s social realm, called Meta’s Horizon Worlds, is accessible through a Quest headset. The premiere will be available in virtual reality for viewers on December 16th, but they can also stream it after it airs on Meta Quest TV. The 2D version of the show, which will be streamed at The Notorious B.I.G.’s official Facebook page, will have to do for viewers without a Quest. It’s important to remember that at Coachella ten years ago, Tupac, whose conflict with Biggie was well-known, was brought back as a hologram by AV Concepts and Dr. Dre’s production firm. The tools that can revive artists from the dead have gone even farther in recent years. There will probably be more occasions like these in the future, and we can only hope that the organisations behind the initiatives will honour the legacy of the artists.