EMPIRE STATE BUILDING HONORS THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.'S 50TH BIRTHDAY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ESTATE OF THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.

Celebrations include a tower lighting and ceremony, and a life-size photorealistic avatar of B.I.G. on the building's 80^th Floor

NEW YORK, May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced plans to mark the 50^th birthday of The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie) – aka Christopher Wallace – with celebrations that will include a tower lighting and ceremony with participation from his friends and family.

"From one icon to another, the Empire State Building is honored to celebrate the life and legacy of the Notorious B.I.G. with an authentic experience for his family, friends, and fans in the heart of New York City," said Abigail Rickards, senior vice president of marketing, public relations, and digital at the Empire State Building. "Fans will have a unique opportunity to connect with two New York City icons for a once in a lifetime experience."

• ESB Lights for B.I.G. – On May 21 – what would have been Wallace's 50^th birthday – the Empire State Building will shine its world-famous tower lights in a dynamic red and white flashing light show, with a crown and the number "50" rotating in the building's mast. The building will host a special lighting ceremony with his children T'yanna Wallace and Christopher Wallace, Jr., his mother Ms. Voletta Wallace, and close friends James Lloyd (Lil' Cease), Kimberly Denise Jones (Lil' Kim), Faith Evans, and Jason Terrance Phillips (Jadakiss) on May 20.
• A Legend Lives On – The Empire State Building Observatory Experience will feature a life-size, photorealistic avatar of B.I.G. on the 80^th Floor on Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21. The avatar photobooth will be available for guest viewing and photographs from 4 p.m.–9 p.m. each night.
• Only at ESB – On Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Empire State Building will host a pop-up cart to feature exclusive Notorious B.I.G. merch sold only at the Observatory. The pop-up will offer limited-edition hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. The cart will also allow an exclusive pre-order opportunity for the Notorious B.I.G. 8-LP Box Set – slated for release on June 10 – and Biggie's 11x platinum album Life After Death cassette for purchase.

The Empire State Building Observatory's celebration of this genuine New York City cultural icon will be joined by the Estate of the Notorious B.I.G., Rhino Entertainment, Bad Boy Records, and Atlantic Records.

The Empire State Building Observatory Experience recently underwent a top-to-bottom reimagination that added a dedicated guest entrance, a digital and tactile museum that celebrates the icon from the moment it was conceived to its current place in pop culture, and a completely re-imagined 102^nd Floor Observatory. More information about the Empire State Building and its Observatory Experience can be found at www.esbnyc.com. 

Hi-res imagery of B.I.G. and the Empire State Building tower lights can be downloaded here.

About the Empire State Building  
The Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102^nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86^th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture.  Learn more at www.esbnyc.com. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world. 

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok. 

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SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.