R&B singer Faith Evans has officially lost a major legal battle in a Delaware court over Notorious B.I.G.’s estate. A judge granted control of Biggie Smalls’ lucrative music catalog to Wayne Barrow’s trust on August 6, 2026. The ruling ends a 2-year dispute over who controls the $200M publishing and masters.
Evans, Biggie’s widow, had argued she was the rightful heir as executor of his estate since 1997. Barrow, Biggie’s former manager and co-founder of ByStorm Entertainment, claimed Biggie signed a 1995 trust agreement giving him management rights to his catalog after death. Delaware Chancery Court Judge Paul Fioravanti sided with Barrow, citing signed documents and continuous management since 1997.
The catalog includes Ready to Die, Life After Death, and unreleased verses worth millions in licensing. Faith’s attorneys say they will appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court by September. For hip-hop, the ruling shifts control of one of rap’s most valuable legacies away from family to management.
