Faith Evans Ordered to Pay $14M to Biggie's Late Mother's Trust

A Delaware judge has ordered Faith Evans to hand over nearly $14 million in Notorious B.I.G. estate profits to the trust of his late mother, Voletta Wallace. Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick ruled on Tuesday (Oct. 27) that Evans must immediately distribute the money, ending a court dispute between Evans and Wayne Barrow, who managed Biggie and was named Voletta's legal trustee upon her death in February 2025.

The ruling follows an August decision that sided with Barrow on the core question: the trust was entitled to a 25% share of estate earnings, including profits from a landmark Primary Wave catalog deal. Evans had argued that Barrow lacked the proper legal documentation to claim the money. But McCormick went further in Thursday's follow-up, saying that all economic rights associated with Voletta's member interest in the LLC transferred to her estate upon her death on February 21, 2025. That means the trust is entitled to distributions accrued from that date, not just from December 2025 when the paperwork was finalized.

The distributions from February to December 2025 total $12.5 million. With interest, the total comes to nearly $14 million, according to Barrow's attorney Jay Freiberg. The money has been sitting within the estate, and McCormick ordered Evans to pay it out immediately. Per Voletta's will, Barrow will then donate the funds to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation. "We are pleased with the latest order from the Chancellor," Freiberg told Billboard. "It continues the Chancellor's decisions recognizing Faith Evans' misbehavior regarding Notorious Big LLC after the death of Mama Wallace."

Evans' attorney declined to comment on the ruling. But the fight is far from over. In a separate lawsuit, Biggie's son CJ Wallace is suing Barrow in Pennsylvania to change Voletta's will. A previous version of the estate plan named CJ and Barrow as co-trustees, but the will was changed a few weeks before her death to give Barrow sole control. CJ alleges that Barrow manipulated Voletta into rewriting the will on her deathbed. Barrow denies this and says CJ's lawsuit is being engineered by Evans, which Evans' lawyers deny.

This case is a reminder that estate governance for high-value music catalogs can become a battleground long after the artist is gone. The Notorious B.I.G. estate includes a landmark Primary Wave catalog deal, and the trust's 25% stake is now firmly established as a co-equal member of Notorious Big LLC with Evans. For executives and investors in music intellectual property, the ruling clarifies a key legal principle: economic rights transfer at the moment of death, not when administrative paperwork is completed. That timing can mean millions in accrued revenue.

The broader lesson for founders and operators is about the importance of airtight estate planning. Voletta Wallace's will was changed weeks before her death, and that change is now being challenged in court. Whether or not CJ's allegations hold up, the dispute shows how quickly family dynamics can complicate a business entity. For anyone with a stake in a privately held LLC, the case underscores the need to document ownership transfers clearly and promptly, and to anticipate that heirs may contest decisions made under pressure.

For the music industry, this is the latest in a series of estate battles that have reshaped how catalogs are controlled. The Primary Wave deal is a significant asset, and the trust's co-equal status means Evans cannot unilaterally make decisions about licensing or sales. That could affect future deals involving Biggie's music. For executives at music companies and investment funds, the takeaway is to scrutinize the governance structure of any catalog acquisition, especially when multiple heirs or trustees are involved.

The case also highlights the personal stakes. Voletta Wallace was a fierce protector of her son's legacy, and her will directed that the estate's share go to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation. Barrow's attorney added, "Hopefully she will [pay] and, equally important, stop fighting the inevitable result properly planned by Mama Wallace - that the trust is a co-equal member of the LLC with Ms. Evans, and entitled to all that comes with this status." The ongoing CJ lawsuit will determine whether Barrow keeps sole control, but for now, the money is moving.