The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, was primarily signed to Bad Boy Records, founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs (then known as Puff Daddy). Biggie signed with Bad Boy Records in 1992, marking the beginning of a partnership that would define hip-hop in the 1990s.

Bad Boy Records served as Biggie's primary label throughout his entire mainstream career. The label handled the release of both his studio albums: "Ready to Die" (1994) and "Life After Death" (1997), which was released posthumously following his tragic death on March 9, 1997.

While Bad Boy Records was Biggie's main label, it's important to note that Bad Boy had a distribution deal with Arista Records. This means that technically, Biggie's music was distributed through Arista, though he remained a Bad Boy artist first and foremost.

The partnership between Biggie and Bad Boy Records proved incredibly successful, with his debut album "Ready to Die" achieving platinum status and "Life After Death" being certified diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million copies in the United States alone.

Before signing to Bad Boy, Biggie had recorded some demo tapes and appeared on local mixtapes, but he didn't have any formal record deal. His signing to Bad Boy Records represented his first and only major label contract during his lifetime.

This relationship with Bad Boy Records remained consistent until his death, and the label continued to release his posthumous works, including "Born Again" (1999) and "Duets: The Final Chapter" (2005).

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