Just when you thought the whole hologram craze was dead and buried comes word of The Notorious B.I.G.’s possible resurrection.
As Pitchfork points out, Faith Evans is “in the finishing stages” of a collaborative album with her late husband. Entitled The King & I, Evans likened the record to Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole’s posthumous duets.
“Today, if he was alive, I know, ultimately, we would’ve done something like this,” Evans explained in a recent interview on Dame Dash’s radio program. “But the way the stuff has come together, and the way I’m using his vocals, it’s giving the stuff new life, it’s totally different.”
Beyond the album, however, Evans also plans to perform live with her husband, albeit in hologram form. “We actually are in development with a hologram,” Evans explained, adding that she hopes to debut it in the first video for the album, “and maybe use it a little bit performing live. But that depends on a lot of things.”
Evans is targeting a September release for The King & I.
Update – Monday, April 11th at 1:10 p.m. CT: Billboard reports that ARHT Media has officially landed the rights to create the hologram in a joint venture with Biggie’s estate. The hologram will appear in Evans’ upcoming music video. A tour featuring the hologram is also in the works.
In related news, Puff Daddy has announced a one-night-only tribute concert to The Notorious B.I.G., set for May 20th at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Dubbed “Bad Boy Family Reunion,” the evening will feature a reunion of Puff Daddy and the Family, as well as Evans, Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Mase, and more.
