Wayne Barrow, a former manager of the late Notorious B.I.G., has won a legal battle against the rapper’s widow, R&B singer Faith Evans, securing control over music catalog disbursements from a Delaware Chancery Court ruling issued on August 7, according to court documents cited by Rolling Stone and XXL. The litigation stems from a dispute over payouts following a 50-50 partnership between Notorious B.I.G. LLC and publishing company Primary Wave, which was established in March 2025.
According to Rolling Stone, Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick ruled that Faith Evans had no legal authority to withhold payments owed to a trust established by Voletta Wallace, the late mother of the music icon born Christopher Wallace. Wayne Barrow serves as the sole trustee of that trust and the executor of Voletta Wallace’s estate, which holds a 25 percent distribution share in Notorious B.I.G. LLC. The company was originally co-owned by Voletta Wallace and Faith Evans, with both women later transferring half of their rights to the rapper’s children, Ty’anna Wallace and Christopher Jordan “CJ” Wallace, leaving Voletta, Evans, Ty’anna, and CJ each entitled to a 25 percent payout share.
In her 16-page ruling reported by XXL, Chancellor McCormick highlighted the complex business ties within the family by opening with a lyric from the late rapper’s 1997 song “Ten Crack Commandments,” written for his posthumously released album, Life After Death. “Christopher Wallace presciently cautioned: ‘Keep your family and business completely separated,'” the judge wrote, adding that after the artist’s tragic death, his mother and widow did the exact opposite by forming Notorious B.I.G. LLC under Delaware law.
Court Findings on Trust Amendments and Payouts
The core of the legal dispute arose after Voletta Wallace passed away in February 2025 at the age of 78, leaving her estate and trust arrangements under Wayne Barrow’s administration, as detailed by Rolling Stone. Weeks before her death, Voletta amended her trust to remove her grandson, CJ Wallace—the son of Biggie and Faith Evans—as a co-trustee, appointing Barrow as sole trustee instead. Chancellor McCormick noted in the ruling that Faith Evans appeared angered by the decision and took the legal position that the LLC agreement prohibited transferring membership units to the trust, subsequently refusing to distribute funds.
The Delaware Chancery Court judge rejected Evans’ argument after reviewing the company’s operating agreement. The court determined that Voletta Wallace’s trust qualified as a permitted transferee and that Wayne Barrow was legally entitled to receive any and all rights and obligations held by Ms. Wallace under the agreement. Court documents further indicate that the trust’s interest in the LLC will ultimately be distributed to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, a community nonprofit where Barrow serves as a board member.
“Wayne is feeling vindicated. We obtained a total victory in a dispute that never should have happened,” Jay W. Freiberg, an attorney representing Wayne Barrow, told Rolling Stone. Freiberg emphasized Barrow’s decades-long relationship with the family, noting that Mama Wallace wanted Barrow to steward the legacy of the Notorious B.I.G.
Ongoing Legal Challenges and Next Steps
While the Delaware ruling resolves the immediate dispute over the Primary Wave catalog distributions and affirms Wayne Barrow’s status as executor and trustee, a separate legal challenge remains active. As reported by Rolling Stone, a lawsuit filed by CJ Wallace in Pennsylvania on February 20, 2026, challenges Barrow’s underlying authority as trustee and executor of Voletta Wallace’s estate. That complaint alleges that Barrow improperly influenced Voletta to place him in those roles shortly before her death.
Barrow’s legal team declined to comment on the specifics of the Pennsylvania litigation, noting that it remains in its early stages, while asserting that the Pennsylvania filing was an attempt to stall the Delaware LLC proceedings. Lawyers and representatives for Faith Evans and CJ Wallace did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the Delaware Chancery Court’s August ruling.
As the Pennsylvania litigation proceeds, the Delaware ruling stands as a victory for Barrow regarding the administration of the estate’s corporate distributions. Readers can follow further updates on court filings through official Delaware Chancery Court dockets and legal news updates. We invite you to share your thoughts on this case in the comments below.
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