Fans flood Brooklyn subway stations for Notorious B.I.G. MetroCards

Fans of Biggie Smalls packed subway stations across Brooklyn Saturday to score commemorative MetroCards honoring the late hip-hop rapper’s 50th birthday.

About 50,000 cards were packed in MetroCard machines at four stations in Brooklyn, which was home to Biggie, aka “Notorious B.I.G.”

People were lined up about 100 at a time, waiting for hours at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station for a crack at buying some of the cards, which featured a portrait of the late rapper.

Many said it was well worth it.

“It was a long, hot two hours,” said Melissa Pajuelo, 30, of Brighton Beach, after buying five MetroCards. “Two are for me. Another two are for my boyfriend, and the last one is for my homeboy.”

“It’s Biggie Smalls. He’s an icon,” she added. “Who’s not going to want this, being born and raised in Brooklyn?”

“I’m not even going to use the card,” said Carmen Torres, 62, sporting a Biggie T-shirt. “I’m just going to put it in a safe place.”

Park Slope resident Francesca Lando waited two hours to purchase six commemorative MetroCards featuring Biggie Smalls.
Paul Martinka
Flatbush resident Valentino Lucas wait more than 4 hours in sweltering heat to buy 30 MetroCards.
Flatbush resident Valentino Lucas wait more than four hours in sweltering heat to buy 30 MetroCards.
Paul Martinka
Crown Heights resident Tatiana Wilkinson was more than happy to buy three MetroCards commemorating rap icon Biggie Smalls.
Tatiana Wilkinson of Crown Heights was more than happy to buy three MetroCards commemorating rap icon Biggie Smalls.
Paul Martinka

Cameron McGinn, 27, of Manhattan, said the MTA’s commemorative MetroCards were a smart business move.

“I’ve always been a big Biggie fan,” he said. “This is a cool way and a unique item to get and show true fandom.”

“Clearly people are down for it,” he added. “I’d come back for another.”

Long Island resident Juan Hernandez is seen buying MetroCards at Barclay Center’s subway station.
Long Island resident Juan Hernandez buys Biggie MetroCards at the Barclays Center subway station.
Paul Martinka
Some fans waited as long as four hours to buy MetroCards with a portrait of the late rapper Biggie Smalls.
Some fans waited as long as four hours to buy MetroCards with a portrait of the late rapper Biggie Smalls.
Paul Martinka

One enterprising man tried to make some B.I.G bucks by scalping the commemorative cards to people seeking to avoid the long wait.

“Forty bucks! Who wants it?” he shouted.

The MetroCards are one of many ways the Big Apple is celebrating the 50th birthday of the late rap star, who was infamously gunned down and murdered in 1997 after leaving a Vibe party in Los Angeles. He was 24. The case still has not been solved.

B.I.G metrocards already being sold online on the first day it was released.
Scalpers are already posting high prices for the commemorative MetroCards.
Juan Gonzalez
The Barclays Center honored Biggie Smalls’ 50th birthday.
The Barclays Center honored Biggie Smalls’ 50th birthday on Saturday.
Paul Martinka

Biggie, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, signed to Sean Combs’ Bad Boy label when it launched in 1993. His debut album “Ready to Die” was released a year later to worldwide acclaim, and spawned hit singles including “Big Poppa” and “Juicy.”

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