Following a confidential settlement reached in 2024 between the Estate of renowned photographer Chi Modu and the family of Christopher Wallace, better known as Biggie Smalls and the Notorious BIG, the Modu family is delighted to announce that it retains sole ownership of the iconic hip-hop photos of Biggie.

More specifically, the settlement confirmed a number of important principles: (1) the Chi Modu Estate alone owns the copyrighted images and, as such, the Estate is (2) free to sell copies of the photographs in any form including NFTs, and (3) those who wish to use the photographs for any purpose must obtain permission from the family and pay license fees to do so; and (4) the Wallace family alone controls Biggie’s right of publicity.

The settlement ensures that Chi’s powerful images are unencumbered for editorial uses, purchases (including NFTs), and are available for limited licensing opportunities.

Sophia Modu, the widow of Chi Modu, only now feels ready to publicly address the settlement and the impact of her husband’s passing. “It took a while for me to work through the settlement with Notorious B.I.G., LLC, and to be emotionally prepared to address this publicly. Above all, I am happy that the Modu family maintains complete control of his artistic work,” said Mrs. Modu.

Chi Modu’s images, captured during a groundbreaking era in ’90s hip-hop history, remain a testament to his unique eye and cultural insight. “Chi spent many years as the Director of Photography for The Source magazine in the ’90s,” Mrs. Modu continued. “While he was compensated very little for his artistic services, the magazine agreed that Chi would retain the rights to his photographs of hip-hop artists that graced its pages. Chi’s photographs remain his—in life or in death.”

With the litigation now behind them, the Estate looks forward to monetizing Chi’s archival material through editorial channels, creative collaborations such as photographic exhibitions, and emerging platforms such as NFTs.

“Throughout the case, I’ve learned how crucial it is for photographers to understand their intellectual property rights. If creatives are not fully aware of the intersection of art, business, and law, they can unintentionally give others an excuse to claim their images or work products,” added Mrs. Modu.

ArentFox Schiff LLP, a prominent national law firm, represented the Chi Modu estate in this matter on a pro bono basis.

About The Chi Modu Estate – Celebrating his 35+ year career in photography, the Estate of Christopher Chijioke Modu remains the sole owner and manager of the iconic photographs taken by the legendary artist and photojournalist, Chi Modu. Additionally, the Estate holds trademarks on Hip Hop Images™, his name, and his iconic signature. The estate manages the licensing of his archival material for collaborations, exhibitions, and emerging platforms such as NFTs. Its assets include unique photographs of The Notorious BIG, Tupac Shakur, Nas, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and many other hip-hop icons.