New York City, NY (December 10, 2008) – SSUR is proud to announce the release of the Notorious BIG collaboration tee. The King of Brooklyn 3 style tee release, which is scheduled to drop early January of 2009, will be sold exclusively at SSURPLUS in NYC, online at www.ssurempirestate.com and selected boutiques around the world.

Artist and designer Ruslan Karablin has built the empire known as SSUR, Inc. SSUR is a leading designer, marketer, and licensor of SSURPLUS. A broad line of culturally relevant designs in the areas of specialty merchandising items and collectable toys, apparel, footwear, eyewear, furniture, and canvas art.

Widely acclaimed photographer Barron Claiborne’s portrait of B.I.G. (taken five days prior to the tragic death) would become the last and most notorious image of the legendary rapper (as well as the most bootlegged hip hop photograph ever taken). Barron, a long time friend and patron of SSUR, collaborated on a triptych of tees celebrating the famed image, presenting a true depiction of this widely misused portrait in all media (and formats).

SSUR, also hailing from Brooklyn, NY, added his artistic take on the Claiborne reproduction by creating a morphing effect of guns. Depicting an image which ultimately caused the death and silencing of the lyrical genius.

Brooklyn based rapper, Christopher George Latore Wallace, known to the rest of us as “The Notorious B.I.G.,” made arguably the biggest impact on hip-hop music to date. Deemed as “One of the Greatest rappers of all time” and “the Savior of East-Coast hip-hop,” Biggie first took Brooklyn, then the rest of the World by storm, laying down some of the illest rhymes. Taken prematurely by the hype hip-hop created, this rapper’s life came to an end on March 9th, 1997.

It’s been over a decade since The Notorious B.I.G. tragically passed away, but his legacy and influence still lives on.

BIGGIE SMALLS is still the ILLEST!