Which rapper's song 'Hypnotize' became the first posthumous number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100?

The Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Hypnotize” became the first posthumous number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. The single reached No. 1 on the chart dated May 3, 1997, shortly after Christopher Wallace was killed in Los Angeles on March 9.

“Hypnotize” was released as the lead single from Life After Death, Biggie’s second studio album. The album arrived on March 25, 1997, less than three weeks after his death, and became a major posthumous success. The song’s polished production, catchy hook, and prominent sample of Herb Alpert’s “Rise” helped it cross from rap radio into the mainstream.

A common mix-up is “Mo Money Mo Problems,” another Life After Death single. That song also reached No. 1 later in 1997, making Biggie the first rapper with two posthumous Hot 100 chart-toppers. “Hypnotize,” however, came first and established the specific record asked about.