When does the first one become the second one. Is there a level of importance in a person that must be reached before it’s called an assassination. Does the victim need to be a head of state or even a politician? If you are unknown to many people, is it just plain murder? What do you have to achieve in life. exactly, before you can be famous in death by being assassinated?
Assassination is usually reserved for political leaders, as opposed to important musical figures, say. So, Biggie’s death was a homicide, whereas Dr. King’s death is (usually) classed as an assassination.
For the assassination charge to stick, it also helps to have been killed because of your political position, but that would leave out John Hinckley, who came close to killing Ronald Reagan for the love of Jodie Foster. Since Hinckley’s crime is usually called `attempted assassination,’ the office is apparently more important than intent. (Also, we’ll probably never know the true reasons why John Kennedy was shot, but everyone calls it an assassination.)
So, for reference, a clear-cut homicide was Phil Hartman (killed by his wife), and a clear-cut assassination was Tsar Nicholas Romanov (killed by the Soviets).
But, in the end, it comes down to public perception and what the talking heads call it. I’ve heard people say that Biggie was assassinated and that Dr. King was murdered, but I would disagree with both assertions.