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Welcome back! It's hump day, and a much needed Way Back Wednesday will help you pull through.
My first introduction to The Notorious B.I.G. was rather early, when he was simply BIG and pushing "Party and Bullshit," a song featured on the Who's The Man soundtrack in 1993. I purchased the soundtrack for its other heavyweights — Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Erick Sermon, Jodeci. "Party and Bullshit" was the first song; I liked it and the production was handled by East Coast vet Easy Mo Bee, but it never really grabbed me. Little did I know that BIG would soon dominate the hip hop music industry.
Detective Russel Poole, the lead detective on Wallace's still unsolved murder, was preparing to release some new info and a revealing interview about the case, but he mysteriously passed away last week, which prompted this post. Apparently, Poole believed the Los Angeles Police Department wanted him dead. Here's hoping his findings see the light of day, one day...
Background: The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls aka Biggie was born Christopher George Latore Wallace in May of 1972. He grew up in Brooklyn, and proved a smart student, especially in English, and won several awards in middle school. Unfortunately Wallace started dealing drugs early, and all through high-school. He eventually dropped out at age 17, and delved ever deeper into a life of crime. His first arrest in 1989 was for a weapons charge that landed him five years of probation. A year later, he spent nine months in jail for dealing drugs.
Things started looking up in 1992, when hip-hop magazine The Source featured Biggie in their monthly Unsigned Hype, which was dedicated to helping expose new and upcoming rappers. Biggie decided to use this momentum from the article to cut a demo that eventually fell into the hands of then-Uptown Records A&R rep and record producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. Puffy signed the 6'3 rapper immediately to Uptown Records, marking the start of a powerful duo. Big's first recording was on a Heavy D & the Boyz track off Blue Funk. Shortly after signing his newly found talent, Puffy was fired. Biggie was loyal to the man that believed in him, and decided to join Puffy on his new label, Bad Boy Records. In 1993, on the remix of Mary J. Blige's single "Real Love," Wallace officially changed his name to The Notorious B.I.G. Blige's single prompted even more hype for the rapper. He was also featured on several other artists' songs before releasing his debut, most notably on labelmate Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya' Ear" remix. The world was about to become well acquainted with the Brooklyn native emcee.
Notable Albums: In September of 1994, The Notorious B.I.G. finally dropped his debut, Ready To Die, and it was an instant success, certified 4X platinum. The release of Ready To Die came at the perfect time. The hip-hop music scene was largely dominated by the West Coast, but Biggie's debut record single-handedly returned the spotlight to the East Coast. The album was praised among critics and loved by fans. "Juicy" headlined the album and became his first proper single; Puffy samples Mtume's "Juicy Fruit," only the first of many productions he'd turn into a mega hit. "Big Poppa" and "One More Chance" were released in consecutive order and sold even better than "Juicy." Wallace was seen on several occasions passing out his new record for free, even though most would've gladly paid full price. Around the same time as he was enjoying his newfound success, he met West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur. They were allegedly close friends and were seen spending a fair amount of time together.
In 1995 Biggie helped his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A., release their debut, Conspiracy. Big was featured on several songs and also credited for lending his producing skills on a track, and the album sold well enough to earn a gold certification. It also served as a launching pad for two rising rappers, members Lil' Cease and Lil' Kim. Later that year, Tupac was shot several times in a robbery. Tupac survived, but immediately blamed Puffy and Biggie for having prior knowledge about the shooting. The incident prompted an intense coastal feud, and the two rappers that had become close friends were now brutal enemies.
Big started recording his follow-up to Ready to Die in the fall of '95, but the album took more than a year-and-a-half to complete due to a serious car wreck, the ongoing hip-hop feud and various legal battles. It was during this time Tupac Shakur, his nemesis, was gunned down in Las Vegas. Shakur passed away on September 13, 1996, six days after he was shot. Biggie and his crew were immediately tabbed as suspects. Big produced documents that showed he was in New York recording his new album, but some of those documents didn't quite add-up. Several reports cited a Compton gang member responsible for the shooting, and that the gun was paid for by Big himself.
By February of 1997, Big's sophomore album was finally complete and he reluctantly traveled to L.A. to promote it and present an award at the Soul Train Music Awards. On the evening of March 8, 1997, Big and his entourage were leaving the event in his SUV when he was shot four times at roughly 12:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. on March 9. Big's murder came six months after Shakur's. Rumors and speculation that the latter rapper's crew were involved in the murder of Big soon followed, then a member from the notorious Crips gang was said to be involved. Suge Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, was also implicated. Unfortunately, Big's murder has never been solved. But the coastal feud finally came to an end.
Life After Death was released posthumously, on March 25th, 1997. The appropriately-titled follow-up to his extremely popular debut proved even more successful than its predecessor. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998, including Best Rap Album. Lead single "Hypnotize" became a club banger for years to come. "Mo Money Mo Problems" followed and featured Bad Boy labelmate Mase on the track and in the video, along with Puff Daddy. That single seemed to have summed up the last few years of his life. Hugely successful, but with too many problems. "Sky's The Limit" was the third single released and proved a bit more heartfelt. The track featured another labelmate, 112, singing the chorus. It's actually one of my favorite songs off that album, and always a go-to for me. Life After Death was certified diamond in sales by the RIAA, and is one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. It's a classic, and not because Biggie died before it released, but because it was exceptionally well-made and told some memorable stories. He's absence has been felt sorely. He was definitely one of the greats.
"Party and Bullshit"
"Juicy"
"Big Poppa"
"Warning"
Junior M.A.F.I.A Feat. Notorious BIG "Get Money"
"Hypnotize"
"Mo Money Mo Problems"
"One More Chance"
"Sky's The Limit"
Clik here to view.
Welcome back! It's hump day, and a much needed Way Back Wednesday will help you pull through. My first introduction to The Notorious B.I.G. was rather early, when he was simply BIG and pushing "Party and Bullshit," a song featured on the Who's The Man soundtrack in 1993. I purchased the soundtrack for its other heavyweights — Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Erick Sermon, Jodeci. "Party and Bullshit" was the first song; I liked it and the production was handled by East Coast vet Easy Mo Bee, but it never really grabbed me. Little did I know that BIG would soon dominate the hip hop music industry.
Detective Russel Poole, the lead detective on Wallace's still unsolved murder, was preparing to release some new info and a revealing interview about the case, but he mysteriously passed away last week, which prompted this post. Apparently, Poole believed the Los Angeles Police Department wanted him dead. Here's hoping his findings see the light of day, one day...
Background: The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls aka Biggie was born Christopher George Latore Wallace in May of 1972. He grew up in Brooklyn, and proved a smart student, especially in English, and won several awards in middle school. Unfortunately Wallace started dealing drugs early, and all through high-school. He eventually dropped out at age 17, and delved ever deeper into a life of crime. His first arrest in 1989 was for a weapons charge that landed him five years of probation. A year later, he spent nine months in jail for dealing drugs.
Things started looking up in 1992, when hip-hop magazine The Source featured Biggie in their monthly Unsigned Hype, which was dedicated to helping expose new and upcoming rappers. Biggie decided to use this momentum from the article to cut a demo that eventually fell into the hands of then-Uptown Records A&R rep and record producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. Puffy signed the 6'3 rapper immediately to Uptown Records, marking the start of a powerful duo. Big's first recording was on a Heavy D & the Boyz track off Blue Funk. Shortly after signing his newly found talent, Puffy was fired. Biggie was loyal to the man that believed in him, and decided to join Puffy on his new label, Bad Boy Records. In 1993, on the remix of Mary J. Blige's single "Real Love," Wallace officially changed his name to The Notorious B.I.G. Blige's single prompted even more hype for the rapper. He was also featured on several other artists' songs before releasing his debut, most notably on labelmate Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya' Ear" remix. The world was about to become well acquainted with the Brooklyn native emcee.
Notable Albums: In September of 1994, The Notorious B.I.G. finally dropped his debut, Ready To Die, and it was an instant success, certified 4X platinum. The release of Ready To Die came at the perfect time. The hip-hop music scene was largely dominated by the West Coast, but Biggie's debut record single-handedly returned the spotlight to the East Coast. The album was praised among critics and loved by fans. "Juicy" headlined the album and became his first proper single; Puffy samples Mtume's "Juicy Fruit," only the first of many productions he'd turn into a mega hit. "Big Poppa" and "One More Chance" were released in consecutive order and sold even better than "Juicy." Wallace was seen on several occasions passing out his new record for free, even though most would've gladly paid full price. Around the same time as he was enjoying his newfound success, he met West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur. They were allegedly close friends and were seen spending a fair amount of time together.
In 1995 Biggie helped his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A., release their debut, Conspiracy. Big was featured on several songs and also credited for lending his producing skills on a track, and the album sold well enough to earn a gold certification. It also served as a launching pad for two rising rappers, members Lil' Cease and Lil' Kim. Later that year, Tupac was shot several times in a robbery. Tupac survived, but immediately blamed Puffy and Biggie for having prior knowledge about the shooting. The incident prompted an intense coastal feud, and the two rappers that had become close friends were now brutal enemies.
Big started recording his follow-up to Ready to Die in the fall of '95, but the album took more than a year-and-a-half to complete due to a serious car wreck, the ongoing hip-hop feud and various legal battles. It was during this time Tupac Shakur, his nemesis, was gunned down in Las Vegas. Shakur passed away on September 13, 1996, six days after he was shot. Biggie and his crew were immediately tabbed as suspects. Big produced documents that showed he was in New York recording his new album, but some of those documents didn't quite add-up. Several reports cited a Compton gang member responsible for the shooting, and that the gun was paid for by Big himself.
By February of 1997, Big's sophomore album was finally complete and he reluctantly traveled to L.A. to promote it and present an award at the Soul Train Music Awards. On the evening of March 8, 1997, Big and his entourage were leaving the event in his SUV when he was shot four times at roughly 12:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m. on March 9. Big's murder came six months after Shakur's. Rumors and speculation that the latter rapper's crew were involved in the murder of Big soon followed, then a member from the notorious Crips gang was said to be involved. Suge Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, was also implicated. Unfortunately, Big's murder has never been solved. But the coastal feud finally came to an end.
Life After Death was released posthumously, on March 25th, 1997. The appropriately-titled follow-up to his extremely popular debut proved even more successful than its predecessor. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998, including Best Rap Album. Lead single "Hypnotize" became a club banger for years to come. "Mo Money Mo Problems" followed and featured Bad Boy labelmate Mase on the track and in the video, along with Puff Daddy. That single seemed to have summed up the last few years of his life. Hugely successful, but with too many problems. "Sky's The Limit" was the third single released and proved a bit more heartfelt. The track featured another labelmate, 112, singing the chorus. It's actually one of my favorite songs off that album, and always a go-to for me. Life After Death was certified diamond in sales by the RIAA, and is one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. It's a classic, and not because Biggie died before it released, but because it was exceptionally well-made and told some memorable stories. He's absence has been felt sorely. He was definitely one of the greats.
"Party and Bullshit"
"Juicy"
"Big Poppa"
"Warning"
Junior M.A.F.I.A Feat. Notorious BIG "Get Money"
"Hypnotize"
"Mo Money Mo Problems"
"One More Chance"
"Sky's The Limit"
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Where does The Notorious B.I.G. rank on your list of all-time hip hop greats? What some of your favorite Biggie songs? Sound off below.