Ready to Die is the debut
studio albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
of
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper
The Notorious B.I.G.Christopher George Latore Wallace , popularly known as Biggie Smalls , Frank White , and by his primary stage name The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper.Raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Wallace grew up during...
, released September 13, 1994 on Sean "Diddy" Combs'
Bad Boy RecordsBad Boy Records is an East Coast record label, dealing largely in Hip-Hop/R&B music, founded by producer/rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs in 1993...
as well as the first release of the label. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1993 to 1994 at
The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1 2005.-History:The New York facility was purchased from Jerry Ragovoy by Edward Germano on March 6, 1975....
and
D&D StudiosD&D Studios is a hip hop recording studio located in New York City on the west side of 37th street, New York City, with artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z and KRS-ONE counted amongst its patrons.
Founded by Douglas Grama and David Lotwin, D&D Records, which originated at the...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. This was The Notorious B.I.G.'s only album released during his life; B.I.G. was murdered in 1997, and his second album
Life After DeathLife After Death is the Grammy-nominated second and final studio album by East Coast rapper The Notorious B.I.G....
was released days after his death.
The partly autobiographical
hardcore hip hopHardcore hip hop, also referred to as hardcore rap, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as KRS-One and Kool G Rap, it is generally characterized by an aggressive sound and confrontational lyricism, while the...
album tells the story of The Notorious B.I.G.'s experiences as a young criminal, referring to himself as "the black
Frank WhiteFrank White is a fictional character, portrayed by Christopher Walken, in Abel Ferrara's 1990 film King of New York.White is a drug lord who is released from Sing-Sing after serving a number of years for drug trafficking...
". The record gained strong reviews on release and became a commercial success, reaching quadruple platinum sales. It was significant for revitalizing East Coast hip hop at a time when West Coast hip hop was more commercially successful. In 2006, Time magazine named it one of the 100 greatest albums of all time. It was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Big Poppa" at the 1996 Grammy Awards. It also won 2 Awards at the Billboard Music Awards.
Recording
The album was recorded in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
(mainly in
The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1 2005.-History:The New York facility was purchased from Jerry Ragovoy by Edward Germano on March 6, 1975....
recording studioA recording studio is a facility for sound recording. Ideally, the space is specially designed by an acoustician to achieve the desired acoustic properties...
) in two stages between 1993 and 1994. In 1994, Biggie was only 21-22 years old when he recorded the album. Biggie was signed to the
Uptown RecordsUptown Records was an American record label, founded by André Harrell in 1987. It went on to become one of the most popular hip-hop and R&B labels of the early 1990s. Featured on the roster were such luminaries as Guy, Heavy D & The Boyz, Al B. Sure!, Jeff Redd, Christopher Williams, Jodeci, Mary J...
label by
A&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
Sean "Puffy" Combs in 1992. The following year Biggie started recording his debut album in New York, after having made numerous guest appearances on label mates' singles the previous year. The first tracks recorded include the album's darker, less radio-friendly content (including "Ready To Die," "Gimme The Loot" and "Things Done Changed"). In these sessions,
XXLXXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.Since 1997, XXL has competed with Hip-Hop powerhouse magazines such as The Source Magazine, and Vibe Magazine. It was founded by former Source staffer, Jules Winnfield, as well as others who wanted to create a more critically sound...
magazine describe an "inexperienced, higher-pitched" Biggie sounding "hungry and paranoid".
When Executive Producer, Sean "Puffy" Combs, was fired from Uptown having only partially completed the album, Biggie's career hung in limbo. After a brief period dealing drugs in
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
, Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new
Bad Boy RecordsBad Boy Records is an East Coast record label, dealing largely in Hip-Hop/R&B music, founded by producer/rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs in 1993...
label possessing "a smoother, more confident vocal tone" and completed the album. In this stage, the more commercial-sounding tracks of the album were recorded, including the album's singles. Between the two stages,
XXL writes that Biggie moved from writing his lyrics in notebooks to freestyling them from memory.
Cover art
The album was released with a cover depicting an infant resembling the artist, though sporting an
afroAn afro, sometimes shortened to "fro", is a hairstyle in which the hair extends out from the head like a halo, cloud or ball.- History :...
. Rappers
RaekwonCorey Woods better known by the stage name Raekwon , is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995, and has continued recording solo and with the Wu-Tang Clan since then...
and
Ghostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
would imply disdainfully on
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the solo debut album of rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released August 1, 1995 on Loud Records. Highly lauded upon its release, the album is known as a pioneer of the Mafioso Rap genre, with an emphasis on elaborate lyricism wherein Italian Mafia references,...
(
LoudLoud Records is a subsidiary of SRC Records founded by Steve Rifkind in 1992.Loud was a hip hop label which has released material by acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Big Punisher, Mobb Deep, Krayzie Bone, The Beatnuts, M.O.P., Tha Alkaholiks, Pete Rock, Lil' Flip, Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, Xzibit,...
, 1995) that this concept was stolen from the
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones , who performs under the mononym Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City...
record which was released earlier the same year,
IllmaticIllmatic is the debut album of American hip hop MC Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios and Unique Recording Studios in New York City...
. Be that as it may, the cover has been listed as among the best in hip hop.
Lyrics
The Notorious B.I.G.'s lyrics on the album were generally praised by critics, although they caused some controversy because of their violent representations and sexually explicit depictions. Many critics applauded his story-telling ability such as Allmusic writer, Steve Huey, who stated "His raps are easy to understand, but his skills are hardly lacking — he has a loose, easy flow and a talent for piling multiple rhymes on top of one another in quick succession". He also went on to mention that his lyrics are "firmly rooted in reality, but play like [a] scene from a movie".
TouréTouré is an American novelist, music journalist, cultural critic, and television personality based in New York City. He is a contributor to MSNBC's the Morning Meeting with Dylan Ratigan and the host of the Hip Hop Shop on Fuse TV....
, writing for
The New York Times, referred to The Notorious B.I.G., proclaiming that he stood out from other rappers because "his lyrics mix autobiographical details about crime and violence with emotional honesty, telling how he felt while making a living as a drug dealer". The album is also noted for its dark tone and sinister sense of doom. In the original
Rolling Stone review, Cheo H. Coker declared that he "maintains a consistent level of tension by juxtaposing emotional highs and lows".
The lyrics on
Ready to Die tend to deal with violence, drug dealing, women, alcohol and marijuana use, and other elements of Notorious B.I.G.'s environment. He rapped about these topics in "clear, sparse terms, allowing the lyrics to hit the first time you hear them". The album contains a loose concept starting out with an intro that details his birth, his early childhood, his adolescence and his life at the point of the album's release. Songs on the album range from homicide narratives ("
Warning"Warning" is the fifth track from The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 debut album, Ready to Die. It was produced by Easy Mo Bee and features a sample from "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes. It is a first-person narrative involving two characters both played by Biggie. It depicts a man named "Pop" paging Biggie...
") to braggadocios
battle rapFreestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised, i.e. performed with few or no previously composed lyrics, off the top of the head...
s ("The What," "Unbelievable"). The song-before-last was "
Suicidal Thoughts"Suicidal Thoughts" is the last track on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Lord Finesse from D.I.T.C., and samples Miles Davis' "Lonely Fire". The song features Biggie confessing his frustration of living to Puff Daddy over the phone, and contemplates suicide,...
", a song where The Notorious B.I.G. contemplates and finally commits
suicideSuicide is the intentional killing of one's self. Many dictionaries also note the metaphorical sense of "willful destruction of one's self-interest"...
. The re-released album is finished with "Who Shot Ya", a fan favorite.
Production
The production on the album was mainly handled by Combs and
Easy Mo BeeEasy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
, and it was generally well-received by critics.
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
described the beats as "heavy bottomed and slick," enhancing the lyrics but not standing in their own right. The production is mainly
sampleIn music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song. This is typically done with a sampler, which can be a piece of hardware or a computer program on a digital computer. Sampling is also...
-based with the samples varying from the percussion of funk tracks to the vocals of hip hop songs. Steve Huey presented some criticism over the beats, stating that the "deliberate beats do get a little samey, but it hardly matters: this is Biggie's show" Cheo H. Coker depicted the beats as "heavy bottomed and slick, but B.I.G.'s rhymes are the showstoppers. The tracks only enhance them, whether it's the live bass driving a menacing undercurrent or [the] use of bluesy guitar and wah-wah feedback" and that the production is used to "push the rapper to new heights." In
The SourceThe Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988. The...
, Shortie stated that "some of the beats get a little repetitive (
Me And My Bitch and
What Chu Want) and the two sex skits are annoying".
Content
Three singles were released from the album: "
Juicy"Juicy" is a song by hip hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. and his solo debut single from his 1994 debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Bad Boy Records producers Poke and Sean "Puffy" Combs. Its melody is sampled from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit", and has an alternative chorus sung by R&B girl group...
", "
Big Poppa"Big Poppa" is the Grammy nominated and Billboard Award winning second single off The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die released in 1994 and the single was released in 1995. The song was his first Top 10 hit, peaking at number 6 in the US. It features a sample of the song "Between the Sheets"...
", "One More Chance" and a promotional track: "Warning". According to
XXLXXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.Since 1997, XXL has competed with Hip-Hop powerhouse magazines such as The Source Magazine, and Vibe Magazine. It was founded by former Source staffer, Jules Winnfield, as well as others who wanted to create a more critically sound...
the more commercial sound of the singles compared to the rest of the album was a result of encouragement by Combs during the later recording sessions in which they were recorded. "Big Poppa" was nominated at the
1996 Grammy AwardsThe 38th Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the night's big winner winning four awards including Album of the Year.- Award winners :...
for Best Rap Solo Performance. The album boasts production from
Easy Mo BeeEasy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
,
The HitmenThe Hitmen is a production team formed by Sean "Diddy" Combs to produce hip hop and R&B records for his Bad Boy label's recording artists. Because of its great success, the group has also been hired for projects outside of Bad Boy Records....
and
DJ PremierChristopher Edward Martin , better known as DJ Premier, is an American record producer and DJ, and the instrumental half of the duo Gang Starr, together with vocalist Guru. Originally from Houston, he has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for much of his professional career...
. Guests on the album were minimal, with
Method ManClifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man or Meth is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo...
being the only featured artist, appearing on "The What."
"Juicy"
"Juicy" was released as the lead single on August 8, 1994. It peaked at number 27 on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, number 14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles. It sold over 500,000 copies and the RIAA certified it
GoldIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
on November 8, 1994. Produced by Combs, it features a prominent sample of "
Juicy Fruit"Juicy Fruit" is a funk song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's sixth album, also titled Juicy Fruit. The mid-tempo song is arguably Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations and nightclubs when first released...
" as performed by
James MtumeJames Mtume is a jazz and R&B musician and a radio personality. Mtume's group is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. in his song "Juicy"...
. Allmusic's Steve Huey stated that, along with the other singles, it was an "upbeat, commercial moment", calling it a "rags-to-riches chronicle". Andrew Kameka, of HipHopDX.com, stated that the song was one of his "greatest and most-revealing songs" and went on to say it was a "Part-autobiography, part-declaration-of-success. It document[s] the star's transition from Brooklyn knucklehead to magazine cover story."
"Big Poppa"
"Big Poppa" was released as the second single on February 20, 1995 and like the previous single, it was a hit on multiple charts. It reached number six on the
Billboard Hot 100, number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number one on Hot Rap Singles. It sold over a million units and the RIAA certified it
PlatinumIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
on May 23, 1995. Featuring production by Combs and Chucky Thompson of
The HitmenThe Hitmen is a production team formed by Sean "Diddy" Combs to produce hip hop and R&B records for his Bad Boy label's recording artists. Because of its great success, the group has also been hired for projects outside of Bad Boy Records....
, it samples "
Between the Sheets"Between the Sheets" is a quiet storm funk song released by American R&B/soul/funk band The Isley Brothers in 1983 off their album of the same name on the T-Neck imprint.-History:...
" by
The Isley BrothersThe Isley Brothers are an African-American R&B, soul music and Funk group. They are one of the few groups to have long-running success on the Billboard charts placing a charted single in every decade since 1959 and as of 2006 were still charting successful albums performing under a repertoire of...
. The song was nominated at the
1996 Grammy AwardsThe 38th Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the night's big winner winning four awards including Album of the Year.- Award winners :...
for Best Rap Solo Performance, but lost to
CoolioArtis Leon Ivey, Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper and actor. He rose to fame in 1994 with his debut single "Fantastic Voyage", and later in 1995 with the hit single "Gangsta's Paradise", which appeared on the soundtrack for the film Dangerous...
's "
Gangsta's Paradise"Gangsta's Paradise" is a rap song by Coolio featuring L.V. from the movie Dangerous Minds . The song was later released on the albums Gangsta's Paradise and Dangerous Minds soundtrack in 1995. Coolio was awarded a Grammy for the song/album...
". Steve Huey named it an "overweight-lover anthem".
"One More Chance"
"One More Chance" was released as the third single on June 9, 1995. The single was a
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
of the album track. It was produced by Combs and featured a sample from
DeBargeDeBarge was an African American sibling music group, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group between 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing...
's "Stay With Me". It peaked at number two on the
Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and Hot Rap Singles. It sold over a million copies and the RIAA certified it Platinum on July 31, 1992. Steve Huey labeled it a "graphic sex rap".
Rolling Stone writer Cheo H. Coker had a similar view of the song, noting that it was "one of the bawdiest sex raps since
Kool G RapNathaniel Wilson , better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper from the Corona section of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, and also as a member of the Juice Crew...
's classic, 'Talk Like Sex'" and continued, stating it "proves hilarious simply because of B.I.G.'s
DolemiteDolemite is a 1975 blaxploitation feature film, and is also the name of its principal character, played by Rudy Ray Moore, who co-wrote the film and its soundtrack....
like vulgarity."
Initial
Upon its release,
Ready to Die received strong reviews, and unlike other acclaimed East Coast hip hop albums released at the time (including the
Wu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City-based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Cappadonna...
's
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut album of American East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, released November 9, 1993 on Loud Records and distributed through RCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Firehouse Studio in New York City from 1992 to 1993, while it was mastered at...
and
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones , who performs under the mononym Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City...
'
IllmaticIllmatic is the debut album of American hip hop MC Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios and Unique Recording Studios in New York City...
), such critical success was matched commercially, with sales driven by strong radio and
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
airplay for the singles "Juicy" and "Big Poppa".
Rolling Stone praised Biggie's ability in "painting a sonic picture so vibrant that you're transported right to the scene".
Q magazine wrote "...the natural rapping, clever use of sound effects and acted dialogue, and concept element... set this well apart from the average gangsta bragging". The album peaked at #3 and #13 on Billboard's (North America) Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and the Billboard 200 album charts and was eventually certified quadruple platinum.
Retrospective
In retrospect, the album has been highly acclaimed. In 1998, the album was selected as one of
The Source magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums. The magazine, which had initially scored the album 4.5 mics (out of five) in its 1994 review raised its rating to five. In 2003, the album was ranked number 133 on
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
magazine's list of
the 500 greatest albums of all timeThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time is the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2003.Related news articles: The list was based on the votes of 273 rock musicians, critics and industry figures, each of whom submitted a weighted list of 50 albums...
. It is the third highest ranked hip hop album on the list (with Public Enemy's
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us BackIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on Def Jam Recordings in the United States on April 14, 1988....
and
Run-D.M.C.Run-D.M.C. was a hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is arguably one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in...
's
Raising Hell ranking above), but the highest ranking 90s hip-hop album and debut hip-hop album nonetheless. The album was ranked #27 in
SpinsSpin is a music magazine. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr., it competes with industry stalwart Rolling Stone. Madonna was the artist on the cover of the first issue.-History:...
"100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005".
Track listing
All songs were written and performed by The Notorious B.I.G. The list of
samplesIn music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song. This is typically done with a sampler, which can be a piece of hardware or a computer program on a digital computer. Sampling is also...
for each track is only partial.
| # |
Title |
Time |
Producer(s) |
Performer(s) |
Sample(s) |
Year Recorded |
| 1 |
"Intro The intro of The Notorious B.I.G's album Ready to Die opens with a birth taking place at the delivery room in a hospital. The sound of a heartbeat is heard, a woman is heard trying to give birth to a baby , and a man is heard supporting her through it. "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield is playing in...
" |
3:24 |
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
- "Superfly
"Superfly" is a song by Curtis Mayfield, the title track from his 1972 soundtrack album for the film of the same name. It was the second single released from the album, following "Freddie's Dead ", and reached #8 on the Billboard Pop chart. The lyrics celebrate the craftiness and determinaton of...
" by Curtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly. From these works and others, he is highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of...
- "Rapper's Delight
"Rapper's Delight" is a 1979 single by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang. While it was not the first song to feature rapping, it is the first song made by a hip hop or rap group, and is generally considered to be the first true hip hop release, followed closely by Grandmaster Flash & the...
" by Sugarhill Gang
- "Top Billin'
"Top Billin'", although released as the b-side to "Make It Funky" in 1987, from the album What More Can I Say?, was the 1988 breakout hit for hip-hop duo Audio Two, and made a deep cultural impact on hip hop. Rapped to a beat by Stetsasonic's Daddy-O, Milk Dee's lyrics continue to...
" by Audio TwoAudio Two were the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, most famous for their first hit, the classic "Top Billin'". They are also the older brothers of female hip-hop star MC Lyte...
- "Tha Shiznit" by Snoop Dogg
Cordazar Calvin Broadus , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is a Grammy Award-nominated American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as an MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre's most notable protégés...
|
1993 |
| 2 |
"Things Done Changed "Things Done Changed" is the second track and first song track from The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready to Die. The songs deals with how life in the ghetto has changed since B.I.G.'s childhood. He mentions that his mother, Voletta Wallace, had breast cancer, which is also referenced in the...
" |
3:58 |
Darnell Scott |
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Lil Ghetto Boy" by Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, and actor...
"Vapors" by Biz MarkieMarcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name Biz Markie, is a rapper, DJ, and comedian, best known for the single "Just a Friend", an American top-10 hit in 1989.-Biography:...
|
1993 |
| 3 |
"Gimme the Loot "Gimme the Loot" is the third track from The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready to Die, released on September 13, 1994. The song depicts two people planning a robbery with Biggie playing both characters, one in his usual voice, and the other character having a higher-pitched tone. The voices are...
" |
5:04 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Just to Get a Rep" by Gang Starr Gang Starr is an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier and a former trio. The group was known mainly for their unique style, which combines elements of New York swing jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
"Throw Ya Gunz" by OnyxFor the 1960s Cornish band, see The Onyx.Onyx is a hip hop group from New York City. Originally formed in 1988 by Fredro Starr, Sonsee, the late Big DS, the group later added Sticky Fingaz, Starr's cousin, in 1991, managed by Diamond Cut Entertainment's Milton Lynch.-Early career:The group was...
|
1993 |
| 4 |
"Machine Gun Funk "Machine Gun Funk" is the fourth track on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut LP Ready To Die. The song was produced by Easy Mo Bee. There is a DJ Premier remix of this song. The song was featured in the biographical film Notorious.-Production:...
" |
4:17 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Chief Rocka" by Lords of the Underground The Lords of the Underground are a hip-hop trio based in Newark, New Jersey. MCs Mr. Funke and DoItAll Dupré met DJ Lord Jazz when all three were undergraduates at Shaw University....
|
1993 |
| 5 |
"Warning" |
3:40 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Walk on By "Walk on By" is a song composed by Burt Bacharach, with lyrics by Hal David for Dionne Warwick. It was recorded at the same December 1963 session that yielded "Anyone Who Had a Heart", which, in 1964, became Warwick's second Top Ten hit. Released in April of that year, "Walk on By" became a...
" by Isaac HayesIsaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American singer-songwriter, actor and musician. Hayes was one of the main creative forces behind southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served as both an in-house songwriter and producer with partner David Porter during the mid-1960s...
|
1994 |
| 6 |
"Ready to Die "Ready to Die" is the title and the sixth track from the The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 debut album, Ready to Die. It talks about some of Biggie's struggles. It was produced by Easy Mo Bee and contains a sample of "Singing in the Morning" by The Ohio Players. Apparently, this sampled was used without...
" |
4:24 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Aint No Half Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane Antonio Mortimer Hardy better known by his stage name, Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group, the Juice Crew. He is considered one of the most influential and skilled MCs in Hip Hop. Regarding the name Big Daddy Kane, he said: "The Big...
"Two to the Head" by Kool G RapNathaniel Wilson , better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper from the Corona section of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, and also as a member of the Juice Crew...
|
1993 |
| 7 |
"One More Chance" |
4:43 |
The Bluez Brothers
Chucky ThompsonCarl E. "Chucky" Thompson is an African American hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and TLC. He was...
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Total----Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records during the mid-1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
(additional vocals)
Chucky ThompsonCarl E. "Chucky" Thompson is an African American hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and TLC. He was...
(instruments) |
"I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5The Jackson 5 were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
|
1994 |
| 8 |
"#!*@ Me (Interlude)" |
1:31 |
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Lil' KimKimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and singer who was part of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A....
|
— |
1994 |
| 9 |
"The What" |
3:57 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Method ManClifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man or Meth is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo...
|
- "Can't Say Enough About Mom" by Leroy Hutson
Leroy Hutson is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and instrumentalist, best known as former lead singer of the legendary R&B vocal group, The Impressions....
|
1994 |
| 10 |
"Juicy "Juicy" is a song by hip hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. and his solo debut single from his 1994 debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Bad Boy Records producers Poke and Sean "Puffy" Combs. Its melody is sampled from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit", and has an alternative chorus sung by R&B girl group...
" |
5:02 |
Jean "Poke" Oliver
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Total----Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records during the mid-1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
(additional vocals) |
"Juicy Fruit Juicy Fruit is a 1982 album by Mtume. Its original release was in 1982 on Vinyl Record. On October 25, 1990, it was released on Compact Disc...
" by MtumeMtume was a funk and soul group that had several R&B hits in the 1980s. Its founder, percussionist James Mtume, previously played with Miles Davis in the 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee...
|
1994 |
| 11 |
"Everyday Struggle" |
5:19 |
The Bluez Brothers |
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Either Way" by Dave GrusinDavid Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and he has won numerous awards for his soundtrack work. Although he has worked in many musical styles, Grusin is often thought of as a jazz or smooth jazz artist...
|
1994 |
| 12 |
"Me & My Bitch" |
4:00 |
The Bluez Brothers
Chucky ThompsonCarl E. "Chucky" Thompson is an African American hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and TLC. He was...
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Sybil Pennix (voice)
Chucky ThompsonCarl E. "Chucky" Thompson is an African American hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and TLC. He was...
(instruments) |
— |
1993 |
| 13 |
"Big Poppa "Big Poppa" is the Grammy nominated and Billboard Award winning second single off The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die released in 1994 and the single was released in 1995. The song was his first Top 10 hit, peaking at number 6 in the US. It features a sample of the song "Between the Sheets"...
" |
4:13 |
Chucky Thompson Carl E. "Chucky" Thompson is an African American hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and TLC. He was...
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Nashiem Myrick (additional programing) |
- "Between the Sheets
"Between the Sheets" is a quiet storm funk song released by American R&B/soul/funk band The Isley Brothers in 1983 off their album of the same name on the T-Neck imprint.-History:...
" by The Isley BrothersThe Isley Brothers are an African-American R&B, soul music and Funk group. They are one of the few groups to have long-running success on the Billboard charts placing a charted single in every decade since 1959 and as of 2006 were still charting successful albums performing under a repertoire of...
|
1994 |
| 14 |
"Respect" |
5:21 |
Jean "Poke" Oliver
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award.He was originally...
|
The Notorious B.I.G.
Diana KingDiana King is an R&B, pop, reggae, and dancehall singer-songwriter. She was born to a Jamaican Indian mother and an African father.-Career:...
(additional vocals) |
"I Get Lifted" by George McCrae George McCrae is a soul and disco singer, most famous for his 1974 hit "Rock Your Baby", released on the independent, TK Records label, based in Hialeah, Florida, in May of 1974.-Career:...
|
1994 |
| 15 |
"Friend of Mine" |
3:28 |
Easy Mo Bee Easy Mo Bee is Grammy-winning hip hop/R&B record producer, most notable for his affiliation with Bad Boy Records in its early years and his heavy production involvement in The Notorious B.I.G.'s acclaimed debut Ready to Die.-Early years:In high school, Harvey donned his Mo Bee moniker and...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Spirit of the Boogie" by Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang are an American jazz/R&B/soul/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A. in 1964. They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
"Vicious" by Black Mamba |
1994 |
| 16 |
"Unbelievable" |
3:43 |
DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin , better known as DJ Premier, is an American record producer and DJ, and the instrumental half of the duo Gang Starr, together with vocalist Guru. Originally from Houston, he has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for much of his professional career...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
— |
1994 |
| 17 |
"Suicidal Thoughts "Suicidal Thoughts" is the last track on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Lord Finesse from D.I.T.C., and samples Miles Davis' "Lonely Fire". The song features Biggie confessing his frustration of living to Puff Daddy over the phone, and contemplates suicide,...
" |
2:50 |
Lord Finesse Lord Finesse is a Hip hop artist and producer, hailing from The Bronx, New York, best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. rap crew. In 1989, Finesse and his former partner DJ Mike Smooth signed to Wild Pitch Records, home to other popular Hip Hop artists like Gang Starr, Main Source, Chill Rob G,...
|
The Notorious B.I.G. |
- "Lonely Fire" by Miles Davis
Miles Davis III was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer.Widely considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music including cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz...
|
1994 |
| Bonus Tracks (on remastered pressings) |
| 18 |
"Who Shot Ya? "Who Shot Ya?" is an influential hip-hop song by The Notorious B.I.G., a B-side to his 1994 hit single, "Big Poppa". The track was later released on the posthumous Born Again, the remastered edition of Ready to Die, and The Greatest Hits....
" |
5:19 |
Sean "Puffy" Combs.
Nashiem Myrick |
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter David Porter is an American soul musician. Porter is best known as the songwriting and production partner of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records during the 1960s...
|
1994 |
| 19 |
"Just Playing (Dreams)" |
2:43 |
Rashad Smith |
The Notorious B.I.G. |
"Blues and Pants" by James BrownJames Joseph Brown , originally James Joseph Brown, Jr., also known as "The Godfather of Soul", was an American entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing...
|
1993 |
Album
| Charts (1994) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard 200 |
15 |
| U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums |
3 |
Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart positions |
| Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly the Black Singles Chart, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues...
|
Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs, formerly Hot Rap Tracks, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was...
|
| 1994 |
"Juicy" |
27 |
14 |
3 |
| "Big Poppa" |
6 |
4 |
1 |
| "One More Chance" |
2 |
1 |
1 |