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ALBUMBreakin' B.I.G: The Sandbox - EPThe Notorious B.I.G.
Albums by The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMThe King & IFaith Evans & The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMDuets: The Final ChapterThe Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMBorn Again (2005 Remaster)The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMLife After Death (2014 Remaster)The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMLife After Death [Amended Version] (2014 Remaster)The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMReady to Die (The Remaster)The Notorious B.I.G.
ALBUMReady To Die the RemasterThe Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.'s Popular Music Videos
Hypnotize
The Notorious B.I.G.
One More Chance
The Notorious B.I.G.
Mo Money Mo Problems (feat. Mase & Puff Daddy)
The Notorious B.I.G.
Only You (Bad Boy Remix) [feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Mase]
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Nasty Girl (feat. P. Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avery Storm)
The Notorious B.I.G.
Hold Ya Head (feat. Bob Marley)
The Notorious B.I.G.
Spit Your Game (feat. Twista, Krazy Bone, 8 Ball, MJG & Swizz Beats)
The Notorious B.I.G.
Can't You See (feat. Notorious B.I.G)
Total & The Notorious B.I.G.
Flava In Ya Ear (feat. Notorious B.I.G., L.L. Cool J, Busta Rhymes & Rampage) [Remix]
Craig Mack
Warning
The Notorious B.I.G.
Artist Playlists
The Notorious B.I.G. Essentials
Punishing hip-hop pulp from one of rap's greatest rhymers.
The Notorious B.I.G. Video Essentials
The late rapper portrayed a rags-to-riches lifestyle.
Inspired by The Notorious B.I.G.
Breaking down the 10 rap commandments of BK's most beloved.
The Notorious B.I.G.: Influences
Hip-hop stars on both coasts inspired the deep-voiced legend.
The Notorious B.I.G.: Flipped
From hits to deep cuts, breaking down the samples that have inspired one of music’s most vital artists.
Artist Biography
At the height of his success, The Notorious B.I.G. dubbed himself the King of New York after the Christopher Walken-portrayed antihero from the film of the same name. The title was fitting and limiting: His swagger was unmistakably Brooklyn, but his talent and charisma made him a world-renowned superstar. Born Christopher Wallace in 1972, B.I.G. was raised by a Jamaican immigrant mother, writing raps and freestyling on street corners as a preteen. After dropping out of high school and serving jail time for drug charges, he recorded a demo tape that eventually landed him at Bad Boy Records, founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs. B.I.G.'s explosive 1994 debut album, Ready to Die, chronicled his survivalism and sexploits with charm, menace, and urgency. His vivid stories featured unflinching details ("I wouldn't give a f*ck if you're pregnant / Give me the baby rings and the No. 1 Mom pendant," he demands on "Gimme the Loot"), made digestible by his distinctive flow and recognizable '80s R&B samples courtesy of The Hitmen. The "ashy-to-classy" aspirations of Biggie's hit "Juicy" became a reality: He elevated his Junior M.A.F.I.A. crew, godfathered an empire of hitmakers, and became one of the biggest rap stars in the world. Sadly, his meteoric rise came with a media-exacerbated beef with L.A. rapper 2Pac that culminated in both stars' murders six months apart, crippling the culture as it reeled from the luminaries’ absence. The ominously titled Life After Death—released weeks after Biggie's demise in March 1997—showed further refinement of his already elite skills, with mafioso raps and taunts aimed at other regions. Since, Bad Boy has released posthumous projects while new generations of East Coast rappers have worked to live up to his legacy. But try as they might, no one can dethrone the king.
Hometown
Brooklyn, NY, United States of America
Genre
Hip-Hop/Rap