Ready to Die was released to critical acclaim and became a commercial success, achieving Gold certification. In 1995, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), [1] and has since reached a certified 6x platinum with sales.
Product Details. Official The Notorious BIG Merch.
100% Cotton. Black The Notorious BIG Shirt. Preshrunk, Fits True To Size.SIZE LENGTH WIDTH SLEEVE LENGTH Small 28' 18' 71/4' Medium 29' 20' 7 1/4' Large 30' 22' 8 1/4' X-Large 31' 24' 8 1/4' 2X-Large 32' 26' 9 1/4' 3X-Large 33' 28' 9 1/4' The Notorious BIG reshaped rap on September 13, 1994 when he released his debut album Ready To Die.
Things done changed, and Biggie Smalls laid claim to the rap crown with one of the most stunning debut albums of all-time. Whether it was BIG’s impeccable flow, his brutally raw and honest lyrics, or the powerhouse of sampling genius that scored this hip-hop film, Ready To Die is the holy grail of rap.
The album’s intro is a telling of Christopher Wallace’s life up until the release of his debut, using iconic songs as the backdrop to represent several time jumps. It all begins with the birth of Biggie, which would go on to be the concept for the iconic Ready To Die album cover artwork. The Notorious BIG had arrived, and the baby with the iconic afro sitting in the center of that all-white background was the first thing the world saw when they laid eyes on his masterpiece.
There's really not much else you can say about or his debut album, 'Ready to Die,' that hasn't been detailed or written at this point. Being that his magnum opus of a debut came out 23 years ago on Sept. 13, 1994, and that he died not even three whole years after that, we've had the better part of two decades to dissect his music, life, legacy and all other things associated with Brooklyn New York's favorite son. Instead of giving a simple overview of the album, we've gone a step further and ranked 15 songs on the tracklist (minus the intro and interlude).
12 'Machine Gun Funk' 'So, you wanna be hardcore / With your hat to the back, talking bout the gat's in your raps / But I don't feel that hardcore appeal that you're screaming / Maybe I'm dreaming,' Biggie raps. That hard-hitting couplet serves as the opening to the Easy Mo Bee-produced number 'Machine Gun Funk.'
The record, originally Biggie's choice as the first single off 'Ready to Die' until Sean 'Puffy' Combs intervened, showcases the Bed Stuy heavy's lyrical dexterity amid samples of Black Heat's 'Something Extra' and Lords of the Underground's 'Chief Rocka.' . 8 'Things Done Changed' Although we don't have it ranked among the top tier songs from the album, this track is undoubtedly one of the most important, as it excellently sets the tone and lays the foundation for what's next to come. Serving as 'Ready to Die's lead-off track, Biggie gives you a then-present image of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn - a place filled with crack sales, murder and the disconnect between the older generation and the new kids on the block. 7 'Everyday Struggle' Casual fans of the Notorious B.I.G. May be more familiar with another humbling tale that will appear on this list, but the 'Ready to Die' album cut 'Everyday Struggle' delves beneath the surface and into the psyche of Christopher Wallace. Rapping 'I know how it feels to wake up f-ed up / Pockets broke as hell, another rock to sell / People look at you like you's the loser / Selling drugs to all the users, mad buddah abuser / But they don't know about your stress-filled day / Babies on the way, mad bills to pay / So you sip Tanqueray, so you can reminisce / And wish you wasn't living so devilish,' the track sees the usually confident lyricist reminiscing on his days as a hand-to-hand crack dealer and the daily struggles that came with life in the trade.
The Bluez Brothers beautifully rugged backdrop married with Big's verses are a match made in audio heaven, making this selection a favorite among the most diehard of fans of the late rapper. 6 'The What' At the time of the album's release, Method Man, considered the defacto frontman of Wu-Tang Clan and a formidable lyricist in his own right, was gearing up for the release of his own upcoming '94 debut, 'Tical.'
But the rising star still took time out of his recording schedule to connect with Biggie on the Easy Mo Bee-produced 'The What.' The beat, slightly reminiscent of RZA's murky soundwaves, was perfect for a collab between the two, with the pair of rising virtuosos each bringing their A-Game to the audio dojo. 5 'Suicidal Thoughts' 'When I die, f- it, I wanna go to hell / 'Cause I'ma piece of s-, it ain't hard to f-in' tell / It don't make sense going to heaven with the goodie goodies / Dressed in white, I like black Timb's and black hoodies,' Biggie rhymes on 'Suicidal Thoughts.'
With those chilling opening bars, The Notorious B.I.G. Proceeds to give listeners the audio version of what would be his last words if he ever decided to blow his own brains out.
From saying his last goodbyes to friends to admitting to cheating on his baby mother with her own sister, Biggie lays it all out on the table with Puff's frantic adlibs and Lord Finesse's brooding track serving as the background. Although the song is the shortest non-interlude on the album, Big's flawless execution over 32 bars more than makes up for its brevity, making this one of the more noteworthy cuts from the album. 4 'Warning' 'Who the f- is this, paging me at 5:46 in the morning, crack of dawn and / Now I'm yawning, wipe the cold out my eye / See who's this paging me and why,' is easily one of the most recognizable openings in hip-hop history to even the novice fan. Produced by Easy Mo Bee, who utilized a sample of Isaac Hayes' 'Walk on By,' 'Warning' finds Biggie going through preemptive measures after being tipped off about a planned attempt on his wealth and well-being.
Scoffing at his opposition with lines like, 'There's gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing / If my burglar alarm starts ringing / What you think all the guns is for? / All-purpose war, got the rottweilers by the door / And I feed 'em gunpowder, so they can devour / The criminals tryna drop my decimals,' Frank White shows that he's definitely not one to play with on this classic. 3 'Big Poppa' While hefty rappers had been able to find popularity and be considered sex symbols before Biggie Smalls, when he dropped his monster of a second single 'Big Poppa,' co-produced by Chucky Thompson and Puff Daddy, his suave demeanor and charming slick-talk had the ladies buying in more than ever before. Laying down his finesse with slick lines like, 'Straight up, honey, really, I'm asking / Most of these n-s think they be macking, but they be acting / Who they attracting with that line, 'What's your name, what's your size?'
/ Soon as he buy that wine, I just creep up from behind / And ask you what your interests are, who you be with / Things to make you smile, what numbers to dial,' the Notorious B.I.G. Was officially cemented as a certified star and the undisputed King of New York. 2 'Gimme the Loot' 'Big Poppa' was a tough contender for the No. 2 spot of best songs on 'Ready to Die,' but ultimately, 'Gimme the Loot' edges it out for the runner-up slot. Biggie takes on the role of two stick-up kids, thirsty for a come-up. Controversial lines like 'I wouldn't give a f- if you're pregnant, give me the baby rings and the 'No. 1 Mom' pendant,' and Big's flagrant lack of lyrical remorse aside, this track stands as one of the grittiest and the best efforts in the legend's catalog.
1 'Juicy' While a majority of the songs featured on 'Ready to Die' are all classics in their own right (we've come to love and cherish them during these last 20 years), one track has managed to stand the test of time and rise above the rest: 'Juicy.' And out of all the reasons for that distinction, one is that the song is universal. Aside from the retort to those who called the police on him during his crack-dealing days on the song's intro, the adversities and rags to riches come-up that Big details on the track can be felt by people of all creeds and ages across the world. Poverty, no luck with the ladies, wanting the finer things in life, on paper it sounds like the makings of a wholesome Hollywood story.
In reality, they're just the dreams of a kid from Brooklyn and many others laid on wax and one of the most endearing songs hip-hop has ever produced. And if you don't know, now you know.