Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy and Arista Records. The album features production by Bad Boy founder Sean 'Puffy' Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, among others. It was recorded from late 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper's experiences as a young criminal, and was the only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death in 1997.

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. It was significant for revitalizing the East Coast hip hop scene, amid West Coast hip hop's commercial dominance.^[2] The album's second single 'Big Poppa' was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Ready to Die has been regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the best albums of all time.

Life After Death, The Notorious B.I.G.' S second and final full-length studio album, which also serves as his first posthumous release, begins where its predecessor, 1994's Ready to Die left off. When the Notorious B.I.G. Was killed in 1997, his album “Life After Death” was just about to be released. It sold 689,000 copies in its first week. On this week’s regular Billboard 200 chart.

• 1Background and recording
• 2Composition
• 4Critical reception
• 6Track listing
• 8Charts

Background and recording[edit]

The album was recorded in New York City (mainly at The Hit Factory) in two stages between 1993 and 1994. In 1994, Biggie was 21 years old going on 22 when he recorded the album. In 1993, Biggie was signed to the Uptown Records label by A&RSean 'Puffy' Combs. Biggie started recording his debut album in New York, after making numerous guest appearances among his label-mates' singles during 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, XXL magazine describe an 'inexperienced, higher-pitched' Biggie sounding 'hungry and paranoid'.^[3]

When executive producer Sean 'Puffy' Combs was fired from Uptown, Biggie's career hung in limbo, as the album was only partially completed. After a brief period dealing drugs in North Carolina,^[4] Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new Bad Boy Records 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.^[3]

The album was released with a cover depicting an infant resembling the artist, though sporting an afro, which pertains to the album's concept of the artist's life from birth to his death. It has been listed as among the best album covers in hip hop.^[5]

Lawsuits and sample removal[edit]

On March 24, 2006, Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records won a federal lawsuit against Bad Boy Records for copyright infringement, with a jury deciding that Combs and Bad Boy had illegally used samples for the production of the songs 'Ready to Die', 'Machine Gun Funk', and 'Gimme the Loot'.^[6][7] The jury awarded $4.2 million in punitive and direct damages to the two plaintiffs, and federal judge Todd Campbell enacted an immediate sales ban on the album and tracks in question.^[7] On appeal, the Sixth Circuit found the damages unconstitutionally high and in violation of due process and remanded the case, at which point Campbell reduced them by $2.8 million; however, the verdict was upheld.^[8][9] All versions of the album released since the lawsuit are without the disputed samples.^[10]

Although a fair use issue, Combs and Bad Boy never raised the legal concept of the fair use doctrine in their defense.^[8] This decision was questioned by some legal experts: Anthony Falzone of the Fair Use Project at Stanford Law School criticized Combs and Bad Boy for not defending the legality of sampling and suggested that they might have refused to raise such a defense because they feared it could later imperil their control over their own music.^[11]

On April 2, 2014, Lee Hutson of The Impressions filed a multimillion-dollar copyright infringement suit against Combs, Bad Boy Records, and the estate of the late Notorious B.I.G. for copyright infringement, alleging that his song 'Can't Say Enough About Mom' was illegally sampled in the production of the song 'The What'.^[12] The estate countersued in turn, claiming the sample as used was short, adapted, and supplemented, and thus subject to fair use,^[13] a legal tactic not pursued previously.^[11]

Composition[edit]

Production[edit]

The production on the album was mainly handled by Easy Mo Bee and The Hitmen. Cheo H. Coker of Rolling Stone 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.'^[14] The production is mainly sample-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'.^[15]

Lyrical themes[edit]

The Notorious B.I.G.'s lyrics on the album were generally praised by critics. 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'.^[15]Touré, 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'.^[16] The album is also noted for its dark tone and sinister sense of depression.^[15] In the original Rolling Stone review, Cheo H Coker declared that he 'maintains a consistent level of tension by juxtaposing emotional highs and lows'.^[14] 'Things Done Changed' was also one of the few hip hop songs in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature.^[17]

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'.^[14] 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.^[16] Songs on the album range from homicide narratives ('Warning') to braggadocios battle raps ('The What,' 'Unbelievable'). The final song was 'Suicidal Thoughts', a song where The Notorious B.I.G. contemplates and finally commits suicide.

Singles[edit]

Three singles were released from the album: 'Juicy', 'Big Poppa', 'One More Chance' and a promotional track of Biggie: 'Warning'. According to XXL 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.^[3]

'Juicy' was released as the lead single on August 8, 1994. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles.^[19] It shipped 500,000 copies in the United States and the RIAA certified it Gold on November 16, 1994.^[20] Produced by Combs, it features a prominent sample of 'Juicy Fruit' as performed by James Mtume. AllMusic's Steve Huey stated that, along with the other singles, it was an 'upbeat, commercial moment', calling it a 'rags-to-riches chronicle'.^[15] 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.'^[21] Producer Pete Rock, who was commissioned to remix the track, alleged that Puffy stole the idea for the original song's beat after hearing it from him during a visit. Rock explained this in an interview with Wax Poetics:^[22]

I did the original version, didn't get credit for it. They came to my house, heard the beat going on the drum machine, it's the same story. You come downstairs at my crib, you hear music. He heard that shit and the next thing you know it comes out. They had me do a remix, but I tell people, and I will fight it to the end, that I did the original version of that. I'm not mad at anybody, I just want the correct credit.

'Big Poppa' was released as the second single on December 24, 1994 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.^[19] It sold over a million units and the RIAA certified it Platinum on May 23, 1995.^[20] Featuring production by Combs and Chucky Thompson of The Hitmen, it samples 'Between the Sheets' by The Isley Brothers. The song was nominated at the 1996 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance, but lost to Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise'. Steve Huey named it an 'overweight-lover anthem'.^[15]

'One More Chance' was released as the third single on June 9, 1995. The single was a remix of the album track. It was produced by Combs and featured a sample from DeBarge'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.^[19] It sold over a million copies and the RIAA certified it Platinum on July 31, 1995.^[20] Steve Huey labeled it a 'graphic sex rap'.^[15]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 Rap's classic, 'Talk Like Sex' and continued, stating it 'proves hilarious simply because of B.I.G.'s Dolemitelike vulgarity.'^[14]

Critical reception[edit]

Ready to Die received critical acclaim from music critics. In his review for Rolling Stone, Cheo H. Coker stated 'Ready to Die is the strongest solo rap debut since Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted. From the breathtakingly visual moments of his birth to his Cobainesque end in 'Suicidal Thoughts,' B.I.G. proves a captivating listen. It's difficult to get him out of your head once you sample what he has to offer'.^[14]Robert Christgau from The Village Voice commented 'His sex raps are erotic, his jokes are funny, and his music makes the thug life sound scary rather than luxuriously laid back. When he considers suicide, I not only take him at his word, I actively hope he finds another way'.^[24]The New York Times wrote 'Though drug dealing carries tremendous heroic value with some young urban dwellers, he sacrifices the figure's romantic potential. His raps acknowledge both the excitement of drug dealing and the stress caused by the threat from other dealers, robbers, the police and parents, sometimes one's own. In presenting the downside of that life, Ready to Die offers perhaps the most balanced and honest portrait of the dealer's life of any in hip-hop'.^[31]

Q magazine gave Ready to Die three out of five stars, and stated 'the natural rapping, clever use of sound effects and acted dialogue, and concept element (from a baby being born at the start to the fading heartbeat at the end) set this well apart from the average gangsta bragging'.^[27] In their original review for Ready to Die, The Source gave it four-and-a-half out of five 'mics', stating 'Big weaves tales like a cinematographer, each song is like another scene in his lifestyle. Overall, this package is complete: ridiculous beats, harmonizing honeys, ill sound effects, criminal scenarios, and familiar hooks'.^[29]

Legacy[edit]

Ready to Die has been highly acclaimed. In 1998, The Source included it on their 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time list,^[32] and in 2002, they re-rated it to the maximum five 'mics'.^[33]Rolling Stone has also given acclaim to Ready to Die over the years. In 2003, they ranked it number 133 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list,^[32] and one year later, they re-rated it to five stars.^[28] In 2011, Rolling Stone also placed it at number eight on their 100 Best Albums of the Nineties list, and described it as 'mapping out the sound of 'Nineties cool'.^[34] Kilian Murphy from Stylus Magazine wrote favorably of the album in a retrospective review, and concluded 'Sweet, hypocritical, sensitive, violent, depressed and jubilant; these words could all fittingly describe Big at various points on Ready to Die.'^[35]

Steve Huey from AllMusic gave it five stars, stating 'The album that reinvented East Coast rap for the gangsta age, Ready to Die made the Notorious B.I.G. a star. Today it's recognized as one of the greatest hardcore rap albums ever recorded, and that's mostly due to Biggie's skill as a storyteller'.^[18] In 2006, Time magazine included it on their 100 Greatest Albums of All Time list, and stated 'On Ready to Die, Wallace took his street corner experiences and filtered them through his considerable charm. The result was a record that mixed long stretches of menace with romance and lots of humor. No rapper ever made multi-syllabic rhymes sound as smooth'.^[36] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[37]

Accolades[edit]

• The information regarding accolades is adapted from Acclaimedmusic.net,^[32]except where noted.
• (*) signifies unordered lists

Commercial performance[edit]

The album shipped 57,000 units in its first week of release.^[45] However, it was then certified Gold by the RIAA only two months after its release on November 16, 1994, and was certified double Platinum on October 16, 1995, only a year and one month after its release.^[20] Ready to Die was then certified triple Platinum on August 26, 1998 and was later certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA on October 19, 1999.^[20]

Track listing[edit]

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer.
• 'Intro', 'Fuck Me (Interlude)' and 'Friend of Mine' contain additional vocals from Lil' Kim.
• 'One More Chance' and 'Juicy' contain additional vocals from Total.
• 'Respect' contains backing vocals from Diana King.
• 'Me & My Bitch' contains additional vocals from Sybil Pennix.

Sample credits[edit]

Personnel[edit]

• Notorious B.I.G. – writer, performer
• Sean 'Puffy' Combs – executive producer, additional vocals, producer
• Mister Cee – associate executive producer
• Method Man – featured performer
• Lil' Kim – additional performer
• Total – additional vocals
• Chucky Thompson – instruments, producer
• Nashiem Myrick – additional programming, producer
• Diana King – additional vocals
• Sybil Pennix – additional voice
• Easy Mo Bee – producer
• The Bluez Brothers – producer
• Jean 'Poke' Oliver – producer
• DJ Premier – producer
• Lord Finesse – producer
• Darnall Scott – producer
• Rashad Smith – producer
• Bob 'Bassy' Brockman – recording, mixing
• Greg Pinto – recording, mixing
• Rich Travali – recording, mixing
• Mario Rodriquez – recording, mixing
• Charles 'Prince' Alexander – recording, mixing
• Bill Esses – recording, mixing
• John Wydrycs – recording
• Norty Cotto – recording
• Eddie Sancho – mixing
• Butch Bel Air – photography
• Gwendolyn Watts – A&R coordination

Charts[edit]

Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper the Notorious B.I.G., released on March 25, 1997, on Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death sixteen days earlier. It features collaborations with guest artists such as 112, Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort, Angela Winbush, D.M.C. of Run-D.M.C., R. Kelly, The LOX and Puff Daddy. Life After Death exhibits The Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the mafioso rap subgenre. The album is a sequel to his first album, Ready to Die, and picks up where the last song, 'Suicidal Thoughts', ends.

The album was nominated for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for its first single 'Hypnotize', and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for its second single 'Mo Money Mo Problems' at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2003, the album was ranked at No. 476 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 'The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time'.^[1]

• 2Feud references and subliminal disses
• 3Critical reception
• 7Personnel
• 8Charts

Background[edit]

Two and a half years before the album's release, the Notorious B.I.G. who had married Faith Evans, became East Coast's icon in the East Coast–West Coast rivalry and made guest appearances on albums by Jay-Z and Luther Campbell amongst others. The album was supposed to be released on Halloween in 1996, but was pushed back to 1997. Two weeks before its release, on March 9, the Notorious B.I.G. was shot four times in a drive-by shooting and was later pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Feud references and subliminal disses[edit]

Conflict with other rappers is a major theme throughout the album. Numerous songs contain references to B.I.G.'s rivals, some subtle and some obvious.

'Kick in the Door'[edit]

The track 'Kick in the Door' is directed at Nas, Jeru the Damaja, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and even the track's producer DJ Premier. The subtle messages have been speculated on by listeners and confirmed by artists on several occasions, including XXL magazine's April 2003 edition, 'The Making of: Life After Death'.

In 'The Making of: Life After Death', Nashiem Myrick reveals that the second verse has lines directed at Jeru the Damaja and DJ Premier:^[2] 'Nas said that record was for him, but when Big said, 'Son, I'm surprised you run with them/I think they got cum in them, 'cause they nothin' but dicks,' he was talking about Jeru the Damaja to Premo 'cause Jeru was going at Big and Puff and all them [with the Premier-produced 'One Day' in Jeru's album Wrath of the Math].'

The line 'Fuck that, why try, throw bleach in your eye' is a reference to Raekwon's jab on the track 'Ice Water' from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... where Raekwon raps.

That's life, to top it all off, beef with White
pullin bleach out tryin to throw it in my eyesight

The lines on the final verse are directed at Nas as a reference to Nas challenging The Notorious B.I.G. for the title of 'King of New York'^[3] in the song 'The Message' from the album It Was Written in which Nas raps:

Yo let me let y'all niggaz know one thing
There's one life, one love, so there can only be one King

Biggie struck back with the lines:

Ain't no other kings in this rap thing
They siblings, nothing but my chil'ren
One shot, they disappearin'
It's ill when MC's used to be on cruddy shit
Took home Ready to Die, listened, studied shit
Now they on some money shit, successful out the blue

In 'The Making of: Life After Death' article Lil' Cease explains, 'Big talked about Nas a little bit in that shit. It was the King of New York part, the last verse: 'This goes out for those that chose to use disrespectful views on the King of NY.' That's when Nas had that freestyle out, where he was like, 'I'll take the crown off the so-called King and lock it down.' That's when Big had the cover of The Source, and it said, 'The King of New York.'^[2]

'Long Kiss Goodnight'[edit]

It was speculated by many listeners that the song 'Long Kiss Goodnight' contains cryptic insults towards 2Pac and Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, although at the time it was never confirmed due to the sensitive nature of both rappers' recent deaths.

However, Lil' Cease, Biggie's cousin and a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. claimed the following in XXL magazine's April 2003 issue about 'Long Kiss Goodnight': 'That was about 'Pac. He had some shit at the beginning of that though, nobody heard it, on the reel. We had to change it. It was a little too much. I can't remember what Big said about him, but it was terrible. It couldn't make it. He didn't want to do it. He had some fire. But he didn't want to make it too much. He just wanted to address it and to let nigga know, 'I know what's going on, and I could get wreck if I want to.' Like, 'If I really wanted to get on ya niggas, I could.'

Sean Combs, however, denies these claims stating, 'Naw, it was just some emcee lyrics. I know people wanna have their imagination, but it was just lyrics. You're hearing it from the horse's mouth. I would tell the truth.'^[2]

In the first verse, the lyric 'Laugh Now, Cry Later' is allegedly a reference to two tattoos on 2Pac's back.^[4]A line in the first verse is supposedly aimed at Shakur:

When my men bust you just move with such stamina
Slugs missed ya, I Ain't Mad at Cha (We Ain't Mad at Cha)

The last two verses in particular seem to be directed towards Tupac:

I'm flaming gats, aimin' at these fuckin' maniacs
Put my name in raps, what part the game is that?
Like they hustle backwards
I smoke Backwoods and Dutchies, ya can't touch me
Try to rush me, slugs go touchy-touchy
You're bleeding lovely with your spirit above me or beneath me
Your whole life you live sneaky
Now you rest eternally, sleepy, you burn when you creep me
Rest where the worms and the weak be

Slugs hit your chest, tap your spine, flat line
Heard through the grapevine, you got fucked fo' times
Damn that three to nine, fucked you up for real though
Slugs still slow, as for remorse, we feel no

The lines seem to be making reference to Tupac frequently mentioning Biggie by name in his raps, and allegations spread by Wendy Williams that he had been raped during his prison term at Rikers Island.^[4]Although some fans have interpreted these lines as references to Shakur's murder, XXL Magazine wrote that the song was most likely recorded before 2Pac's death.^[5]

Other references[edit]

In 'Going Back to Cali' the second verse opens up with Biggie's thoughts on the inter-coastal war and his relationship with the West Coast:

If I got to choose a coast I got to choose the East
I live out there, so don't go there
But that don't mean a nigga can't rest in the West
See some nice breasts in the West
Smoke some nice sess in the West, y'all niggas is a mess
Thinkin' I'm gon' stop, givin' L.A. props
All I got is beef with those that violate me
I shall annihilate thee
Case closed

In the song 'Notorious Thugs', B.I.G. clearly refers to longtime nemesis 2Pac in the line 'so called beef with you-know-who', calling the feud between him and Shakur 'bullshit', while Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (who featured 2Pac on one of their songs the same year) throw jabs at Three 6 Mafia, Twista, Crucial Conflict and Do or Die.

The tracks 'What's Beef' and 'My Downfall', both of which deal with the subject of feuding, as well as 'Last Day' and 'You're Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You)' are also said to contain apparent jabs aimed at his rivals (including Shakur), even though Biggie stated in a Spin magazine interview that the song 'You're Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You)' was not directed at Shakur, who at the time had recently been shot.^[6]

Critical reception[edit]

Life After Death received widespread critical acclaim from many critics upon release. Jon Pareles of The New York Times described the album as 'flaunting affluence with a leisurely swagger, midtempo grooves and calmly arrogant raps'.^[17]Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone magazine called it a 'conscious continuation of Ready to Die', and stated 'Life After Death captures crime's undeniable glamour but doesn't stint on the fear, desperation and irretrievable loss that the streets inevitably exact'.^[14] Cheo Hodari Coker from the Los Angeles Times wrote that 'Life After Death reflects both the dark and the heartfelt sides of the rapper's Gemini personality. It's not only a complex testament to who he was in his private life, but also a demonstration of his amazing rhyming ability. In key moments, B.I.G. does a marvelous job of surfing between accessible music fare tailored for the radio, and more challenging material that will be savored by hard-core rap fans who have long admired B.I.G.'s microphone skills. Rarely has a rapper attempted to please so many different audiences and done it so brilliantly'.^[11] In a five-mic review for The Source, Michael A. Gonzales felt that it would 'undoubtedly become a classic to any true hip-hop fan'.^[18] Although David Browne of Entertainment Weekly was unfavorable of the album's long length, and some of its violent and materialistic content, he commended Notorious B.I.G.'s 'bicoastal respect' by working with other hip-hop styles and artists from other regions of the United States.^[9]

Retrospect[edit]

Since its release, Life After Death has received retrospective acclaim from critics. Rob Sheffield, writing in The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), called it 'a filler-free two-disc rush of musical bravado' and commented that the Notorious B.I.G.'s voice and lyrics were 'deeper' than before.^[15]AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier wrote, 'It may have taken the Notorious B.I.G. a few years to follow up his milestone debut, Ready to Die, with another album, but when he did return with Life After Death, he did so in a huge way. The ambitious album, intended as somewhat of a sequel to Ready to Die, picked up where its predecessor left off.'^[7] Birchmeier further said, 'Over the course of only two albums, he achieved every success imaginable, perhaps none greater than this unabashedly over-reaching success.'^[7] Evan McGarvey of Stylus magazine wrote in his review, 'Life After Death is a grand exercise in personal mythology, narrative sweep, and truly diverse, universal pop excellence. As a double album it is the very definition of cinematic; it essentially perfected the concept and standard in hip-hop ... Sequenced as an unpacking of sorts, the album's progression from song to song is an essay itself.'^[19] In 2013, VIBE named Life After Death the greatest Hip-Hop/R&B album since 1993.^[20]

Accolades[edit]

• The information regarding accolades is adapted from Acclaimed Music^[21] except for lists that are sourced otherwise.
• (*) signifies unordered lists

Commercial performance[edit]

Life After Death was released to a significant amount of critical praise and commercial success. The album sold 690,000 copies in its first week.^[27] In 2000, the album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),^[28] denoting shipment of 5 million copies (the threshold for double albums) and it has been credited as one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. It also made the largest jump to number one on the Billboard 200 chart in history, jumping from number 176 to number one in one week. Also, it spent four weeks at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and topped the Billboard Year-End chart as a Billboard 200 for 1997.^[29]

Legacy and influence[edit]

Although released in the wake of B.I.G.'s fatal shooting, Life After Death signaled a stylistic change in gangsta rap as it crossed over to the commercial mainstream. After the release of Life After Death, Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records continued to bring pop and gangsta rap closer together: the references to violence and drug dealing remained, as did the entire 'gangsta' rhetoric, but the overall production style changed from the previously darker sound to a cleaner, sample-heavy, more upbeat sound that was directly fashioned for the mainstream pop charts, as seen in the single 'Mo Money Mo Problems'. The Notorious B.I.G. is often credited with initiating this transition, as he was among the first mainstream rappers to produce albums with a calculated attempt to include both gritty and realistic gangsta narratives as well as more radio-friendly productions. The majority of the album was produced by Steven 'Stevie J' Jordan, Deric 'D-Dot' Angelettie, Carlos 'July Six' Broady, Ron Lawrence, and Nashiem Myrick. However, other notable hip-hop producers such as Easy Mo Bee, Havoc from Mobb Deep, DJ Premier and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan contributed beats to the album as well.

Various artists were specifically influenced by songs on Life After Death. Evidence's 'Down in New York City' is essentially 'Going Back to Cali' from the perspective of a West Coast hip hop artist. Jay-Z borrows four bars from 'The World Is Filled...' in his song 'I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)', as well as the chorus from his song 'Squeeze 1st' from 'Hypnotize', a line in 'The Ruler's Back' from 'Kick in the Door' and 'You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)' on 'D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'. Ice Cube borrows the chorus from 'Kick in the Door' for his song 'Child Support'. As with B.I.G.'s 'I Love The Dough' Monica's 2010 song 'Everything to Me' samples 'I Love You More' by René & Angela. The official remix includes a verse from B.I.G. that originally appeared on 'I Love The Dough'. SWV sampled 'Ten Crack Commandments' on the opening track 'Someone' featuring B.I.G.'s former protege and friend Combs. The French rapper Rohff named his album 'La Vie Avant La Mort' (Life Before Death) (2001) as a tribute to B.I.G, Joey Badass interpolated the lines 'Kick in the Door' on 'Super Predator' from All-Amerikkkan Badass (2017). The album has sold 350,000 copies.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing[edit]

Credits adapted from Life After Death liner notes.^[30]

Disc one notes

• ^{^[a]} – co-producer
• 'Life After Death (Intro)' contains sample of 'Suicidal Thoughts' by The Notorious B.I.G., and 'This Masquerade' by George Benson.
• 'Somebody's Gotta Die' contains a sample of 'In the Rain' by The Dramatics.
• 'Hypnotize' contains a sample of 'Rise' by Herb Alpert, and an interpolation of 'La Di Da Di' by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh.
• 'Kick in the Door' contains a sample of 'I Put A Spell On You' by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, 'Unbelievable' by Notorious B.I.G., 'Get Money' by Junior M.A.F.I.A., 'Wash Yo' Ass' by Martin Lawrence, and 'Robby, The Cook, And 60 Gallons Of Booze' by Louis & Bebe Barron.
• 'I Love the Dough' contains a sample and interpolation of 'I Love You More' by René & Angela, and 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' by Rod Stewart.
• 'What's Beef?' contains a sample of 'I'm Glad You're Mine' by Al Green and 'Close To You' by Richard Evans.
• 'B.I.G. Interlude' contains a sample of 'P.S.K. What Does It Mean?' by Schooly D.
• 'Mo Money Mo Problems' contains a sample of 'I'm Coming Out' by Diana Ross.
• 'Niggas Bleed' contains a sample of 'Hey Who Really Cares' by The Whispers.
• 'I Got a Story to Tell' contains a sample of 'I'm Glad You're Mine' by Al Green.

Disc two

Disc two notes

• 'Notorious Thugs' contains a sample of 'More Than Love' by Ohio Players.
• 'Miss U' contains an interpolation of 'Missing You' by Diana Ross.
• 'Another' contains a sample and interpolation of 'Another Man' by Barbara Mason.
• 'Going Back to Cali' contains a sample of 'More Bounce To The Ounce' by Zapp.
• 'Ten Crack Commandments' contains a sample of 'Valantra' by Les McCann, and 'Shut 'Em Down' by Public Enemy.
• 'Playa Hater' contains a sample and interpolation of 'Hey! Love' by The Delfonics.
• 'Nasty Boy' contains a sample of 'Cavern' by Liquid Liquid.
• 'Sky's the Limit' contains a sample of 'My Flame' by Bobby Caldwell.
• 'The World Is Filled...' contains a sample of 'Space Talk' by Asha Puthli, and 'The What' by Notorious B.I.G..
• 'My Downfall' contains a sample of 'For The Good Times' by Al Green and 'You're All I Need to Get By' by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell.
• 'Long Kiss Goodnight' contains a sample of 'The Letter' by Al Green.

Personnel[edit]

Performers[edit]

• Notorious B.I.G. – writer, rap performer, additional production
• Sean 'Puffy' Combs – featured rap performer
• Lil' Kim – featured rap performer
• Jay-Z – featured rap performer
• Too Short – featured rap performer
• Mase – featured rap performer
• Bizzy Bone – featured rap performer
• Krayzie Bone – featured rap performer
• Layzie Bone – featured rap performer
• Jadakiss – featured rap performer
• Styles P – featured rap performer
• Sheek Louch – featured rap performer
• 112 – featured vocals
• R. Kelly – featured vocals
• DMC – featured vocals
• Angela Winbush – featured vocals
• Kelly Price – vocals
• Pamela Long – additional vocals
• Carl Thomas – additional vocals
• Faith Evans – background vocals
• Karen Anderson – background vocals
• Keanna Henson – background vocals
• Deborah Neeley Rolle – background vocals
• Ron Grant – background vocals
• Michael Ciro – guitar
• Butch Ingram – writer/publisher

Production[edit]

• Sean 'Puffy' Combs – producer, mixing
• Carlos '6 July' Broady – producer, hammond organ
• Deric 'D-Dot' Angelettie – producer
• Stevie J – producer
• Nashiem Myrick – producer
• Ron Lawrence – producer
• Easy Mo Bee – producer
• DJ Premier – producer
• Clark Kent – producer
• RZA – producer
• Havoc – producer
• Buckwild – producer
• Kay Gee – editor, producer
• Chucky Thompson – producer
• DJ Enuff – producer
• Daron Jones – producer
• Paragon – producer
• Jiv Pos – producer
• Mike Pitts – assistant producer, editor
• Michael Patterson – engineer, mixing
• Charles 'Prince Charles' Alexander – engineer, mixing
• Lane Craven – engineer, mixing
• Manny Marroquin – engineer
• Camilo Argumedes – engineer
• Stephen Dent – engineer
• Ben Garrison – engineer
• Rasheed Goodlowe – engineer
• Steve Jones – engineer
• Rich July – engineer
• John Meredith – engineer
• Lynn Montrose – engineer
• Axel Niehaus – engineer
• Diana Pedraza – engineer
• Doug Wilson – engineer
• Tony Maserati – mixing
• Paul Logus – mixing
• Eddie Sancho – mixing
• Richard Travali – mixing
• Herb Powers – mastering

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^rs
2. ^ ^abc'The Making of Life After Death: Many Men'. Xxlmag.Com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
3. ^'KING Legacy: Nasir Jones, Part Two'. KING-mag.com. May 1, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
4. ^ ^ab'The Notorious B.I.G. – Long Kiss Goodnight Lyrics'. Rap Genius. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
5. ^'8 Subliminal Diss Records That No One Claims'. Xxlmag.Com. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
6. ^SPIN. Books.google.com. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
7. ^ ^abcBirchmeier, Jason. 'Life After Death – The Notorious B.I.G.'AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
8. ^Christgau, Robert (2000). 'Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death'. Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN0-312-24560-2. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
9. ^ ^abBrowne, David (April 11, 1997). 'Life After Death'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
10. ^Glaister, Dan (March 28, 1997). 'The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (Bad Boy)'. The Guardian.
11. ^ ^abCoker, Cheo Hodari (March 26, 1997). 'A memorable 'life' on its own merits'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
12. ^Fadele, Dele (April 12, 1997). 'The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
13. ^Ex, Kris (March 9, 2017). 'The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death'. Pitchfork. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
14. ^ ^abDeCurtis, Anthony (May 1, 1997). 'Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death'. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 14, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
15. ^ ^abSheffield, Rob (2004). 'The Notorious B.I.G.'. In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 592. ISBN0-7432-0169-8.
16. ^Jones, Steve (March 26, 1997). ''Life After Death' is a B.I.G. classic'. USA Today. p. 01.D. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
17. ^Pareles, Jon (March 30, 1997). 'Swaggering in Death's Face Till the End'. The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
18. ^Gonzales, Michael A. (May 1997). 'Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death ... Till Death Do Us Part (Bad Boy/Arista)'. The Source (92): 79. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
19. ^McGarvey, Evan (September 11, 2007). 'Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death – The Diamond'. Stylus. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
20. ^The Greatest 50 Albums Since '93
21. ^'Life After Death'. Acclaimed Music. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
22. ^'The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of all Time'. Rap.about.com. January 6, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
23. ^Adaso, Henry. Best Rap Albums of 1997. about.com. Retrieved September 4, 2012-09-04.
24. ^100 Best Albums of the Nineties. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
25. ^'The Source 100 Best Rap Albums & Singles'. Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
26. ^'TOP 100'. Trevornelson.Com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
27. ^'Check Out How Biggie's 'Life After Death' Was Made'. XXL. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
28. ^'RIAA – Gold & Platinum Database'. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
29. ^'Information Not Found'. Billboard.com. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
30. ^Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death: 1st Press. CD
31. ^'Australiancharts.com – The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
32. ^'Ultratop.be – The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death' (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
33. ^The Notorious B.I.G. – Chart history Billboard
34. ^'Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline' (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
35. ^'Dutchcharts.nl – The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death' (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
36. ^'Charts.org.nz – The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
37. ^'Swedishcharts.com – The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
38. ^'Notorious B.I.G. Artist Official Charts'. UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
39. ^'The Notorious B.I.G. Chart History (Billboard 200)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
40. ^'The Notorious B.I.G. Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
41. ^Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
42. ^'Canadian album certifications – Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. Music Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
43. ^'British album certifications – Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 4, 2013.Select albums in the Format field.Select Platinum in the Certification field.Type Life After Death in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
44. ^'American album certifications – Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death'. Recording Industry Association of America.If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.

External links[edit]

• Life After Death at Discogs
• The Making of Life After Death at XXL
• Playing God: Life After Death at Stylus