Notorious BIG
Notorious BIG, whose real name was Chrisopher Wallace, was a man with many nicknames : Biggie, Biggie Smalls, the Black Frank White.
He grew up in Brooklyn with his single mother who was an immigrant from Jamaica. As a kid, he had academic potential, but he had big money dreams that couldn't wait. He started selling drugs as a teen which landed him in jail. At the same time, he started rapping. Rap music was his ticket to make legal money.
1. Music Career
Notorious BIG hooked up with Sean Combs, another man with many nicknames (Puffy, Puff Daddy, Diddy, Sean John). Puffy was a producer who just left Uptown Records (under Andre Harrell) and started his own record label Bad Boy Records.
It was a start of a short but legendary music career.
Biggie had a mind that could come up with vivid stories with many rhymes. He was very versatile with his subject matter, as he talked about the struggles growing up in the ghetto ("Everyday Struggle"), living a life of criminal activities ("Gimme the Loot","Warning"), living with paranoia and depression ("Suicidal Thoughts"), transitioning away from the negative to positive lifestyle ("Juicy"), and celebrating the luxury life ("Big Poppa"). And that's just from his 1st album "Ready to Die"
The first single from the album was "Juicy", which sampled Mtume's "Juicy Fruit". That song and video was about his attempt to change his lifestyle, transitioning from drug dealing towards making legal money. He talked about living in the ghetto, struggling to get money to feed his daughter, dropping out of high school and about "stereotypes of black male misunderstood, but still all good". He talks about his aspirations of living in luxury and "living life without fear". As he says, he "went from negative to positive"
The video showed his old neighborhood in Brooklyn, a prison cell, and luxury mansion with a swimming pool.
"Juicy" by Notorious BIG
Just listening to that song and watching that video brings tears to my eyes, about how someone with so many aspirations to overcome his past to be a more positive person can die so young only a few years later.
Biggie would probably tell us to not just mourn his death, but to celebrate his life too! That comes with his 2nd hit, the one that really got MTV airplay -- "Big Poppa". It was a feel good track that sampled Isley Brother's "Between the Sheets" and added the g-funk sound to sound the West Coast rap songs that were popular at the time. The song was about living the luxury life and getting laid with many women. It's the life of a Playa! It's the life many young men aspire to!
"Big Poppa" by Notorious BIG
There was also the gangsta track "Warning", which starts out with "who the f--- is this,paging me at 5:46 in the morning, crack of a dawning, now I'm yawning". That pops into my mind when my phone rings when I don't feel like answering!
"Warning" by Notorious BIG
Then there is this smooth track "One More Chance", featuring Faith Evans, a woman he married only 9 days after he met her. Obviously, that doesn't sound like a recipe for a good relationship. Plus, Biggie wasn't going to give his playa lifestyle.
Notorious BIG also brought his Brooklyn crew Junior Mafia to the rap game. Within the Junior Mafia included his close friend Lil Cease and his mistress Lil Kim.
Whereas Biggie introduced himself as a ghetto drug dealer now living in luxury, Junior Mafia introduced themselves living in luxury, which started the trend I call "snob rap" where rappers spend nearly every song bragging about the luxuries. While some of that was already going on in the 80's, this trend went to a much higher level in the following years with Puff Daddy, Ma$e, Jay-Z making hit records bragging about their luxuries.
Here's the video that started the "snob rap" trend: Playa's Anthem
"Playa's Lifestyle" by Junior Mafia featuring Notorious BIG
Junior Mafia also had the song featuring just Biggie and Lil Kim "Get Money". It's not just about getting money, but the jealousy and divisiveness it causes. Lil Kim's verse on this track started the trend for female rappers to say really outrageous and sexual things without shame. This led the way for her other female rappers like Foxy Brown, Khia, Trina, and Nicki Minaj.
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Afterwards, it was time to go back to his solo career.His 2nd album "Life After Death" came out a few weeks after his death.
The only video he made from that album was also his last "Hypnotize". It was a major club hit, something that ruled the dance floor to this very day. The video had a James Bond theme that really didn't match the lyrics of the song (I eye-roll when music videos don't match the lyrics of the song......sorry)
Puff Daddy made another video from that album, for the song "Mo Money, Mo Problems". The song had a disco vibe and featured Puff Daddy and a new rapper Ma$e. And of course, Biggie had the hottest verse, where he spelled out"BIG POPPA" and said "no info for the DEA".
The album had more songs celebrating the luxury life (,"I Love the Dough" w/Jay-Z), but also discussed the negative side of fame ("My Downfall", "Long Kiss Goodnight", "Mo Money, Mo Problems"). He also had more tales of criminal activities ("Last Day" w/the Lox) as well as a warning to those who want to live the criminal life ("The Ten Crack Commandments). He had songs about his sexual adventures ("Nasty Boy", "F--- You Tonight" w/R Kelly). He had inspirational songs ("Sky's the Limit") and a battle of the sexes ("Another" w/Lil Kim). He had Bone Thugs n Harmony collabo ("Notorious Thugs").
While he was mostly a rapper, he also showed a singing talent with "Play Hater".
"Playa Hater" by Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy
And of course, there was "Going Back to Cali", a song to show everyone that he respected California and that he had great times visiting there. But not everyone wanted to hear that, as you'll find out why ....................
2. East Coast, West Coast and the Rivalry with 2pac
As mentioned earlier, the Notorious BIG was from New York. New York was where rap started. But in 1994, when his 1st record was released, West Coast rappers ruled the charts. There was bitterness between the East Coast and West Coast rap communities.
While most of his "Ready to Die" album had an East Coast sound, his major hit "Big Poppa" song sounded like a West Coast jam. That song was meant to help him gain West Coast fans.
However, that didn't keep him from away the coastal rivalries.
What really fueled the fire was when 2pac was invited to a recording studio in which Notorious BIG & Puff Daddy was present. In the first floor of the building, 2pac was shot in an armed robbery. This made him very paranoid and accused both rappers of setting him up to be killed.
A few months later, there was the Source Awards held in New York, Suge Knight, the head of the popular West Coast record label Death Row Records was there to ridicule Puff Daddy on stage. This was war.
Suge Knight was also friends with 2pac, and both teamed up to battle Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy.
Even though 2pac grew up in New York, he later moved to Oakland as a teenager, which made him a "West Coast rapper". His affiliation with Suge Knight and Death Row Records solidified his position as a West Coast rapper, along with his "California Love" song and his yelling of "Westside" on many songs.
So there it was: Notorious BIG & Puff Daddy representing the East Coast, Suge Knight & 2pac representing the West Coast.
Even though both sides insisted they weren't against everyone from the other coast, in the mind of rap fanatics, it didn't matter.
VIBE magazine made the issue worse with their magazine cover showing a photo of Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy, with the words "East vs West", giving the impression that they wanted war with the West Coast.
Vibe Magazine
As mentioned earlier, Biggie married Faith Evans after only 9 days of meeting. Biggie still wanted to live the playa lifestyle, he was polyamorous, something Faith Evans wanted no part of. They had constant arguments.
Then one day, away from Biggie, she met 2pac at a party. They took a picture together. This doesn't seem scandalous now in the era where people walk up to celebrities, take a selfie, and walk away right after, and then share it on social media. But in that era, Facebook and Instagram didn't exist yet.
2pac then used that photo against Biggie, and he bragged about having sex with his wife in his song "Hit Em Up". That song, he taunted and threatened both Biggie & Puffy, as well as other rappers friendly to them (ie Junior Mafia, Lil Kim, Mobb Deep).
On September 7, 1996, Suge Knight & 2pac were riding the streets of Las Vegas, They already left a Mike Tyson boxing match, had their own fight with Crips, and were now headed to a nightclub to party. Then gunshots were blasted. Both men were hit, but 2pac got most of the bullets. Suge Knight survived, 2pac died a few days later.
Nobody was arrested for 2pac's murder, but some rap fanatics were ready to blame Biggie & Puffy! Both were warned not to visit California anytime soon.
But Biggie & Puffy insisted they weren't against everyone from California, that their beef was only with Suge Knight & 2pac.
Both Biggie & Puffy visited California in March 1997 to promote Biggie's upcoming album and did interviews with local radio stations. And of course, attend the Soul Train Awards. After the award show, it was party time. They went to a private party with many hip-hop/R&B industry people attended. Biggie & Puffy were having a great time.
Afterwards, they both went in separate cars. The car Biggie was riding in got hit with gunshots. Just 6 months after the same happened to 2pac.
This was seen as retaliation.
It was a sad ending to a legendary life.
3. Life After Biggie's Life
However, his album "Life After Death" came out a few weeks later and gained even more popularity than his legendary 1st album. His songs became major hits.
And Puff Daddy had his own album that year "No Way Out", which had Biggie's vocals on many tracks. It was a bittersweet year for Puff Daddy, as his music became super-popular, but his friend Biggie no longer around to share in his success.
Puff Daddy had his tribute to his friend, with "I'll BE Missing You", featuring Faith Evans and 112. The song sampled The Police "Every Breath You Take"
"I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112
Also the No Way Out album, was the song "Victory" with Puff Daddy, Notorious BIG and Busta Rhymes. As always Biggie had the strongest presence on the song! The song had a movie score sound, as it sampled a song from the "Rocky" movie.
"Victory" by Puff Daddy, Notorious BIG and Busta Rhymes
Biggie's unreleased tracks were later released in an album "Born Again" in 1999. It didn't have that many hits, it did have the "Notorious" song that sampled Duran Duran.
"Notorious BIG" by Notorious BIG, Puff Daddy & Lil Kim.
The popularity of Puff Daddy's music in 1997 led to a revival of New York rap's popularity. Biggie's friends like Lil Kim, and Jay-Z became hip-hop superstars. Previously lesser known New York rappers like Fat Joe, Big Pun, Mobb Deep, Foxy Brown, Noriega and DMX became stars too!
However, the Southern rappers basically took over the rap world in the 21st century. Atlanta became the new center of hip-hop as well as African-American culture in general.
New York and Los Angeles still have new rap stars every so often, but they no longer dominated the hip-hop scene like they did when Biggie & 2pac were making hits.
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In 2009, "Notorious", a movie based on Notorious BIG's life was released. It was in movie theaters and is now available on DVD.
"Notorious" movie poster
I saw it on DVD, and it was very interesting to see all that I read and heard from interviews being acted out.
The movie critics gave it mixed reviews. Who cares about that, the story was interesting and it was acted out great. I totally recommend it to anyone interested in hip-hop history!
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Rap music is still following Puff Daddy's formula of club-friendly hits, but gangsta rap no longer dominate the rap scene like it did when Biggie and 2pac were making hits.
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However, Biggie's music is still get played at the nightclubs and car stereos even 2 decades later. People still get sentimental about "Juicy". While Bigigie never achieved the dream of "living life without fear", the song is still a good reminder of "going from positive to negative".
Rest in peace Biggie. We still miss you!
