Ready to Die 25th Anniversary

by One Stop Hip Hop .co.uk #Oshh on September 08, 2019

If you grew up in the hip hop era of the Tupacs, the Rakims’, the Notorious B.I.G, just know that you were freaking privileged to have been blessed by the lyrical dexterity, musical maturity and originality of these men. I for one do feel lucky to have been able to see the rise of some of hip hop's brightest stars along with the evolution of the art form. You have to feel a little sorry for the millennia’s though. Anyway, that’s a topic for another day.


It is the 25th year anniversary of the release of Biggie’s first studio album “Ready to die”. Just a few days ago, I was watching a video of a 17 year old Biggie freestyle battle rapping on a street corner in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. It was all there on display - the skills, the confidence, the talent - you would think he was born a grown man. If he was alive today, he would have been 47 years. 


Biggie smalls was born Christopher George Latore Wallace on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Jamaican parents, Volleta Wallace, a pre-school teacher and George Latore, a welder and small time politician. Christopher was raised in the poor Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant.


Biggie was transformed from a street hustler to the savior of east coast rap in just a few years. Unfortunately he became a tragic victim of the violence he depicted so realistically on his songs.


It was 12:30am on March 9, 1997; Christopher Wallace had just left the after party of Vibe magazine Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles. At about 50 yards from the venue of the party, the SUV in which he was riding stopped at a red light. Out came a dark Chevrolet Impala SS pulling up at the passenger side, the driver of the Impala rolled down his window, bang bang. Biggie was repeatedly shot and was struck by the bullet four times. Christopher Wallace was pronounced dead at 1:15am at the nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Twenty years on Biggie's murder remains unsolved.


Ready to die
The Notorious B.I.G debut studio album Ready to die was released in 1994. It was the first album release under Bad Boy records and was produced by Bad Boy founder Sean “Puffy” Combs. The Album’s production came in two waves after Puffy was fired from Uptown which then resulted in only half being completed. Biggie resumed productions the following year under Bad Boy records to complete the second wave of the album which was recorded off memory.

Not only did Biggie cement him self has one of the dopest lyricist of a generation, on Ready To Die he demonstrates his diversity has rapper giving his debut album an appeal to guys and girls alike.  It is well documented Biggie and Puffy raised the bar and helped set the blue print of how to create a dope hip hop album with a commercial appeal whiles still being celebrated by the most thorough hip hop head.

 
When it came out, the album was praised for its honest portrayal of every day struggles on the streets. It evidently showed Biggie’s depth. Songs like “Everyday struggle” , "Waring" and “Suicidal Thoughts” showed us the extent to which rap as an art form is sharpened by genius. Along with Biggie's mind blowing concepts and amazing story telling skills, another outstanding feature is, his clarity spitting those dope bars making the hole project an easy listen.


Ready to die wasn’t certified platinum until after Biggie’s death. As notable as the album is, and unlike what many people would think, the album moved really slowly in the first few weeks having only sold 57,000 copies in its first week of sale. It picked after Biggie dropped ‘Big poppa’ and wouldn’t be certified platinum until two years after Biggie’s death.


The Source magazine October 1994 issue gave ‘Ready to die’ a 4 ½ Mic rating which was later bumped up to 5 Mic rating 8 years after its initial review.
The New York Times described Biggie’s ‘Ready to die’ album as “offering perhaps the most balanced and honest portrait of the dealer’s life of any in hip hop.”
Ready to die received just one nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 edition of the Grammy Awards, which it eventually lost to Coolio’s ‘Gangsters paradise’. It also made Rolling stone’s top 500 greatest ever album list landing at the number 133 spot.


You also have to give enough props to the man behind the release of ‘Ready to die’ – Diddy, who with marketing and production provided the perfect platform for the great man to display his skills to a worldwide audience.

 
Biggie is one of the legends we will never forget for his ability to paint vivid pictures through music. In 2015, Billboard named Biggie as the greatest rapper of all time. His lyrics have been quoted by many great artistes of different genres including the late Michael Jackson, Jay Z, and Lil Wayne among others. A ‘black tie dinner’ is held annually by ‘Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation’ to raise funds to meet .supplies and school equipment for children.

Ready To Die has to go down has an all time great hip hop album by one of the all time great artists. Twenty five years on hip hop fans of all generations can listen to this album and not only relate to its' content, but also appreciate the skills and talent of a true master.

 

R.I.P Notorious B.I.G we salute you

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