The album that reinvented East Coast rap for the gangsta age, made a star, and vaulted ' Bad Boy label into the spotlight as well. Today it's recognized as one of the greatest hardcore rap albums ever recorded, and that's mostly due to 's skill as a storyteller. 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's blessed with a flair for the dramatic, and slips in and out of different contradictory characters with ease.

Ready To Die. Notorious B.I.G. Released in 1994.

Yet, no matter how much he heightens things for effect, it's always easy to see elements of in his narrators and of his own experience in the details; everything is firmly rooted in reality, but plays like scenes from a movie. A sense of doom pervades his most involved stories: fierce bandits ('Gimme the Loot'), a hustler's beloved girlfriend ('Me & My Bitch'), and robbers out for 's newfound riches ('Warning') all die in hails of gunfire. The album is also sprinkled with reflections on the soul-draining bleakness of the streets - 'Things Done Changed,' 'Ready to Die,' and 'Everyday Struggle' are powerfully affecting in their confusion and despair. Not everything is so dark, though; ' production collaborations result in some upbeat, commercial moments, and typically cop from recognizable hits: 's 'I Want You Back' on the graphic sex rap 'One More Chance,' 's 'Juicy Fruit' on the rags-to-riches chronicle 'Juicy,' and ' 'Between the Sheets' on the overweight-lover anthem 'Big Poppa.' Producer 's deliberate beats do get a little samey, but it hardly matters: this is 's show, and by the time 'Suicidal Thoughts' closes the album on a heartbreaking note, it's clear why he was so revered even prior to his death.

. 'Released: August 9, 1994. ' / Warning'Released: February 20, 1995. 'Released: June 6, 1995Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper, released on September 13, 1994,. The album features production by Bad Boy founder, and, among others. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at and in.

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 in 1997.Ready to Die peaked at number 15 on the and was subject to critical acclaim and soon a commercial success. Three singles were released from the album: ', ', ' and a promotional track of Biggie: '. 'Juicy', the lead single, peaked at number 27 on the, number 14 on and reached number 3 on the.

'Big Poppa' was a hit on multiple charts, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and also being nominated for a at the. The Notorious B.I.G.' S lyrics on the album were generally praised by critics, with many praising his story-telling ability.In April 2018, Ready to Die was certified by the (RIAA). The album was significant for revitalizing the scene, amid 's commercial dominance, and has been ranked by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. Ranked it number 134 on its list of the. Included it on its list of the All-TIME 100 Albums. Contents.Background and recording The album was recorded in (mainly at ) in two stages between 1993 and 1994.

In 1994, Biggie was 21 years old when he recorded the album. In 1992, Biggie was signed to the label. Biggie started recording his debut album in 1993 in New York, after making numerous guest appearances among his label-mates' singles around that time. 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, magazine describe an 'inexperienced, higher-pitched' Biggie sounding 'hungry and paranoid'.When executive producer was fired from Uptown, Biggie's career hung in limbo, as the album was only partially completed. After a brief period in, Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new 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 them from memory.The album was released with a cover depicting an infant resembling the artist, though sporting an, 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. Lawsuits and sample removal On March 24, 2006, and won a federal lawsuit against 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'. The jury awarded $4.2 million in punitive and direct damages to the two plaintiffs, and federal judge enacted an immediate sales ban on the album and tracks in question. On appeal, the found the damages unconstitutionally high and in violation of and remanded the case, at which point Campbell reduced them by $2.8 million; however, the verdict was upheld.

All versions of the album released since the lawsuit are without the disputed samples.Although a issue, Combs and Bad Boy never raised the legal concept of the fair use doctrine in their defense. This decision was questioned by some legal experts: Anthony Falzone of the at 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.On April 2, 2014, of filed a multimillion-dollar copyright infringement suit against Combs, Bad Boy Records, and the estate of the late for copyright infringement, alleging that his song ' was illegally sampled in the production of the song 'The What'.

The estate countersued in turn, claiming the sample as used was short, adapted, and supplemented, and thus subject to fair use, a legal tactic not pursued previously. Composition Production The production on the album was mainly handled by and The Hitmen. Coker of 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.' The production is mainly -based with the samples varying from the of 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'. Lyrical themes 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'., 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'. The album is also noted for its dark tone and sinister sense of depression. In the original Rolling Stone review, Cheo H Coker declared that he 'maintains a consistent level of tension by juxtaposing emotional highs and lows'. 'Things Done Changed' was also one of the few hip hop songs in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature.The lyrics on Ready to Die tend to deal with violence, drug dealing, women, alcohol and 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'.

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. Songs on the album range from homicide narratives ('Warning') to braggadocios ('The What,' 'Unbelievable'). The final song was 'Suicidal Thoughts', a song where The Notorious B.I.G. Contemplates and finally commits.Commercial performance Ready to Die shipped 57,000 units in its first week of release. However, it was then certified Gold by the 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. Ready to Die was then certified triple Platinum on August 26, 1998 and was later certified 4× Platinum by the on October 19, 1999.

The album's is a narrative, with music that 's 1983 song '.Problems playing this file? See.Three singles were released from the album: ', ', ' and a promotional track of Biggie: '. According to 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.' Juicy' was released as the lead single on August 8, 1994.

It peaked at number 27 on the, number 14 on and reached number 3 on the. It shipped 500,000 copies in the United States and the RIAA certified it on November 16, 1994.

Produced by Combs, it features a prominent sample of ' as performed. AllMusic's Steve Huey stated that, along with the other singles, it was an 'upbeat, commercial moment', calling it a 'rags-to-riches chronicle'. 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 documents the star's transition from Brooklyn knucklehead to magazine cover story.' Producer, 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: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. It sold over a million units and the RIAA certified it on May 23, 1995.

Featuring production by Combs and Chucky Thompson of The Hitmen, it samples '. The song was nominated at the for, but lost to 's '.

Steve Huey named it an 'overweight-lover anthem'.' One More Chance' was released as the third single on June 9, 1995. The single was a of the album track. It was produced by Combs and featured a sample from '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.

It sold over a million copies and the RIAA certified it Platinum on July 31, 1995. Steve Huey labeled it a 'graphic sex rap'. Rolling Stone writer Cheo H. Coker had a similar view of the song, noting that it was 'one of the bawdiest sex raps since 's classic, ' and continued, stating it 'proves hilarious simply because of B.I.G.' S vulgarity.' Critical reception Professional ratings Review scoresSourceRatingA−5/510/104.5/5Ready to Die received acclaim from music critics.

In his review for, stated ' Ready to Die is the strongest solo rap debut since 's. From the breathtakingly visual moments of his birth to his 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'. From 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'. 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'.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'. In their original review for Ready to Die, 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'.

Legacy Ready to Die has been highly acclaimed. In 1998, The Source included it on their 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time list, and in 2002, they re-rated it to the maximum five 'mics'. Rolling Stone has also given acclaim to Ready to Die over the years. In 2003, they ranked it number 133 on their list, and 134 in a 2012 revised list. In 2004, they re-rated it to five stars. Ergo proxy dub. 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 ' cool'. Kilian Murphy from 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.'

Steve Huey from 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. 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'. In 2006, magazine included it on their 100 Greatest Albums of All Time list, and stated 'On Ready to Die, 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'. The album was also included in the book. Intro.

'Superfly' by. ' by. 'Top Billin' by. 'Tha Shiznit' byThings Done Changed. 'California My Way' by. 'Summer Breeze' by The Main Ingredient. 'Vapors' by.

'Lil Ghetto Boy' byGimme the Loot. 'Coldblooded' by.

'Singing in the Morning' by (Later removed following a lawsuit.). 'Throw Ya Gunz' by. 'What They Hittin' Foe?' Retrieved May 15, 2008.

Steve Huey. Retrieved March 17, 2007. ^. Rolling Stone.

Retrieved September 18, 2019. ^ Duncan, Andrea. From the original on November 10, 2006.

Menconi, David (January 25, 2009). From the original on April 23, 2017. Jenkins, Sacha (1999). New York: St. Martin's Griffin. P. J-23 (December 30, 2005).

From the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.

^ AP (March 24, 2006). The Bryan Times. Retrieved October 5, 2013. ^. Exclusive Rights.

April 13, 2009. Archived from on November 25, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2013. Bailey, Jonathan (April 18, 2009). Bad Boy Blog.

From the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013. Apple Inc.

From the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.

^ Falzone, Anthony (October 18, 2007). The Center for Internet and Society. From the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013. Beekman, Daniel (April 2, 2014). From the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.

Gardner, Eriq (April 1, 2014). The Hollywood Reporter. From the original on April 3, 2014.

Retrieved April 8, 2014. ^ (November 3, 1994). Archived from on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2012. ^. ^ TOURE (December 18, 1994).

The New York Times. From the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Gates Jr., Henry Louis, ed. The Norton Anthology of African American literature (2.

New York, NY u.a.: Norton. From the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014. ^. Retrieved July 11, 2017. ^ Huey, Steve. From the original on June 4, 2012.

Retrieved October 23, 2009. Kameka, Andrew.

From the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2017. February 20, 2012, at the.

(July 13, 2004). From the original on August 21, 2004.

Retrieved July 28, 2018. ^ (2000). Retrieved October 31, 2009.

Kameka, Andrew (March 7, 2007). From the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2009. Trammell, Matthew (March 9, 2017).

From the original on March 9, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2017. ^ 'The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die'. December 1994. ^ (2004). 'The Notorious B.I.G.'

In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). P. ^ Shortie (October 1994).

New York (61): 79. From the original on February 1, 2013.

Retrieved February 1, 2013. London (90): 128. November 2004. From the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2016. (December 18, 1994). From the original on March 9, 2016.

Retrieved October 23, 2009. ^ June 16, 2010, at the.

'Got Five on It'. March 2002. ^. Rolling Stone. From the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Murphy, Killian (June 22, 2004).

From the original on February 5, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2009. Tyrangiel, Josh (January 22, 2010). From the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.

Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. From the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Adaso, Henry. From the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2017.

Adaso, Henry. From the original on April 18, 2015.

Retrieved July 11, 2017. Archived from on September 5, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Goldstein, Hartley. From the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.

Rolling Stone. From the original on July 18, 2011.

Retrieved July 11, 2017. February 4, 2012, at the. Retrieved October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2013.

Retrieved January 22, 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Ready to Die in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter. Retrieved October 29, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.External links.

at. by. – By.