When I was going through my rap phase, Notorious B.I.G was my favorite rapper. Sure, I had lots of love for Snoop and Dr. Dre, but Biggie had the smoothest flows, the most ridiculous rhymes, and straight BUMPIN' tracks. Never was it better than on the album, "Ready to Die."
The "Intro" track was a quick summary of Biggie's life with music that corresponded with the time... Curtis Matfield for his birth, Sugar Hill Gang for his youth, Audio Two for his teen years, and Snoop Doggy Dogg for his coming of age. I only mention this because the tracks were all bumping, and the inclusion of Snoop's "Tha Shiznit" officially put both Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's hands in each of the top 3 Most Bumping Albums of All Time.
"Thing Done Changed" was the first actual track with Biggie rapping. The message was pretty standard for the gangsta rap genre. Things had gotten more dangerous in the streets as the inner city youth were carrying guns and getting involved in serious violence. The B.I.G. didn't condone the behavior, just reported how things had gotten out of control. The beat was bonafide bumping.
"Gimme the Loot" was about stick-ups, robberies, and murder. I'm always amazed that the themes haven't changed in rap. It's still about fluffing egos, smoking fools, and getting paid. The bass heavy groove sat below an aggressive sounding Smalls.
"Machine Gun Funk" celebrated Biggie's rise on the scene. The chorus is one of my favorite in his catalogue. "I live for the funk." More than bumping. Once again, Biggie's flow was soft, silky, and fluid.
"Warning" starts with the pager beep and Christopher Wallace (Biggie) learned he was on a hit list. The phone conversation featured two rappers talking about the plan. Wallace didn't seem scared. He was ready to turn the tables and leave the hit men with some holes in their heads.
"Ready to Die" jumped off with the Notorious one dropping rhymes of manipulated syllables and "techniques dropping out his butt cheeks." He was prepared for the possible end that he could and would meet. When you're ready to die, you're fearless, and that was the idea behind the song.
"One More Chance" started with Biggie's child leaving an answering machine message to all of his daddy's "ho's" to quit calling the house. This song was the requisite "I'm a sex god" track. Once again, it was his delivery that made the tune different from the other 7,000 songs with the same premise. His voice just had a quality like a milkshake.
"F*%# Me Interlude" was a racist rant by a girl who was getting it on with the rap-master.
"The What" had Method Man and Biggie spitting rhymes like the rap equivalent of a guitar dual. This was a clinic in the lyrical skill of references and metaphors that have ruled the rap game (name dropping, brand endorsing, etc).
It's tough to follow a track featuring Biggie and Method Man, but the next song was undoubtedly the best track on the album. "Juicy" has been one of the most loved rap songs since the day it hit stereos for the first time. Most of the album was bumping, but this track bumped more than a pregnant camel. Biggie's lyrics, delivery, flow, and general style were pure perfection on this track. "Birthdays were the worst days, now we sip champagne when we're thirsty," summed up the track about rising from the streets to the rap mogul he'd become.
"Everyday Struggle" started off with some soul music. As the bass and lyrics dropped in, a crisp drum clap took the retro flavor and kicked it in the ass with a 90's rap beat. Chasing money by any means necessary was at the core of this tune.
"Me and My Bitch" was the rap equivalent of a love song. It was the Bonnie and Clyde love story. Partners in love and crime. Wallace's girl was his best friend. This song was about their companionship. Don't mistakenly play it for your grandmother, for a love song, it was still lewd, crude, and depraved.
"Big Poppa" was the tune that hooked me. It's my favorite rap song ever. I've known it word for word since I was 15. When I read the word "pimp," this tune has automatically played in my head for years. More perfection. More bump.
"Respect" had some of that militant Jamaican flavor. Biggie's life story played out in a 5 minute and 21 second song. This song seemed to be an answer to the "Intro" timeline. I noticed during this song that while the album does feature some guest rappers, for the most part it is heavy on the big man. Unlike Snoop's "Doggystyle," which featured a posse tag teaming the songs, "Ready to Die" was pretty much straight Biggie. Verse after verse of Wallace blazing lyrical trails.
"Friend of Mine" may have been my least favorite track on the album, but it still had a bumping bass line and a nice bouncy feel that typically accompanies my favorite rap songs.
"Unbelievable" was a bizarre combo of rhythm, vocals, and accompaniment. At this point in the album I began to wonder how one person could drop this many great lines in every song on the album. The lyrics claim, "Biggie Smalls is the illest," and I couldn't argue with them.
The album ended with "Suicidal Thoughts," and Biggie claimed that he deserved to go to hell, but he made it sound like heaven would be hell to him. He knew he wouldn't fit in with the "goody-goodies" in heaven. As the album played out, Biggie gave up on himself and the struggle, saying he'd rather kill himself. Fortunately for the fans, he never did that. Unfortunately, after his next double album, someone else did it for him. I've dismissed rap as a lesser music form before, but I've also recognized rap brilliance in various examples over the years. Notorious B.I.G. was one in a million. The smoothest of the smooth, and my favorite rapper ever.
One more to go... The Most Bumping Album of All Time: The Chronic.
