The first time I heard “Hypnotize” on the radio, I knew it was gonna be huge. Biggie’s impeccable flow had seemingly improved in the two-plus years since he’d released his debut Ready To Die. Puff Daddy and his Hitmen sampled Herb Alpert’s 1979 disco hit “Rise” in a way that had equal appeal to the… Read More “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
I’ve already talked at length about how awesome The Notorious B.I.G. was as a rapper. “Gimme The Loot” is a prime example of the narrative skills Biggie had. Telling a story via rhyme is damn near a lost art these days. Big excelled at it when even the worst emcees had to be somewhat proficient… Read More “Gimme The Loot” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
When The Notorious B.I.G. blew up at the end of 1994, he wasted no time putting his people on. The Junior M.A.F.I.A. (Masters at Finding Intelligent Attitudes) boasted a bunch of Big’s homies from Bed-Stuy, and their debut album, Conspiracy, hit stores in the summer of ’95, just as their mentor was topping the charts… Read More “Get Money” by Junior M.A.F.I.A. feat. The Notorious B.I.G. (1995/Remix, 1996)
Puffy didn’t invent the remix. Even the idea of reconstructing a song so it was almost completely different from the original and calling it a remix existed before Puffy. However, his re-rub of Bad Boy’s first hit set a couple of precedents and served several purposes. Oh, and it might also be the best hip-hop… Read More “Flava In Ya Ear (remix)” by Craig Mack feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage the Last Boy Scout, LL Cool J & Busta Rhymes (1994)
Upon commercial release, the “motherfucker” was left off of “Come On”’s original title. Although it didn’t officially see the light of day until 2000 (on the Notorious one’s posthumous Born Again CD), the duet between two of NYC’s finest emcees was recorded seven years prior. At the time, Biggie was on the come up, sprinkling the underground… Read More “Come On (Motherfucker)” by The Notorious B.I.G. & Sadat X (1999)
It’s easy to see why “Can I Get Wit’cha” was released posthumously. The playful vibe didn’t fit either of the albums Biggie released during his lifetime. Contrary to his stories of selling dope or living the big life, “Can I Get Wit’cha” is a slice of life song. It’s a hot-ass summer day in Brooklyn, and B.I.G. is looking… Read More “Can I Get Wit’cha?” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1999)
Neneh Cherry deserves more props. She jumped onto the scene with a helluva 1-2 punch of albums. 1989’s Raw Like Sushi positioned Neneh (daughter of jazz great Don Cherry) as a tough-as-nails rapper, singer and social observer. “Buffalo Stance” is as chock full of attitude as any Salt ‘n Pepa record, plus it boasts an… Read More ”Buddy X” by Neneh Cherry (1992)/“Buffalo Stance” by Neneh Cherry (1989)
I was born and raised (mostly) in Brooklyn and yes, I wear that shit like a badge of honor. I’m one of those guys. After a 21 year detour in which I lived on the Lower East Side, the Bronx (twice), Queens, Harlem, Jersey City and Boston, I’m back in Brooklyn. The borough is significantly… Read More “Brooklyn’s Finest” by Jay-Z (feat. The Notorious B.I.G., 1996)
“Big Poppa” is where Puffy’s genius kicks in. I don’t like the guy, think he’s slimier than every season of Double Dare put together, but the marketing vision that he had for B.I.G. is a big part of what made him (well, both of them) such a superstar. “Rhyme slower,” I can hear Puff murmuring with… Read More “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
Five Star Jamz 