Reviews (page 11 of 14)
I can hear he 's got the flow, but that doesn"t speak to me much
Aggression, homophobia, and misogyny. Musically engaging but not a great message to be blasting out. 2/5
eh not rly my taste
This album definitely had a tangible impact on influencing the later sounds of hip hop 90s and modern hip hop. The beats and rhythms of this album are incredible in some places, however unfortunately this is overshadowed by the blatant misogyny and derogatory acts towards women. Of course, across a wide range of genres and especially in hip hop this is has been the norm and unfortunately still is, however just because it was more accepted or unchallenged at the time doesn’t mean that we should ignore it or try to challenge it nowadays, and if we wish to see change in the way music and the music industry deals with women we should be more critical of lyrical context. An honourable mention is ‘things done changed’ because I liked the beat, it’s just sad hearing such normalised misogyny.
Listening to this album and there's no surprise how biggie died
A gangbanger's poetry, simple-minded thinking all about robbing, killing, stealing, and defending against his enemies, all in poetry with background music, vulgar and attractive to vulgar people
Now I’m not really a gangster rap guy, and find most of the entries of this list (Wu-tang and its various derivatives) actively painful to listen to. Although BIG shares the same predictable themes in his lyrics, there’s something I actually enjoy about his raping style. This album is also far more musically coherent than its peers and borrows from multiple genres to make actual, you know, songs. Biggest problem with this album is the over-use of “interludes”, usually spoken word samples. This album opens with a couple screaming and swearing at each other, and also features the full audio track to Biggie getting noshed off. I really don’t want to hear any of that ever again.
When will there be a full critical evaluation of the full social ramifications of late 80s-mid 90s gangter rap? Was the music just a symptom of society -- or do the music executives who got rich by greenlighting the artists eventually have to reckon with their effects?
Not my type but its okay
Some pretty silly lyrics in here, it was a decent listen but not one im likely to revisit
If you look past the violent and somewhat sexist songs, this isn’t the worst. I like his voice at least.
Just a bit dull. Couldn’t enjoy it despite trying.
what a tedious listen overall for something punctuated by such good hits
Another rap album. It's not my thing but at least I can understand what he/they are saying. Same old gangsta rap lyricus about guns, shooting people and fucking bitches gets old.
Look up the Thomas the Tank Engine mashups of this, those go a lot harder.
A good listen at times and would be higher if not for a lot of the uncomfortable misogynistic lyrics. I acknowledge his influence, but I'll probably not be returning to this one any time soon.
Hmmm
straight men are so gay theyd suck their on dicks if they could two hit wonder
Wow, yesterday MissE, today Notorious... It really takes the fun out of this project. Musically, both are still somewhat tolerable, but I feel deep pity for the people behind them and their extremely limited worldview. Because of that, the lyrics are just repulsive, but I feel so sorry for this guy with his completely messed-up life that I’m still giving it 1.5 stars.
Finns bra inslag, men överlag för töntigt. "Fuck Me (Interlude)" ett lågvattenmärke.
Not for me
idk. i just can't with 1990-205 rap and hip hop
Song after song about how powerful your gun makes you and how little you value the lives of others…willing to kill people for not looking at you right or for having something you want. I thought the misogyny common in this genre was off putting? The violence worship comes off worse. But don’t worry, this album turns to misogyny about 4 songs in. The music might be interesting, the lyrical styling and phrasing impressive, but the content says nothing to me and is simply bullshit. Looking at his life, perhaps there is a moral here. Plus 1 for the creativity. 2/5
Apparently he was quite the condom filler.
Didn't float my boat.
- he does not seem like a very nice person :( - I didn’t vibe with this very much - probably won’t listen through again
Another day, another simulated sex interlude. Highlights: "Gimme the Loot", "Juicy", "Everyday Struggle"
It's well known that this was the only album the artist released during his life, as he was killed just days before releasing his second effort. Unfortunately, it's not a very enjoyable rap album. While his flows are strong, and he has obvious storytelling abilities, he just stays in one mode for the bulk of the album. Even more damningly, that mode is "brag about shooting people and committing violent crimes", which does not make for an enjoyable listen. While I understand(or think I understand as much as I can, being a white teenager from suburban Florida) where it all comes from, I just don't want to hear it. That, ultimately, ruins the album for me, alongside the tedious length. It just gets boring after a while, and it wasn't great to begin with, so it gets a 2.
Two stars, all on the back of a single aong. The rest had nothing to offer me.
4/10 Musically, this album could push towards a 7 or 8, but the rancid nature of some of the lyrics really leaves a sour taste
I like some Biggie, but not all Biggie. This album is really hit and miss for me. Not to mention that lyrically, it's not aged super well. It's pretty misogynistic and the sexualized content is pretty gross. Plus, I really don't like skits, and I really don't like how many skits are on this album. I get that skits are done to make an album feel like an audio "movie" or act as a palette cleanser between songs. They give people a glimpse of the rapper's life and environment outside of lyrics and beats. Sort of a chance to show their personality and sense of humor. So I can get why skits exist but I also just don't like them. 2.5 rounded down
I'm rap curious, I'd say, at best. I don't think I am an authority on rap. I like what I like. This record feels lazy to me but maybe that's the point, I don't know. Anyway, I'm learning to save my 1's for Kid Rock tier garbage. BIG isn't on that tier but I just simply don't care for it, don't find it compelling.
Фигня
Oh sh*t, here we go again…. Violence, misogyny, excessive vulgarity once again ruins an otherwise great album. Just 3 days ago, I had to listen to NWA’s Straight Outta Compton. I loved it, except for everything listed above. Same thing here. Only this time, I won’t put myself through it all the way through. I liked NWA enough to suffer, but not Biggie, sorry. I read the reviews and can safely say I’m surprised at how well this was received and lauded for the lyrical content. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Bob Dylan and other great songwriters. I don’t get it. 2 stars.
5/10 - Biggie is one hip-hops greatest talents. His voice is iconic, his flow is effortless and smooth, his ability to change his flow is unmatched. His sampling is excellent. His rhyming and his ability to play off words is genius. He would be on my personal Mt. Rushmore of rappers based off of ability alone. That being said, this album has not aged well. The skits detract from the album, its run time is too long, and the mysoginy/homophobia/violence doesn’t further a story or morale (think GKMC). There are some hits here, but too much of the album is unpalatable. I would save a handful of songs and not come back.
The hip hop is not know from me, but the album sound great
Some head nodding here. Some head shaking at some of the lyrics. Poor women. They've had it so bad in hip hop. It's hard to just shake it off and carry on nodding my head.
Another gangsta album from Biggy
It has a lot of personality. I already knew some of the songs, but none of them made me want to save them to listen to later. Personally, I didn’t like it that much. 4/10.
Some good tracks, but a lot of filler. Would be better for being half the length. And lyrically, not my cup of tea at all.
It’s not for me but I do quite like his voice/rhythm… some of it is great and some of it is unlistenable
Good enough album, too long maybe? Two stars.
I hate rap skits so much. Like it becomes impossible for me to tell if the album is actually good or not. Overall I did think this was really thematically and musically repetitive.
Gross and forgettable.
I agree to a lot of the existing reviews I read. This album didn’t age well and while I can still acknowledge Biggies legacy I found the lyrics very disturbing. Also in 2026 I can’t ignore his close relationship to Diddy which leaves at least a weird feeling. I stick to my rap queens of this time Lil Kim, Queen Latifah, Foxy Brown, Missy Elliott….
Some of the tracks are OK, but overall not something I would listen to again.
There’s a lot here that passes me by. And then there are a few tracks like Juicy, which are fantastic. Overall, it feels so bloated at 76 minutes long though.
Nn
It’s angry and raw but stylistically unimpressive
My usual gangsta rap review: love the beats and flow but can't get past the language and violence, which I know is not meant for me.
The beats are ok on this, pretty much what I'd expect - they roll along nicely. But do I really need to know that he had the "cleanest, meanest penis"? It's pretty laughable that the only thing I heard that they censored was where he said that he'd kill a pregnant woman and they censor the word "pregnant". Woah, step too far there boys. Wouldn't want to be too unpleasant. Also, who ever told Diddy that he could rap, he's so bad. When Method Man comes along, he's a cut above. Even if it still is gun loving nonsense. Skits are, as always, painfully embarrassing. And it's so long. Oo-er missus.
the misogyny really got to me. this lyrically doesn’t age well. beats and samples are cool, but i would not revisit this as a whole album.
Good flow and beats, but the lyrics make me cringe. The misogyny and sex is very hard to listen to.
Not too sure.
Hadn’t listened to it ever, P diddy on the tracks made me cringe, gangsta lyrics…Juicy was the only banger on effort
Plus 1 star for Good Times sample
I do not like gangster rap.
Gangsta' rap is not a genre I have any interest in. Not a fan of the non-stop cursing (it should be seasoning, not the main dish), slurs, misogyny, excessive violence, braggadocios machismo ('affectation' is a word that comes to mind). I appreciate a few of these tracks,"Everyday Struggle" and "Things Done Changed" for example, but not enough to listen to them for enjoyment. This just isn't for me and that's ok.
Another long album of my least favorite music, yayyyyy. This album was trying to tell a story I think, but there wasn't much to it. The interlude made me feel uncomfortable and I just wanted this album to be over as fast as possible. No matter how much this generator makes me listen to this genre, I will never like it. Every time the music dropped and there was some kind of talking it just made me want to stop listening more and more.
This one is tough because I feel it has a lot of ups and downs. Overall I could see myself listening to some of the tracks again and coming back to this project.
1. Intro: Okay wow, this is cool, this is so interesting, i kind of dig it. 2. Really catchy, but once again, maybe not really my thing. The first album if have to read the lyrics along with listening to the song. The lyrics are interesting. 3. UGGGH IM SORRYYYY, it started off good but i get bored easily SUE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. All the songs just sound the same I DONT KNOWWWWWWWWW. Gangsta rap just isn't my thing either. 4. Just not a very discernible melody I KNOWWWWW THAT'S THE GENRE IM NOT SAYING IT'S WRONG, it really just doesn't reach me. 5. Yeah every single song sounds exactly the same just with different lyrics. Sorry. Gets a 2 for the cool intro.
So does it biggie’s rapping flow? Yes. Is this tough to listen to also yes. Some of the over top sec stuff is just juvenile and misogynistic. I’d call this just ok. I like some hip hop but this isn’t really it for me. “Big poppa” is my fave.
Escuche solo algunos, me falta el disco completo
Some catchy tunes, and he’s a really talented rapper. But I just couldn’t get past all the terrible skits and misogyny.
Every song sounds the same. Good flow, production and beats, but god the lyrics are horrible to listen to. This whole album is a relic of its time, and I don’t think it translates well 30 years later, unless it gives a sense of nostalgia to the listener. Really just wanted it to be over after about 20 minutes. 2/5
I really respect his delivery and a lot of the beats but ultimately it’s not for me.
Not my thing
Jeugdherinneringen, maar niet mijn ding
its giving hamilton - IT INSPIRED HAMILTON I WAS RIGHT
that interlude was...quite interesting... But I lowkey kinda vibed to this album (not sure why is everything is blocked from listening to though) So far, juicy is my favourite, but that might just be because there's a direct reference to it in Hamilton. Overall, I don't think this album was for me. I liked some of the songs and the beats were kind of a vibe, but it's probably something I wouldn't listen to again
Close to a 3 but some of the interlude-ish bits dropped it
the lyrics and the sex cmon
Not my style
The thing about this project is that you’ll be going through the worst phase of your life and you’ll still have to listen to shit like this. (I’m kind of joking, I know this is optional and self-imposed torture.)
I like the flow on this album. The beats are undoubtedly catchy, but I just felt lyrically it was a bit lacking. There are just some lines that really didn't age well. I could look past that, perhaps, but then we get into the skits. I just do NOT like the skits in any of these old school rap albums. I still think there were good aspects to this album. It's just not one I can picture myself ever coming back to.
Ok groove and enjoyed the samples. Rapping was good but the lyrics were... well I could not relate to them. Also I think the album was too long. Best song was Suicidal Thoughts.
Even Biggie’s accomplishment can’t save this collection of 90s rap and sex skits.
Du rap
Fun times. Don’t know if I ever listened all the way thru. Btw don’t listen with your daughters in the car. Yikes. As mentioned by everyone else, Lyrics and “sounds” don’t hold up to today’s standards of respect.
Not really a rap fan. This was just ok for me.
“I got the cleanest, meanest, penis”. Actually made me laugh. This honestly felt like an album glorifying this man’s dick.
Who cares? It's not interesting. Over an hour of music with 2 decent songs.
Not a hip-hop buff, but worth the listen. I found it pretty repetitive (especially lyrically). I guess this may have been pretty provocative, but I found it kind of boring.
It was lowkey a bop but honestly I can't even believe I listened to this, basically just about shooting people down on top of some ridiculously uncomfortable theming that had me turning it off midway through
would have liked this album much more if the lyrics weren't so offensive. many songs in this album made me feel sick to my stomach. ignoring all the lyrics, the instrumentals and beat was good, but because of how offensive this is, I cant give it higher than a 2. 3/10
Interesting lyrics and music. Hard to get past the mysoginism.
His voice is good, his flow is good but as a non American this is so off my social understanding, I enjoy hip hop but don’t get the gangsta rap side of things, and I just wanted to skip tracks ( I didn’t as l am trying to do this list completely). But the ego big man shit wore thin after about 1 and a half tracks. And it takes on a whole darker tone and meaning with the P- diddy allegations. I have now heard a whole album of biggie instead of just hearing of him, musically I couldn’t get around the content, not in any way prudish but it just came over as grim, shitty and nasty, sorry but it was a stretch 2 Star cause he has talent and influencial but I a don't have hood fantasy so not my thing unfortunately.
It pumps you up, but emotionally it doesn’t always go anywhere new. After a while it starts to feel the same on repeat. Respect it, not emotionally attached.
I get nothing from lyrics but I suspect a bit of misoginy
Cooooool!
I’m definitely not the target demographic for this album, but it just wasn’t for me. Can appreciate it as a classic for rap music, but I would not revisit. The famous songs are great and famous for a reason, otherwise very bloated album with unnecessary interludes. Top Songs: Big Poppa, Juicy, Respect, Just Playing (Dreams)
Respect to the art and the genre! Diddy producing this makes me feel icky about the sex and blowjob interludes.
Man, if I want to be yelled at I’ll call my ex.
I can appreciate that this is a landmark record, but it's lacking musically. A hooky chorus would have been nice; even Juicy's isn't great. Some great story telling despite all the sexual objectification.
Musically good, awful skits and lyrics
not for me
eu já gostei mais de big, mas acho que nunca tinha escutado o álbum completo, só músicas soltas. entendo a importância do álbum pra cena, mas acho que não sou o público alvo.
I can recognize the impact of this. I feel like he would’ve been a fan of Doechii today. That said, it’s not for me. My favorite track was Juicy, and the back half of the album was more interesting to me than the front.
Just not my cup of tea. I’m sure it’s someone’s.
Niet voor mij
Too much rated
Voor mij veel te grof en heftig. Snap dat dit echt een ding kan zijn. Maar niet voor mij. Al zijn sommige beats wel vet.
The hits are fun, but rest of the album was meh
I liked the sampling but there was very little else I liked about this album. I only managed one listen and didn't feel inclined to listen too closely to the lyrics. Macho and quite possibly misogynistic. Musically this is not my thing at all but if it's made it to this list perhaps it is a very good example of this type of stuff.
not that bad
Muy sin mas, tiene canciones chulas y concoidas, pero que una cancion sola sea una escena de sexo no me incita mucho la verdad. Alguna se salva, pero no tiene pinta de ser el album que escucharia completo otra vez
Je trippe pas trop, ça sonne quand même cool, mais that's it.
this is on me because i go to music for the instrumentals more than the lyrics which is way less of the focus here. big poppa still hits tho
Like the fact there is a story line, but this is still not to my taste.
Ok. Not my thing
An accessible East Coast debut. Decent story-telling, but I found the beats repetitive and I don't feel that it was breaking new ground considering Dre's The Chronic and Wu Tang's 36 Chambers preceded this.
not my vibe.
The definitive collection of East Coast Gansta Rap cliches.
GOING IN: No strong feelings LISTENED WHILE: While working FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Once was plenty DISCOVERY CURVE: Still waiting ALBUM ARC: Solid all the way VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Toe tapping situation FAVOURITE TRACK: -- My Rating: 2 APPRECIATE: Beats. The brutal honesty and vulnerability of his lyrics about gang life and growing up poor. Some lyrics I applaud, and the way he delivered them was another level. PROBLEMATIC: The graphic depictions of violence, drug dealing, and casual misogyny. Sean Combs.
Ugh
He has a smooth style, but too repetitive and lyrically limited for my enjoyment.
OK, got the message: you're a tough guy and gots bitches. Anything else? Not really. I can empathize with the tragic life story, and there's some talent but this just feels like the same message over and over. This is rage and fear and misogyny and uncomfortable. Big Poppa wasn't bad and made me hopeful that the album was taking a turn for the better, and it was followed by Respect which was different and interesting... until the gratuitous ending when the album descended back into the original message.
I'm ready to die too, Biggie.
Overall Rating - 2.30/5 (4.61/10). One of the things I rate on, in genera that I don't usually listen to, is "How relatable or accessible is the album?" Much of this album is not relatable, but the tracks that are are superb. Biggie has taken the time and effort to master his craft, and I respect that.
There’s one or two good songs here. I feel like it’s massively overhyped. Also, we get it, he gets laid, no need to make a porno in between several songs.
Andre 3000 says the art of storytelling is to tell it like it is, then tell it how it could be. Biggie and his beats producer do a bang-up job at telling it how it is, but they don't never tell it how it could be which means this album is dinged down. Also, the interludes are terrible and the album is too long. Now we are down to a 2.5 and might as well round down at this point.
This was pretty timely. I just finished a book that mentioned him. Not my thing though. Seems to have a pretty limited vocabulary
Not my cup of tea at all, but I can see how it's lauded by fans of the genre...
Seems the hip hop albums always hit me back to back. I had a stretch of like 2 weeks in the summer where every other album was a hip hop album and now this is the third hip hop album I've had in the past week. For the first half of Ready to Die, I was actually enjoying it a lot more than expected. Still full of tired gangsta rap tropes I can't stand and can't relate to (questionable views on women, violence, overuse of the n-word, absolutely terrible interludes, etc.), but it sure is smooth and the Notorious BIG was a great rapper. Unfortunately, it really wore out its welcome for me. By the time "Me and My Bitch" came on I was so tired of this album and I just wanted it to end.
Gangster rap is not for me.
Hackneyed
A lot of swearing doesn't make a good album unless you are 12. While done of the beats are good the rapping is just ok. Maybe gangsta rap isn't my thing but no idea why this is considered a classic.
I know this is listed as one of the top 100 albums of all time, but just not for me. The rhyming is good, as are the beats but I just can't get past the misogyny, violence and general vulgarity.
2.5 stars. I would easily give it three if it wasn’t for those horrible skits in between, the pornography really affected the flow of the music and his flow is great as were his samples and beats.
Not a big rap fan anyway, I see why this is popular and I like the beats but all the talk of drugs bitches and guns it’s just not for me. I don’t want to hear a coerced sloppy beej on an album. Big Poppa do be a jam though.
The beats and flow are really good and album's production is also great. The lyrics, however is very dated and revolves around violence, misogyny, drugs, it's horrible to listen to it especially as a woman. I give this two stars for the music itself, but if I consider the lyrics this really should get only one star.
I want it to be that I don't like hip-hop, but as great as the catchy pop tunes are, the misogyny, the lack of humanity and baloney sandwich rags-to-riches stuff is a bore. "aspirational" hip hop I've been told is the term, but yawn.
Meh. I don't know. Something about this. I really didn't care for it.
Day 5: Best tracks: Everyday Struggle, Big Poppa, Juicy, Suicidal Thoughts A few permanent skips for me (One More Chance, Fuck Me (Interlude), Respect). The skits are beyond intrusive. Biggie had flow, but Diddy's vocals in the background appear on too many tracks for me to give anything greater than a 5/10.
Really hated the skits in this. I usually tolerate them in rap albums but I skipped or fast forwarded through most of the ones on this album.
Una vez más, como casi siempre me pasa con los álbums de rap de la vieja escuela: Los beats me aburren. No considero que suene mal, o que los beats sean malos. Simplemente me resulta demasiado monotono. El foco termina estando en el rap en lugar de la producción musical de manera íntegra. Considerando además que las letras en este caso resultan misóginas y recaen los muchos clichés de competencias machistas. Además los temas y el álbum en su totalidad son largos. Si acaso el tiempo de escucha fuese más corto tal vez se apreciaría mejor. "Juicy" y "Big Poppa" son dos canciones a resaltar positivamente, con mucho groove y samples memorables.
A lot of the songs were generic and similar.
The beats are thumping and the bars have flow. But the misogyny is overboard and the subject matter is dark, depressing and borderline frightening. He had talent but this was unpleasant. Doesn't help that Diddy played a huge role in this album and well, he's a rather unsavoury character.
Biggie has amazing rap skills, just not a fan of the genre (and the content) Tracks to Track: Big Poppa
Ikke min favoritt av 90-talls-klassikerne.
While acknowledging its status as a highly regarded historical and cultural touchstone for hip-hop, I found "Ready to Die" difficult to engage with. Its' seventeen tracks, and nearly 70-minute runtime, felt excessive, and the overall musical experience, while competent, became monotonous. Ultimately, the album's vocal delivery, grim subject matter and lyrical content were simply not to my taste. Two stars. 1 "Intro" (2/5) 2 "Things Done Changed" (2/5) 3 "Gimme the Loot" (2/5) 4 "Machine Gun Funk" (3/5) 5 "Warning" (3/5) 6 "Ready to Die" (2/5) 7 "One More Chance" (2/5) 8 "#!*@ Me (Interlude)" (1/5) 9 "The What" (featuring Method Man) (2/5) 10 "Juicy" (2/5) 11 "Everyday Struggle" (2/5) 12 "Me & My Bitch" (1/5) 13 "Big Poppa" (3/5) 14 "Respect" (1/5) 15 "Friend of Mine" (2/5) 16 "Unbelievable" (2/5) 17 "Suicidal Thoughts" (2/5) Total - 34 Average - 2.00 127/1001 68/127 albums reviewed were new to me.
The best thing this challenge has done for me is get me into liking rap and hip hop, and I understand that this is one of those rap albums you have to like but I found it largely boring. It was ok I guess but not what I like to hear in rap. It does things right it just isn’t for me
Biggie is so damn convincing and charismatic, if I have one qualm it’s having met impressionable young men who took this as license to be thugs. They were gonna find that green light somewhere, that ain’t Biggie’s fault, but much like Scorsese’s gangsterland films, there’s the trade-off of depicting the highs as SO HIGH and the lows kinda tucked away - the parts you come back for over and over are not the lows. Somehow Biggie’s fate makes this even more appealing for a certain sort. Anyhow I’d kinda been done with the gangsta rap several years before Ready to Die hit the zeitgeist, so I’ve always appreciated Biggie from a remove. Undeniable storytelling chops, delivery, flow, timing, etc. But wow, what a long album! I get the financial incentive here probably demanded packing this to the 70+ minute max CDs could afford but daaaamn. So many skips! And that jackass Combs popping up here and there to do what, guest vocal? Miss me with that shit. Cut this down to a 35 minute collection and it’s a classic 5 stars, but with the bloat and Combs, I just can’t get there.
OK. 2/5
Meh. While I’m sure this was significant for some it did nothing for me. It was too long, and nothing stood out that I would want to replay again.
Rap/Hip-Hop is not usually my area but... I enjoyed the beats and sample choices, there was a smooth groove to each track and the vocal delivery was deliberate, confident and purposeful. Not really directed solely at this album but I do find continuous swearing becomes a little tiresome. The lyrical themes are also limited; at one point there is a line about being stereotyped, which is buried in an album that constantly talks about drugs, guns and treating women poorly. This lost the album a couple of stars. And who wants to listen to slurping sex noises? Yes, I know, I don't understand the genre, but this stuff drags down the album.
Really misogynistic and creepy. Talented rapper but I felt very uncomfortable with a lot of the songs.
Bleh. It's gray and rainy today and I was hoping for music to match the weather. Oh well.....off to work I go. It's fine for mid-90s rap; I've just heard too much of it lately. 2.5/5
Ahhh more songs about committing crimes and dicking chicks down. Biggie's probably my favorite of the rappers of the era, but Jesus Christ some of these tracks are so stupid. The album is ok, not my type of thing. I dont hate it but I don't love it. Although I like Biggies style, I really didnt click with any of this album. Maybe one or two of the songs really drew me in, but I lot of it didn't hit. Standouts are "Big Poppa" and "Respect." Gotta give this one a 2, it was below average for me. I don't really want to revisit any of it.
1. Intro - 1.5 2. Things -1.5 3. Loot - 2 4.funk-1 5. Warning - 1.5 6. Ready - 1.5 7. Chance - 1 8. Fuck - 0 9. What - 1 10. Juicy -2 11. Struggle -1 12. Bitch -0 13. Poppa - 2.5 14. Respect -1 15. Friend -1.5 16. Unbelievable -1 17. Suicidal - 0 18. Shot - 1 19. Playing - 1.5
3.5/10
Porn CD with a few musical interludes. At least it was entertaining
I'm just accepting of the fact that rap/hip-hop by and large isn't my thing. But. This has some truly great production. There's so many sounds and samples and bits and bobs to discover while I'm trying to ignore the spoken word part.
Could never get into biggie. Not my thing. Hilarious BJ cutscene, though.
This one didn’t really change my mind. I appreciate the sampling and his style, but East Coast and gangsta rap just aren’t my thing.
Nope, sorry. Not my genre.
Ok for what I listened too, but couldn’t get through it all. Wouldn’t listen again.
Eh
Good beat but this man had way too much drama in his short life.
a little too raunchy for my taste
# 563 : Ready To Die Ready to Die – Influential, Iconic, and Kind of a Chore Ranked #22 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Albums of All Time? Sure. But for me, it was more like #22 on the “Glad That’s Over” list. I can appreciate the influence, the beats were solid, and Biggie’s flow is undeniable—but I still don’t get rap. The content didn’t connect, and after an hour of the same three words, it started to feel like a lyrical treadmill. Too much violence, too much swearing, and not enough musical variety. It’s edgy, but not in a way that feels artistically useful to me. The title track was the best of the bunch, but even that couldn’t save the rest from being a bit of a slog. Verdict: Two stars… maybe. Glad I listened. Won’t be listening again. If you have to listen to this, look out for: Ready To Die Listened: 08/09/2025
One of the all time greats of the hip hop world with a decidedly ok album. High points are one more chance, juicy and big poppa. However in-between there is a lot of weak production and stop start melodies. Biggie is always great but 2 thirds of the tunes here are dreck.
I get its significance but it does not hold up well. It has a lot of the bad 90s rap staples (unpleasant skits that make this awkward to listen to around others, too long, repetitive) and just doesn’t do it for me. I’ve never been a big biggie fan. Some of it is good, but isn’t a great overall listen and I’m not going back to it
There's no doubt that Biggie was incredibly talented, but the relentless misogyny wasn't cute in the '90s and grates even more now.
Some big hits on there but I can only handle the N word so many times. You know its a gangster rap album when 80% of the lyrics are the N word.
As not a fan of rap I could at least understand what he was saying. It is not that I dislike the concept of rap and this one was rather enjoyable, but I can't listen to things with that many bad words. So, for that reason... 2 stars.
No private session used for Spotify. As typical with this genre, I feel like a eavesdropper as the frequent use of the N word makes me feel uncomfortable that and the misogyny. Not my thang.
I've heard it before and this is a fairly solid album, but not so much to my taste that I'd really feel inclined to listen to it again. HOWEVER there's a couple moments on this album that makes it completely unlistenable... I remember one of them going into it and skipped before it ruined too much for me, but I forgot the second part and :--) jfc. Would've gotten another star but I don't wanna listen to a blow job Best song the one that goes Live for the funk Die for the funk
Misogynistic, violent, homophobic… look, the beats are good as hell and I love a 90s flow. Biggie can rhyme with the best of them, arguably is the best of them and will always be incredibly influential. But lyrically I simply cannot get behind him. I generally am not a fan of Interludes, and this album is no exception. They not only add nothing to the experience, they actively detract from it. If I’m being generous, the album is an interesting study in self-loathing.
not for me
The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die: This shit is boring. Very samey, and frankly there are a lot of just sex sounds that are both uncomfortable and really out of place that take you out of the album. Like not mid song, the song will just be an interlude of sex sounds. The synths are pretty cool but they are very repetitive, and along with some solid samples they are the only thing saving this album from a 1. This just ain't it. Notorious M.I.D. 3/10
Not my thing. Yes, Biggie's rhymes are impressive, but as a woman, I struggle with too many of the lyrics.
Nope
Jeez i thought misogyny, violence but a nice beat. What is this all about and then there was a track anout suicide and it occured to me that this guy hated himself and it all made sense, hope he found some peace.
I Googled "Notorious B.I.G. Freud" and was surprised no-one has written a massive treatise about Biggie's phallic obsession. It sounded good, but the constant disrespect for women did my head in.
Well this is why the parents were up in arms!
I have to admit, this album was actually pretty cool to listen to. Back in the 90s, I never gave it a chance because it was so trendy and commercial, especially with suburban kids who thought they were gangsters. That audience always turned me off, and I was more into other styles of music back then. Revisiting it now, I realized it has really good production and is better than I expected, especially for its time. The album uses a lot of great old samples of funk, jazz, and R&B, which adds a lot of depth. Another pleasant surprise was seeing DJ Premier involved in the production, as I’ve always enjoyed him. Overall, it was a much better experience than I anticipated.
Sigh!
Nie wiem. Niektóre kawałki były całkiem niezłe, ale całość napawała mnie takim niesmakiem. Te sample seksualne, nie tego się spodziewam. Bez nich byłoby 6/10, a tak to obniżam to 4/10, bo nic tej płyty nie ratuje a sporo ją pogrąża.
I quite like his vocal delivery and general (musical) vibes, but the actual content is awful, and the skits are fucking tedious.
This album just made me sad for so many reason. For the difficulty present and beautifully expressed, and also for the horrible treatment of women and over sexualization/devaluation of women. Certainly some incredible talent, but hard to get through the sounds of degradation.
He's no Tupac, is he?
Can see why it's a highly rated album but can't get past the content.
Only really knew lore about Biggie and listened to the singles that made it to a broader audience, so I thought I owed it to the man to listen to this one. Like the intro - hints at the tone and time period and background of the music. The whole album is definitely a vibe - recognized a lot of lyrics from being called out by other rappers. Testament to Biggie, fo sho. Didn't know much about this album before and glad I listened. Still don't feel knowledgable to rate this against the world of rap catalog, but two thumbs up, would recommend.
One of the most overrated rap albums ever. Too long, raps about the same thing over and over, and just felt unnecessary to me. There's bops but they only go so far. Many better rap albums in the 90s.
Entendo que é um álbum bastante sincero no estilo de vida do Big Small, fiquei chocado com algumas músicas (sexo explícito, misoginia, crimes), mesmo assim embora com seu valor, tenho a sensação que envelheceu muito mal. Suicidal Thoughts é sufocante.
I know it's iconic and Biggie was an incredible rapper, but I'm just not a big fan of 90s gangsta rap and couldn't listen to it all.
For me the topics in the lyrics a just gets kinda lame. It’s not done with a bit of humour and just comes off weird. Beats are worse than Dre
Not for me.
Not really my kind of thing...
Not bad, but not great.
Too long- lessens the impact
WAARSCHUWING Luister dit album NIET in de auto. Ik luisterde Warning toen ik aan het invoegen was op de snelweg en dacht dat mn auto een meltdown had. Zieke paniek voor een paar seconden :0 De rest van het album was wel tof om in de auto te luisteren. Voelde me helemaal gangster
Beyond standouts “Juicy” and “Big Poppa”, this was little to write home about.
I think I heard more n-words during this album listen than I've heard in the last year. And I was not expecting the extended Biggie having a shag skit. The rampant misogyny was less surprising. It's not like I automatically rule out sexist lyricism (Sublime were hardly angels and I love them) but the music has to be good and it was all a bit meh for me. This style of hip hop not my thing.
Hiphop is definitely not my genre. it’s a good album, but form me is not an easy listening. however, my 15 yo son loves me even more when he realized that I was listening this album.
I know big papa cuz who doesn’t buy the rest if the songs were mid I wouldn’t listen to this again
Kinda boring never been the biggest fan of 80s-90s rap but Big Poppa still goes hard
I find it all a little dour, repetitive and silly. How many times can you talk about killing people. Did you actually kill anybody? I guess I don’t really care.
Listening to some backlog on the flight home for my 24 hour trip to Columbus Ohio. This has to be one of the horniest albums o this list. Every song is like some new description of mostly the same thing, over mostly the same beat. Friend of Mine was the first song that stood out for doing something a little different sample and beat wise.
Dude .....this was not good. Man's was huffing and puffing over the beats and I damn near thanked God when the hits came on. Saying you'll have sex with Raven Symone when she was like 10 at the time is actually insane by the way. Like I dont care what anyone says that line was nuts fjdhfhjfjf
Вроде и качает, но это фак фак фак надоедает.
Habe um ehrlich zu sein mehr erwartet. Fand es eher eintönig und lang, hat mich nicht überzeugen können.
I see why it was popular at the time of release. Hasn’t aged well and a lot of the skits and lengthy song intros aren’t necessary
Kind of tired of albums with interludes of women having sex.
Heavy (but interesting) lyrics, however the skits take away from it and only a couple standout tracks.
I am really not a fan of this genre. I don't care for the vocal style or lyrical content, but this album does have some interesting instrumentation. I recognized the track Big Poppa so that got some cross-genre exposure. I wouldn't listen again.
A bunch of this sounds great, the beats are good, his voice is quite nice, I appreciate that he may have come up with a new approach to lyrics etc etc... but as soon as I concentrate enough to listen to what he's saying he just sounds like a bit of a knob. I'm sure it's a bit witty and introspective, but it's still fairly misogynistic and glamour uses a lifestyle which is pretty lame. At least 2 tracks have essentially sex recordings (I never really know why people like listening to that halfway through an album). I'm not really into skits, they come across as pretty naff and I spend most of them time imagining these gangster rappers in the studio doing stupid little skits and I can't take any of it seriously. Again, it all sounds great, if i just let it wash over me I quite like it. But when I actually listen I enjoy it a bit less.
Just too much for me and I couldn't get through it. Especially given Sean Comb's involvement and what happened to B.I.G. not long after this album. I'm not one who can objectively approach this album and speak of its merits. Grueling, torturous listen for me
Quite good!
Might have been shocking and innovative in its time but comes across a bit try hard now
2.5
This wasn’t as hard going as I expected and some of the tracks with more developed background beats were okay to listen to. However, I am just not a fan of the genre and all that comes with it. Some of the intro/outtro’s with the sex stuff were just a bit gross to listen to rather than funny.
This rap is undeniably excellent—it's incredibly well-crafted and executed. However, I find myself struggling to connect with it. My appreciation for the intricacies of rap just isn't there. I’d be intrigued to discover if there’s even better rapping out there. Perhaps if someone took this brilliance and created a pop version that simplified and diluted it, I might find enjoyment in it. Unfortunately, my listening of rap are closer to 'Girls Aloud' level as a comparison. BIG I am sorry I am too musically weak to appreciate this. The only respect I can give is listening to your album in full!
Es hesch halt huere de Rage-Rap. Wenni halt Hip-Hop lose de lieber öppis fredlechs. Gwössi lieder hend zwar scho öppis, aber anderi frogt mer sech was sech dä Typ bi dene dänkt hed dass är sie is Albom do hed.
I'm biased when it comes to evaluating albums like this, I find it a bit tiring when it comes to beats and rap.
All the rappers I like love BIG but I just didn’t enjoy it
2.5
It seems to me the biggest grip about this album is the skits, which for the most part fit the theme of the album. Usually when I don't like skits are when there needless (often humorous) bumpers between song. The only two sketches I really could gripa about was the sex moan one and the slurpy smooch one. Most of the rest fit the theme of hyper violence and street life. Which brings me to what I didn't like about this album, and that is the message and overall tone of the album. I get that this album is not for me it's not for my demographics or my personal outlook on life. Taking that in consideration this is actually a better album than probably the rating I'm going to give it just because I do not enjoy the feeling it gives me. And my and mine comfortableness listening to this is probably kind of the point because it's not written for people like me. I am actually glad I gave it a good listen over and ingested what it had to say, but I can't find myself revisiting this as something I would want to rehash over and over. Must hear before I die? Sure... I'll give it that. Is it something I like or enjoy that I do not. 4.7 ★★
Rhythmically interesting and good for running! I only really enjoyed a couple of songs though - Juicy and Respect. Won’t be coming back to this one.
way, way, way, way too long, but also has some really good bits, and there's a lot of things on here I realize have been referenced a whole lot. I feel like it deserves a relisten from me but I simply do not have the patience.
Bloated song lengths, oversexualised, obsessed with violence and pointless intro and interlude skits; as per usual I find east coast hip hop and gangsta rap to suffer the same ills. When I find a track I like, I can enjoy it very well, but most stuff on here that just washed over me. Flow is great as is the rhyming around vowel sounds, just the lyrical content turns me off so badly.
While contemporaries were rapping about social issues and racism, Biggie goes a very different direction.
Don't really care for stuff that is all about sex, drugs, & murder.
2.7
Never heard any of the songs before, but at the same time I've heard a great portion of it sampled/quoted Not for me. The best parts were Fuck Me (Interlude) (Hilarious) and the chorus in Respect
Guess west coast is just better
Did not age well at all.
fav song one more chance juicy
I am not in a mood to rationalize misogyny today, so I just listened to a couple of tracks so I can confidently agree that his rapping is indeed deft and I don't need to hear the rest.
The worst album I heard so far here. So, it wasn't terrible, it wasn't good either. Some instrumentals were enjoyable but I am not really into rap and hip hop so vocally it wasn't really my thing. And of course the super cheesy lyrics that can be really offputting at times. I still enjoyed some moments but overall, this album is too long for its level.
I can see why they call him the biggest rapper of all time. His rhythm and style are much more to my liking than many other "big" rappers. But then there are the lyrics and the nonsensical interludes.
Considering the cult status I was kinda disappointed, I didn't expect there to be that much sex
Ok. Never liked this when it came out. “Things done changed” is super monotonous. Meaning it’s just the same loop and no variation of pitch. I’m going to try, but not sure if I will make it through. Gimme the loot is better. More variance on pitch for me. I didn’t realize how simplified the looping was for this album at the time. Listening now I can articulate what I don’t like. “Machine gun funk” is my favorite so far. This album definitely gets better as it goes, but it’s still not for me.
While I have a deep appreciation for east coast rap from this era, Biggie Smalls has just never quite resonated with me. A lot of his tracks seem to lack the memorable hooks that made other artists’ albums from that time stand out. Plus, the lyrical content leans a bit too heavily into that “bitches come and bitches go” kind of vibe—which, honestly, just doesn’t do it for me. Of course there are few songs with deeper lyrics as well, but not enough.
Pre-listening thoughts: I like a few of Biggie’s really popular songs so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy this 🙏 Post/during listening thoughts: hmm… so Biggie is really talented but I agree with some of the reviews where they say the skits and interludes really tank this. They are so gross most of the time 😭 And there’s quite a bit of misogyny here. Also this is so long. Idk man. Wanted to like this more than I did. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Ready To Die, Everyday Struggle, Big Poppa Least fav tracks: One More Chance, Me and my Bitch, Respect
Would I listen again? No Some good tunes, but not for me overall
Dick and gun lyrics. Cool for 13-year-old boys. Lame and stupid for everyone else.
There are some undoubtedly infectious grooves and boogie-able production on this album, but I struggle to listen to this album beyond the skin-deep perspective of the sonics alone. The violent themes is one thing, but what really leaves a sour taste for me is the fingerprints of Diddy/P Diddy/Puff Daddy (you get the point) being all over the album. Just hasn’t aged well at all in that regard, let alone with regards to some wider themes.
It get's redundant really fast and then seems to never end. The interludes become maddening as the album progresses as well. There are a few good tracks but buried under the sheer weight.
Track after track of the same thing. I’ll give it credit for being something interesting and new and maybe pushing boundaries at the time maybe but it doesn’t hold my attention now.
Für mich ein typisches RAP-Album, nichts was mich begeistert. 2/5
The skits and sex noises are too much for my sensitive soul. I can’t get past the misogynistic lyrics either.
Love When You Call Me Big Poppa is the only song I like and it's been a favorite for years.
This album seemed to never end. Not my thing.
Just wasn’t feeling this.
Musically it's aged well but the misogyny and glsmourisation of crime I had a problem with.
280/1001
Inte riktigt min grej. Två
Seems pretty generic to e
Sigo sin ser muy fan del rap americano
Man idk…
God damn dude. Your DEBUT album is an hour and ten? Too violent, it's bringing me down. Sorry about whatever happened that made you feel like you had to be this way. Gangster violence is always going to be entertaining to some people. Like horror films, I'm not into it. This album is unrelenting in it's violence: I'm not going to try to stop anyone else from listening to it, it's well made (I'm sure, not an expert, critics like it apparently), and there's a lot of cleverness and rhythm in the "poetry." But the subject matter is not subtle, not all that artistic. Pretty sure gangster rap did NOT solve the problems the rappers were complaining about.
Repetitive, sort of drones on. Skits are cringe.
Ja. Hörbar.
It has like two good songs over 75 minutes. And even those songs are just okay.
Nice beats, weird skits
2 out of 5. Having listened to this for the first time I can see why Biggie's music is so highly regarded. It was mostly the skits that killed it for me.
Good beats and a good flow. I can understand how this was incredibly influential. But I completely fail to connect with it due to the infantile skits and lyrics.
Beyond the hits, I found it repetitive. He does have immaculate flow though.
Early 90’s hip hop - at the time I thought it was cool as fuck but old me cringes at an awful lot of it.
Juicy always hits
Hip-hop soez. Un 2.
Second half 👌🏻
Big Poppa is a classic, but the entire album feels quite aggressive and I'm not very into rap in general.
Aged like milk.
This was never for me. There's some fun melodies, and good production, but I struggle to find much else here. It's not saying anything interesting, and it's not saying it in an entertaining way either. It's self indulgent, like a lot of this style rap is. I'll take this opportunity to repeat a firmly held belief that talky skits in albums add nothing and are just annoyances to get past. Also, I have a bigger TV than Biggie was bragging about in '94, which did make me chuckle that it took me so long to catch up.
Awful. Just awful.
I probably could benefit from a second listen to really judge this, but I also don’t particularly feel like it. When listening as background noise the thing that caught my attention most was the random sex interlude, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the album
Obviously there are classic hip hop hits on the album. However, the album as a whole fails with the interwoven storytelling that heavily distracts from the actually good tracks. 2/5 for the album, 5/5 for the hits
first six tracks, insomniac, vibing a lot and making my night more vearable, really good storytelling, has a conventional storytelling style but it's not stale so far. Could use less slurs. Also the end of respect grossed me out and made me drop the rating and then the last one fucking killed it for me, disgusting.
kicsit sokallom a hiphopot már, bevallom :D de ez különösen nem tudott lekötni most
This is less misogynistic than Americakka's Most Wanted, which I recently listened to. So it had that going for it. But it also had less memorable lines. Solid album, but I didn't find myself laughing at any puns or just being floored by a rhyme. Probably wouldn't listen again.
Some good tracks. The filler tracks were a bit much. I wish the “uh huh’s”, “uhs”, and “yeahs’s” were uttered less frequently. The worst trend ever. While I do like some of his songs, as a whole, I did not really care for this album. Just mid to me.
Was not as good as I had hoped
Petty and trashy. Not quite as bad as 50 cent.
This was so nasty. Lol. But that one song is good. 🙉
This is a hard one to rate. I'm a relatively new rap fan, and don't have as much knowledge as most of the other genres. Of the artists I do like, it's a lot of Midwest and West Coast, and I can't think of a New York rapper I'm actually a fan of. After listening to this, I'm not really inclined to go further in that direction. The beats just felt kind samey. The lyricism is good, no doubt, but it's just not my style.
Biggie's flow is great, but listening to this oversexed and overstuffed skit-heavy album in its entirety becomes incredibly tiresome and tedious.
Some catchy rhymes, but the misogyny is dating it - can't hear "bitches n hoes" without cringing
The beats were good and some of the songs were good. But the lyrics were quite grim at times. Question: Biggie or Tupac? Answer: Wu tang clan
Lacked variation
Day262 - i wasn’t a fan when this came out and in light of all the puff daddy news coming out in 2024 i don’t think this ages well
Not my bag but see how its good
Rap, blah
Not for me.
He really was ready, wasn't he?
Awful!
I think at one point in my life I would've found Biggie mimicking having loud sex right on the album really funny and awesome. Not anymore. This CD is stupid and crude. It's modestly less unpleasant than the truly awful West Coast stuff I'd gotten earlier.
Depressing album. Even though I did not like it, made me appreciate my life a bit more. Very emotional for the artist who had a difficult upbringing.
This is album that requires listening to on headphones - the extraordinary number of MFPH and the toe curlingly explicit references to sex, violence and drugs make this extremely NSFW. Headphones also show off the dense soundscapes of dialogue, jokes, samples, music and rap. You could almost see this as an elaborate satire of a gangsta whose idea of luxury is being able to afford both Sega and Nintendo at the same time, but Biggie was dead by 24. Sheesh.
I lost count on the m*therfuckers and the gunshots. It might be the best of gangsta rap, but also somehow its worst.
Do you want to hear a guy rave about his prowess with a gun, how big his penis is, and how much money he has? Do you hate women? Would you like to hear the audio of him receiving oral sex? Then this is the album for you. For everyone else? Maybe 3 stars for music and production and one star for lyrical content. We’ll call it a 2.
Some good tracks, did not need the sex skits. When these old hip hop albums come up I don't pay too much attention to the lyrics and judge on vibes only, otherwise a lot of shit would get 1/5. 2* (would be 3 but the sex). Enjoyed: big poppa Worst tracks: fuck me, respect
Didn't get the fuss about it.
Frankly anyone who needs to sing about his dick so much needs to re-evaluate something.
I am pretty tired of hearing about Bies sexual prowess. Big papa is catchy and the reggae influenced song was OK but I did not need to hear this.
Well this started and immediately made me totally uptight and uncomfortable. (so much sweeter hearing Missy Elliott sing about her chocha than this aggressive crap) The canvas clips on Spotify started to give me a headache too. By the time I got to Me and My Bitch I was done. It's still sad that he died promoting this so I'll bump a star.
Of it’s time I guess but didn’t talk to me the way I thought it used to.
Album could’ve used more skits of him fucking. 2.3 stars.