Ready To Die

Just not a big fan of rap though big poppa slaps, the porn interlude not so much

It was ok. Not the greatest hip hop album I've ever heard. Probably won't listen again.

Maybe this is sacrilegious, but I found the beats pretty similar for an album this long. Biggie's voice is hard to understand. I wasn't really a fan.

As far as Gangsta Rap, this one is a pretty good one. Not something I listen to often, but I can appreciate it now. Not so much when it came out, but we all grow. I would still rather listen to Tribe, J5 or Diggable Planets.

Gangster Rap, was will man mehr? Eigentlich nur sprachliche Zurückhaltung, sonst nichts.

Ready to Die I do like Biggie’s flow, but I only really know Juicy, Hypnotise, Mo Money. Interested to hear this, especially in comparison to the Tupac album we had back in May. I really like a lot of the sound and production on this, and the samples are pretty great throughout, a lot of string laden 70s soul, giving the whole thing a warm, lush sound. Good considering it seems to have had about 300 different producers. Intro really resonated with me, it really reminded me of my own journey from birth to adulthood. His rhymes and wordplay are good, and I like the timbre and style of his voice, but the actual words and lyrics on most of it I don’t like. I thought Tupac talked about these same topics and themes more as reportage, laying out the world and situations he found himself in, with a strong element of despair. While they did border on nihilism, I much preferred them to the lyrics on this. It’s not that he is necessarily glorifying violence or gangs, but there is a fair amount of self aggrandizing, eg on Warning. The bragging about his sexual prowess is also quite painful, the words on One More Chance for example are embarrassingly cringe and hard to listen to. The blow job noises at the end of Respect are also awful. That air of misogyny, while pretty pervasive elsewhere in the genre and other music at the time, is also pretty hard to listen to. Juicy is still a great track though. Musically and sonically I really like a lot of the album, but lyrically I really don’t like it. I know the world he grew up in and raps about is so far removed from my own experience that I don’t fee I’ml in a position to really judge it, but it feels like there are lot of other people out there who do talk about this stuff in a more interesting and, from my perspective, a much better way. ⭐⭐ Playlist submission: Juicy

Wow. Is every meme, stereotype and racist slur directed at rap music based on this album? Could be. There's a great amount of talent on here producing a great amount of....well.....junk for me. Is it a rap requirement to include a super-emotional radio-play? Just askin'.... I guess this is good rap, but it definitely ain't my genre. Gangsta Rap? Is that the sub-genre?

Just not my style of music. Can’t get into it.

I'm sure it was unique to its era, but it's hard to get over the fact that almost all the tracks are about the same subjects. Sex, Gang Violence, Drugs, Boasting. I understand they come from a very real place but musically there's little to differentiate most of them. I thought "Suicidal Thoughts" was great. He drops the machismo for a minute and it feels very honest. And "Just Playing" was hilarious. I'm off to Google what the "R&B B*****S" of the era thought of that song...

I’m discovering that ‘classic’ rap is not the genre for me. I get and like some of this. But I can really live without all the ‘bits’, sex noises, posturing and misogyny

Good flow, but misogynistic and the explicit interludes were too much for me...

Good samples, but not a lot of singing. I thought the rapping was about average. Rappers and their fucking skits...

amazing story telling before during and after songs. Not my kind of tea the subject or the Rap. some beat groovy

I can respect the message and imagery that the album conveys about what life was like for Notorious B.I.G. and the kind of experiences he went through. It describes a lot of unsettling themes of what life was like for his community. However, I am not the biggest fan of gangster rap, or rap in general, so the lyrics are not something I was able to connect to. The beats he used were really good though and he a had a pretty good flow with them. Obviously Big Poppa was the stand out song to me, as it seems it is the same for many others.

63 motherfuckers in the first 3 songs.

This album was disappointing. Outside of the "hit" tracks (Give Me the Loot, Juicy, Big Poppa) which are o.k., the tracks were uninteresting or awkward. The interludes were egregious, and the sequencing of the album was missing. The moments that painted this as a concept album were overblown (Intro and Suicidal Thoughts). Not a great listen. 2/5.

Great flow, great beats, some nice ideas. Too much boasting with little substance. I wanted to like this more, but eh..

I just found this a bit boring to be honest 2/5

Long, plate et répétitif. L'album semble être blasé de lui-même à mi-chemin. Je suis 100% pas un fan de rap, mais je reste déçu du Gros Notorieux.

This shit comes off as corny AF thirty years later.

already

Was kinda ok. I don’t love his style. Mainly very much didn’t enjoy the song that was mostly moaning

If you don’t know, now you know

Not a great Biggie album

The guy was clearly talented but not sure what he'd do without curse words, it would only leave 20% of the album

Never listened to Biggie but given his reputation I honestly expected more.

Misathanthropy in one sustained (and jarring) key

I enjoyed a lot about this album. Also, I did not enjoy a lot about this album. Gats and mysogyny pew pew pew

Biggie had some good tunes, I admit Juicy and Big Poppa are iconic tracks. Hypnotize too, but it’s not on this album. Still, I just can’t listen to a whole album of this, I can’t. It’s not for me.

honestly pretty juicy album best songs are gimme the loot, machine gun funk, big poppa (duh), aaaaaand the list ends there said it was juicy when I was 3 songs in little did I know the album would just get bad and stay bad this is not music I like all that much but that doesn’t mean it’s not well made method man should’ve never had a career don’t know if he did because I’m not gonna look him up and risk learning anything meaningful about him but whoever put him on the album try again pal song I hate the most- respect please don’t let this get played within a 1000000 mile radius of my funeral also the end is a blowjob and that’s the best part of the song parting comment I just wanna say that as a song one more chance is very relatable for me

Too trashy for me. I didn't really see the appeal.

To be honest, this album let me down. Based on the description 1001 provided, I was hoping for something that was above the norm for rap. But what I got instead was the same misogyny and narcissism that I've heard from mid-90s rap albums before.

Not my cup of tea

Feels so dated now. Misogyny was more on trend back then…

Too long, embarrassing skits, hasn't aged well. The flow shines through. But holy hell this didn't she well.

Misogynistic, aggressive, nasty, racist shit. Awful music.

Fuck this East Coast bullshit. I’m WEST SIEEEEED 4 Eva. Doggystyle, chronic, Chronic 2001, lethal injection, that’s my shit. 2pac and Biggie was a manufactured rivalry. They were both in drama club! This is all shug knight fake gangsta nonsense. 2 stars for the beats. But fuck biggie and Tupac

pari tosi kovaa biisii, esim. Juicy Kokonaisuutena ei ehkä ihan mun juttu

I don't love 90s rap 😐

#177. I think this guy being considered one of the best must just be the death hype. Ain't no way. This is middling at best. And one of the lines is "you look so good, I'd suck your daddy's dick." Bruh.... what the fuck is that shit? 2/5: the fuck outta here with that shit.

I'm too old for this shit.

Not for me - I didn't listen to a one song all the way through and was never a fan of the whole skit thing.

Not my thing, felt really long and repetitive

Too much slurping put me off

I often feel during my reviews that I end up thinking that the sum is more than the parts for an album, i.e. one gains something form listening to it as a whole. For this album it's the complete opposite. I was looking forward to this album and B.I.G is a seriously skilled rapper. While some song are clearly 5 star material (Juicy, Big Poppa), the skits are horrendous, the album too long and the hype man annoying. The subject matter also gets worn thin during the albums long running time. This is getting a 2 because I would not put this album on. I will however pick the good songs out of the album and listen to it separatly.

Biggie likes sex

I didn't realize how hardcore Biggie was. I thought it was all going to be like pop stuff I associate with Puff Daddy.

"Really though, I got the cleanest, meanest penis" Lyrical genius right there.

I’ll admit that hip hop is not my forte. There’s some that I like and while I can appreciate this it never really grabbed me and it was way too long.

odustajem, ovo sam ocito nije moj zanr

Didn't finish. Like the old school beats. Vocabulary seems to be limited. Narcissistic. Our current culture makes sense in light of this album.

Alright alright, a standout album of its genre, so they say and they're probably not lying, but it's not for me. And that's even before fully paying attention to the lyrics. And, as it turns out, some of the ~sounds. While I like me some beats, my life has no connection to this music's content and I'm extremely cool with that.

I was looking forward to listening to this album but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it. A lot of good songs were ended by over production of sex and unnecessary shit. My favorite song on the album was Respect however again at the end if you decide to not skip after the song ends you have to hear a girl get talked into giving a sloppy BJ.

Something I can never appreciate

The hits on this are iconic. Too bad the skits and everything else is pretty cringe. 2/5

muss ich nicht haben

Not my style but I did like Ready To Die.

Okay, I get it Biggie, you have a gun and you’re not afraid to use it. 2 stars.

Not into gansta rap, all the BITCH, FUCK, NIGGAS, MF, ASS, BLACK STEEL, BIG BOOTY lyrics are not part of my world, I have never been an aggressive man and always hated the alpha males who brag and hit instead of trying to reflect upon themselves. Add that is not the political rap that I do get, go and fight the system like e.g. Public Enemy instead of focusing on your own genitals and how tough you are. So I can try to review the music which is i general nice, good samples, nice rhythms. But it does not work, all this gangsta shit annoys me too much. 2 stars.

notorious b.i.g. should absolutely be part of this list! his ready to die album contains one of his biggest songs, "big poppa," and is a double album that could've been shortened. truth be told, i don't think i've ever heard of a debut double album before! the song "everyday struggle," written by him, is possibly showing him at his most vulnerable but also revealing his frustrated commentary toward society. the songs that included misogyny and/or objectification and/or overt sex noises, well, i could do without those. but continually, the samples chosen for this entire album were by black artists. there were a few exceptions, but there are so many black artists used that notorious b.i.g. must have done this purposefully.

This is undoubtedly an incredibly influential hip-hop album. As someone who isn't even much of a fan of hip-hop and rap music, I recognized a few of these songs or lyrics from these songs that have long-time significance in pop culture. That said, the album just didn't do much for me. Biggie can definitely rap, no doubt about it, but I just didn't find myself really personally appreciating the content.

Laidback flow der minder om G-funk. Mangler hooks der hænger fast og adskiller hvert track fra hinanden. Jeg mangler at blive “trukket” ind af musikken. Voldsomme lyrics der handler om kriminalitet og mord. Den tilbagelænede lyd og ekstreme tekst giver en foruroligende kontrast.

Not for me. Music was good. Can’t relate to lyrics

Man, does this guy talk about his dick a lot.

Good structure, and nice touch in the Intro with the progression of music genre till the HipHop, but I'm not a fan of listening this kind of Rap and less one Full CD.

Ei tosiaan huonointa ysäriräppiä vaan aika hyvää, jonkinlainen raskaus tässä kiehtoo. Toisaalta tosi vähän jäi mieleen paitsi kaikki dick-jutut. Vois muuten olla kolmonen eli hyvä, mutta mieleenpainuvuuden puuttumisen takia pakko antaa vähemmän.

Overhyped? Definitely, but at least I can understand what is being said. Though I almost didn’t get that far because Intro is just god awful. Thankfully, the rest of the album isn’t as stupid as that track but it is rapping about the typical material found on a rap album. Only gets a 2 because I can understand the lyrics.

No es mi estilo

This album made me feel uncomfortable due to content and language. I like some rap but can’t relate to this. I listen to music for enjoyment and didn’t not experience that with this album

I liked it more than I expected to. But that isn’t saying much. I quite like most of the production, solid old school hip hop vibes. It’s very bleak. Any album that has a track where the artist records themselves enacting their own suicide is in a very dark place.

Juicy is a classic but otherwise this album is a bit dated and not totally my taste for rap from this era.

Into - already got me semi stressed I don't do well with hearing arguing lmao Gimmie The Loot goes so hard and kinda makes me laugh a bit but idk why he felt the need to keep the coughing in at the end. did not love that :)

Some classic tunes but a little dated. Just wanted to listen to Nas through most of it.

Not really my interest - but the stories in the lyrics are very compelling.

nah not listening to all of them songs

Ikkje så egna til å hørra på på jobb

Man wippt automatisch mit, nix dolles.

I am probably missing something and hopefully someone will fill me in. Seemed like gun culture, fear and misogyny were the main themes

The skits were horrific. I didn't really enjoy it at all, but a few tracks were kinda cool

He was really good at this on a mechanical level, I just don’t like or relate to the lyrics.

Ну... и? С Big Poppa я ВОООООБЩЕ не протащился. Я не понимаю, как это работает, объясните... у меня не тот цвет кожи? Вот трек Respect - вот это тема; остальное куда-то мимо...

I know Biggie is supposed to be one of the greatest, but he’s too misogynistic and derivative to me. Didn’t compare well with Public Enemy either who preceded this choice.

Unfortunately probably too soon after a Snoop album to hear this one for me - more of the same glorification of gang violence, drugs and misogyny which I totally get is an album its time, but a hard listen with 2023 ears when I have no nostalgia for any of these tracks. I can appreciate his skill, his rap had an incredible flow, but I'd rather not hear him getting blown thanks. Biggest track: Just playing (Dreams)

I can respect the rhyming, and the flow, and the beats, BUT... it's basically the same song over and over with a slightly different sound each time. Every song is "I'm awesome and I'm going to kill everyone". I couldn't get through the whole album because I felt like I was listening to a skipping record.

Whole album not on Spotify. I love hip-hop....but not this style usually so here goes Everyday Struggle is by far the best track. More complex/detailed lyrics Getting bored of gangsta subjects and wording. Not my style of hip-hop/rap. Don't understand how this type of hip-hop/rap had got more popular than the likes of Jurassic 5 or Dilated Peoples, native tongues etc I give up, just don't like subject matter or rather the wording chosen to rap about it. Beats good on the album but lyrics not for me. 2 stars for beats

It's not really for me

Not the worst thing I’ve ever had to listen to, but it was much too long and definitely not my cup of tea. I can kind of understand the appeal, but it just doesn’t do it for me. 2/5

1994, рэп. На 200% слышал gimmie the loot в каких-то сэмплах раньше, но не сам трек. И как будто бы минус из Big Poppa мне знаком. В остальном альбом слушал впервые. Забавно, но флоу и лирика очень напоминают мне кровосток. И это справедливо! Та же гангстерская тема и бредовые фантазии успешных бандитов. Только если кровосток читает в рамках "шальных девяностых" то BIG в реалиях комптона и чёрных районов. Эдакий GTA:SA. Кстати, этих треков там точно не было? Наверное, не было, гта чуть раньше происходит И я уверен, что альбом хорош, но из-за того что это рэп -- плотный поток слов, рифм, сленга -- это мало того что продукт своего времени, так ещё и имеет довольно сильный языковой барьер. Конечно, чекнул genius lyrics, да, текст прикольный. Но тут я поставлю 2/5 -- прослушал и никаких эмоций нет. Едем дальше.

Nearly everything I hate about Rap.

Fuck me (interlude) luisteren op kantoor is niet iets wat ik zou aanraden.

Bit of a slog to get through. Blatant explicit material just really doesn't do it for me

Who Shot Ya? definitely plays different now. The various sex skits plays like a middle schooler with unrestrained access to youtube.

Can appreciate the album for is informed on modern music but hated the way he described women.

Some nice production but everything else is just cliche. The usual ‘ive had it tough but now im loaded’, ‘I’ll kick ya da in’, ‘i think im the shit’ vibes. Along with the repeated use of a word Ill not say. It almost becomes filler on this record. Same pace throughout and doesnt seem to go anywhere at all. Really bland. Pointless.

Never really listened to Biggie before. He's a great rapper, much better than the others in his era, and I think if he mixed up the content a bit id be a fan. Unfortunately this album is gats/drugs/bitches from start to finish and the songs veer from tedious to uncomfortable listening. Think the blowjob skit might have the been worst section of audio on the list so far. Won't come back, it's definitely better than the chronic and when it the flow is on point you can tune out the content for a bit but ultimately I'm not a fan.

The Intro starts the album off with a bang. It was a really cool idea to have sampled songs that influenced Biggie starting the album. There are some great tracks here but the overall package is lesser because it has far too many skits. It's a shame Puffy Daddy/Puffy/P Diddy/Diddy couldn't shut the fuck up and just let the rapping shine. Like previous rap albums of this era it suffers from the same gansta rap problems I had with "The Chronic" and "Doggystyle". The long duration of this album also doesn't help.

Not my thing

It was okay I can see why some people would like it but it’s not my favourite

Not my taste.

Not my jam, but I'm obviously not the targeted audience here. There are unequivocally some good beats on this album, though.

Hard offensive rap

wow who could’ve guessed: a bland 90s rap album! it was fine like most of the others but it was so long that i’m knocking it down a star

Not my genre of music

The album has a handful of above average hip hop tracks, but with 2/3 I wondered why anyone would even consider recording it. The man is full of contempt and obsessed with sex and violence. I'm pretty sure the world became a little better the day he died. Favorite song: things done changed.

i dont really like his swagger and toxic machismo. not unlistenable but pretty close. 2 stars.

Hmm

Beats are boring. I gave up

il m’a saoulee

yeah nah.

Pretty hard to get through. Definitely not my thing.

I can sometimes enjoy a little hip hop in moderation, but I just get tired after a whole album of it. I know this one's a certified classic but it's not for me. The best part of hip hop is the lyrics, and the music often takes a backseat to the words

Good but not my vibe

Great reminder that men who make misogynistic music should be shot <3

Undeniable talent, great tracks and great delivery but I’m not connecting to the lyrical content at all. Skits did nothing but make me feel gross and uncomfortable. Deserves to be listened to, deserves to be on this list, but since I’m rating these based on how likely I am to want to listen to this in the future… 1.5

Some cool bits. Some eh bits. Probably not my jam ultimately.

This was a funny one to gather my thoughts around. Biggie has such a legacy and his skills are clear. Still felt kinda put off by quite a number of tracks and skits, and his reliance on discussing fairly misogynistic content. Great production from Diddy and some staples of classic hip hop, but I couldn’t help but feel a lot of the record was overshadowed by some bars that have not aged well - honestly it’s surprising this aspect would have been well received at the time. Maybe I’m missing something. Two and a half. Fave track: Juicy

The guy’s got great cadence with his rapping and some of the beats are good but it was a bit of a chore to get through. Plus can’t say I’m a fan of the glorification of violence and mysogeny

I like the soul samples

The beats and lyrical flow is good, but the lyrics are so abhorrent, I would never listen to this again.

Meh. As usual, quite cringey.

I’ve never listened to this style of rap before except for big poppa. Not sure what I was going into besides this being a classic I haven’t experienced yet. Some songs really didn’t do it for me but some did. Really surprised with the amount of sounds included.

Alongside other examples of the genre from the same time, this sounds like a parody - the music is repetitive and dull, the lyrics vacuous, and the posturing just designed to appeal to early teenage boys.. As things turned out, the ‘don’t give up the day job’ advice was unnecessary.

Like Ice Cube's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted it has fantastic beats but the lyrics are absolutely not to my taste.

2/5

There are times when all this is ok. It’s kinda typical of rap at the time and nothing really stands out that much. There are also times when it’s excruciatingly painful to get through and I chose to watch the time run down on the track… ‘Another 30 seconds still!?? Waaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!’

Waar was al die fuss over toen Biggie vermoord werd, als hij toch ready to die was? Ik ben overigens niet veel wijzer geworden van deze plaat.

Pretty quickly done with this, some "songs" bring down the whole. Which is a pity as there are some nice ones on it.

I didn't really like this. The songs felt too long and I kept looking thinking it was 5 minutes but it was like 3 minutes. Also, I don't really wanna listen to fake people fucking or getting head. Boring, overall. 2.49/5

Rhymes are really good and I'd give some individual songs higher ratings, but struggled to get through it because of the skits. A lot of the messages didn't age well but can't deny his talent.

Songs missing from Spotify, so only a partial listen. Too explicit for this old man. Biggie could rap though.

Je n'ai pas tellement aimé. Je n'ai pas trouvé ça mélodique, j'avais l'impression que tout était dans la voix et les textes, pas tellement dans les échantillons ni la musique. Les textes plutôt misogynes pour se donner du pouvoir, c'est moyen aussi.

I know Biggie was one of the most influential musicians of the 90s, but man, I really don't like his stuff.

I do find I need to be in a certain mood to listen to old hip hop so perhaps I’m not properly equipped to review this. Left no impact on me, I really do not think this genre warrants an hour and ten minute runtime especially with so little change to the beats. There are singles on this album that I enjoyed like gimme the loot and suicidal thoughts and I’m sure there’s a new appreciation from piercing together the song meanings as it appears to be a very personal record, but I just had no drive to look deeper into this album and found this a real chore to get through. I’ll say a 2 just because I reckon on a different day I would enjoy a lot more.

Ready To Die sadly lacks the deep cuts to justify being remembered as a classic hip hop record. It's pretty shocking that Rolling Stone has this as the number 1 hip hop album of all time. The inability to change subject matter, the awkward flows, the rhymes that occasionally verge on being nursery rhymes and the same damn tempo from tracks 2 to 9 that genuinely make me skip through each song all muddle up into what makes for a really tedious listen. The content of his songs are riddled in excessive violence, homophobia and misogyny. But that's not my issue with Ready to Die. My issue is that the tunes musically and lyrically don't justify the length of this record. An hour and 16 minutes of essentially the same themes being repeated over and over is a complete and utter waste of time. That said, the hits really hit, and completely carry this record to heights that it doesn't really warrant. 'Gimme The Loot', 'Juicy', 'Big Poppa' and 'Who Shot Ya' are era defining tracks of the genre, and are undeniably catchy. They also have the most melodic samples and offer much needed musical diversity in this 19 song track list. 'Suicidal Thoughts' however is the clear highlight of this record. It is a genuine self reflective and extremely dark song that doesn't hold back at all. The almost ad-lib like phone recordings of his friend talking creates this conversational structure that creates a narrative. His friends voice grows from being half-awake, to completely fearful and insistent, as Smalls' rapping continues past each plea to stop and remain calm. An incredible track that I'm glad reached mainstream success. It is still not a good listen overall. 19 tracks is simply too bloated. Every now and then some great tunes pop up that are instantly recognisable and really catchy, but that doesn't occur frequently enough to keep me engaged. I commend Smalls as being a necessary and genre-defining artist, but I don't think he really had the musical prowess to create a truly cohesive and consistent record. I only enjoyed 5 out of 19 tracks, so I can't give it much more than a 2.

This is the first time I've listened to Biggie, somehow it all passed me by. Now all things good and bad lead to the Fabs, somehow, somewhere. Listening to this my mind turned to Revolution No.9, that it is the first real sampling record and my mind turned to what would JL have thought of hip hop living in NY in the 80's. I'd think he and Yoko would have leapt right in. Anyway...number 9...motherfucker..number 9...cocksucker...number 9... Look, like Eminem I get what Biggie is coming from, which explains the hardcore themes and images, but unlike Mr Mathers a lot of these rhymes are kindergarten and silly, man if you going to use the phrase "clean penis" make it work ok motherfucker...cocksucker..? This is an entirely humourless record, its all about Biggie fool and not much reflection beyond that. Respect to Big Poppa though, me and the other 688,0000 likes. My biggest gripe though is the tempo. Please, please some variation in the tempo would go a long way, mate you've got the sampler at your finger tips and yet it's the same beat, I cracked by track 7. It is so constant in its pacing you could use the first half of this for one of those sleep tracks, like sounds from a British pub, it would be drifting off to the sounds of a motherfucker.

Never heard this as was fiercely resistant to this generation of hip hop in 1994. Opened my mind later but it does mean I don't have nostalgic memories of thinking this was the greatest record of all time or whatever, I didn't even know who he was when I heard he had been killed. I still can't imagine a time when I want to kick back and listen to someone rap about bitches and guns for over an hour, and however good this is for other stuff, that's what this mostly is. Stuff like Things Done Changed, Everyday Struggle and Juicy are best. But yeah the album feels like it goes on forever, and I don't have any residual fondness for tracks, so not for me.

I might be ready to die, but I sure wasn't ready to listen to this album.

Having heard a lot about The Notorious B.I.G. over the years, I figured I should listen to something from him at some point. Looks like I’m there today. I liked the way he opened the album at birth. Interesting concept. I can appreciate how real and raw this all feels. Uncomfortably so quite often - with some pretty explicit sex and misogyny that turned me off. Not something I expect I’ll ever revisit.

Don't get the love for this. It's all pretty basic gangsta rap, the skits are awful and the lyrics are often unpleasant and misogynistic. And there's nothing anywhere near as good as 'Mo Money.." though Big Poppa is grudgingly the best song.

rap classico, parla di clitoridi e che un suo amico è morto

actually worse than I expected there are more than one instances of gross sex noises a couple hits keeps this afloat 2.5

pallar inte snusk!!

Helt greit. Et par gode sanger.

This one was odd. A track would start, I'd be really digging it then by about the 3/4th mark I'd be bored of it. There was a lot i liked but everything just kinda seemed to overstay its welcome. Probably won't revisit but i can totally see why he was such a big deal in the 90s.

Most of my rap education has come via this project, so I'm pleased to be tackling this important album and listen to this pivotal artist. The cover art combined with the album title is ... distressing. Jumping right in: Things Done Changed is really strong, I like it a lot. Gimme the Loot is less interesting and Machine Gun Funk doesn't do it for me at all. Warning is impressive in its own way but I'm afraid I'm not the audience Biggie is speaking to. Just Playing definitely felt like a bridge too far. I guess I'm much closer to being the audience he is trying to offend then the people he is speaking to. I respect the accomplishment but only enjoyed a few tracks, namely Things Done Changed and One More Chance (because it made me laugh out loud).

Andrew W.K. did it better.

Great rap albums only need a handful of good songs; this falls short.

As per other rap albums previously reviewed, some interesting things going on with the music, some predictable things going on with the lyrics. This just does not appeal to me

I'll start with the positives. Some of the beats are epic, and there's no denying Biggie's vocal dexterity is impressive. However, I just can't get overly excited about and admittedly disadvantaged guy venomously spitting about gratuitous violence, avarice, misogyny and supposed sexual prowess. Glad I've listened to it as it probably is worthy of it's place on the list in terms of it's significance to the development of Rap and Hip-hop, but I won't be listening again. Honourable mention to the reference of pagers making this album somewhat of a time capsule, Biggie's demise coming many years before much more advanced communication technology, his deference to being paged is somewhat sweet if you can overlook all of that other stuff I mentioned.

Yeah nah

Some classic songs on there and nice beats throughout, but as a whole that album didn’t vibe with me. Sounds like Biggie had a lot to work through, but I can’t deal with all the misogyny and talk of murder.

Yeah nah, no thanks. Intro is a great start but it quickly degenerates and then just gets worse. The only highlight along the way was Juicy.

Didn’t like this as much as 2pac & public enemy, in terms of 90s rap

Not for me at all. Highlights: Juicy, Machine Gun Funk

Kolejny czarny album przekradl sie na liste, padlo na ready to die pana Biggiego, ktory jest jego studyjnym debiutem z 94, jest to plyta z zlotej ery czarnej gry i preludium do wielkiego beefu east vs west, jak zaczac to z przytupem, bo jest to potezny 69 minutowy krazek, przepakowany samplami dostarczonymi przez gorno juz w tamtym czasie uznanych producentow, zaczynajac od puffiego konczac na premierze, chociaz warto jeszcze wspomniec o panu easy mo bee, ktory sporo trakow wyprodukowal, pomimo tego ze jest to ultra gangstra hardkorowy material, to jednak sproo beatow ma w sobie funkowe brzmienie co jest zasluga samplowania, czego najlepszym przykladem jest juicy z probkowaniem juicy fruit, lirycznie notoryczny B.I.G jest okresalny jako geniusz opowiesci stapajacych twardo po ziemi, oczywiscie chodzi o gettowa ziemie, bo co jak co background do gloszenia czarnej ewangelii to mial, a dodatkowo otaczanie sie proroczymi wizjami wczesnego zgonowania, jak nawet glosza tytuly krazkow, tylko pomoglo stworzyc legende, jak przystalo na gangsta rap nie moglo zabraknac watkow wygodnego zycia pedzonego na sodomie, co slychac w roznych biczowych lirykach, czy nawet fukowych skitach, ktore nie wnosza nic poza yikesowaniem, ale jak teraz slucham calosci, to sporo trakow wydaje mi sie mocno srednia w porownaniu do tego co pamietam z biggiego jako klasyki, do plusow plyty mozna dodac skormna liczbe featurow, bo rappowo pojawia sie jedynie method man na the what, reszta to refrenowe wokale w klimatach rnb czy reggae jak na respect od pani diany king, wiec utwierdzilem sie w tym, ze nie jestem fanem albumow szerokiego pana, bo tak przyziemnie historie sa dobre dla ludzi ktorzy nimi zyja lub dla ignorantow ktorzy chcieliby nimi zyc, a czy sodoma i dazenie do kolejnych zer na koncie w celu poprawy swojego statusu spolecznego jest rozsadnym celem egzystencji, jeszcze zabawniej to brzmi w ustach kogos kto uwaza system w ktorym zyje za niesprawiedliwy i nieludzo go traktujacy, wiec bedzie gral wedlug jego zasad w celu wygrania jego gierki, bo jak inaczej nazwac szol biznes jakim jest rap w takim wydaniu, na plejke dobrzce wspomniany wczesniej trak juicy, bo najwieksze szlagiery juz wczesniej sie na niej znalazly

Um, so this album didn't really age too well. The lyricism is the problem, a lot of it didn't sit right with me. As for the skits... well, I think they weren't necessary at all. Big Poppa and Juicy are the only songs I like and will continue to listen to.

Not for me but actually fairly fun as it went on

I can hear that this holds together both as an album and a story, but I think I am a bit old for an hour and a quarter of wall-to-wall “guns and b*tches”. The backing generally flows well but I have to say I actually find ol’ Notorious’ voice a bit monotonous and emotionless after a while.

Not exactly Sunday morning listening, not exactly how I like my hop hop either. The Daisy Age this isn't. It's very tight and well crafted, but doesn't speak to me. The life story samples aren't worth a second listen. My ears pricked up with the MTME Juicy sample.

Me da pereza escuchar un disco entero. Alguna canción puede ser buena pero un disco entero es demasiado

An album stuck in 1 the 90's and seen as trashy now. You can see it's influence on modern hip hop.

Yeah, the rhymes may be great, but the beats are not doing any favours for me. I'm gonna have to go 2 or 3 tops - the skill and the flow push it towards 3, but the edgelordy skits and the repetitive beats, themes etc push it back down to two. I wanted to like it, I really did.

Already done this one: "Good rapping, not great subject matter, kinda dull beats, too much sex."

this album actually was like so weird it made me uncomfortable and it was strange like he has good beats but idk man

Excellent album to put on at family dinners. ... ok seriously for a minute putting aside the tough language (which for me does get distracting quickly...and then even more so) this is my first true foray into Biggie and it's pretty good - I love the production and heavy head-bobbing beats. As for Big's actual rapping I like it a lot - he's forceful, very rhythmic (which is definitely my preference). Super tragic, obviously; it would have been great to hear how he progressed because this as a debut was damn impressive. So it's tough for me to give this a good rating because...when I notice lyrics on an album it's usually for a bad reason. I noticed these lyrics. eh, not to be all pearl-clutching but ... they were a lot to take in the best of songs :D and at the worst they're just gross or even worse. The skits are stupid even by stupid standards and it all started to slide further about halfway through. So on a musical level it's definitely fantastic, and again - a damn shame he died early because if he had grown a little lyrically who knows how good he would have been but for this album I gotta think a lot of the praise is too damn apologetic - these lyrics are awful. Could recommend a few songs and again - the music is pretty great everywhere but it all gets dragged down by the misogyny and infantilism. 4/10 2 stars.

I do like some rap, and I do appreciate this, but it's just a little too crass for my everyday tastes.

whatevs

3/10. Ugh, this was so long and so samey and had a ninety-second interlude that was just sex noises. I could sort of see the appeal of it at times, but also it just wasn't for me.

No es mi genero claramente. En cualquier caso, no le pongo más por que no creo que me lo ponga más veces.

Some funny lyrics but all the skits and sound effects really annoy me

Really liked some of these songs but they were buried in so much unfunny bullshit. If I wanted to listen to unfunny bullshit I'd put Radio 4 on.

Simple effective production, and the rap was really easy to listen and flowed well. However the themes/message really didn't resonate with me. I much prefer the 90's hip hop by Guru, the native tongues, etc

Didn't really like this one that much, but can hear some very classic 90s hip-hop elements.

I probably need to revisit this on a different day because I struggled to get through this one. Music keeps this from being a 1, but I don't understand the critical acclaim for what's basically a one-note album filled with threats and gunshots.

First listen. Heard of him before, don't know the songs at all. 2/5. I like the sampling. Need time to know the songs. The language is a huge negative for me.

Good rapping, not great subject matter, kinda dull beats, too much sex.

2.0

BIG has flow. He voice and attitude are great. And though i'm generally okay with the gangster approach, i tired of the misogyny/bitch content quickly, and much of the album wasn't nearly as engaging as i had expected from this seminal release.

Ok rap not a big fan

Joopajoo. Äärimmäisen keskinkertaista ganstarappia muutamilla genrelle ominaisilla välioutouksilla varustettuna. Big Poppa oli ihan hyvä biisi.

Gangsta rap - pretty much what I expected

Some interesting raps but generally repetitive with foul language

This album is a lot to take in. A definitive album for it's time, but really heavy.

Obnoxious motherfucking skits

Meh

In Conclusione: In gran parte per me i problemi sono gli stessi del Wu-Tang anche se qui a tratti ha mantenuto più viva la mia attenzione perché ogni tanto i testi funzionano di più. Comunque continuo veramente a non capire il senso di questo genere, tanto più che Notorious BIG è considerato uno dei più grandi esponenti. Perché c'è sempre d'obbligo la canzone con l'audio del pompino? Sicuramente lui sarà stato il primo eh, però... Mi rimane la sensazione che di tutto quello di cui potrebbero parlare ora che so usciti dallo spaccio e dalla criminalità in gran parte scelgano sempre di parlare delle stesse cose codificate dal genere con qualche eccezione e infatti le eccezioni so sicuramente più interessanti. Poi sto fatto che si so probabilmente ammazzati per le faide aperte con le canzoni mi sembra un epilogo tragicomico. Insomma per carità rispetto la sua popolarità ma probabilmente non me lo risentirò mai.

Music and beats are good. Voice doesn't grate. Don't care much for content.

Met moeite geluisterd naar dit album. Absoluut niet mijn ding. Maar een nummer apart zou ik eventueel wel luisteren. Het volledige album is wat te veel

Rap

Too much sweary potty mouth.

Angry, angry young man...

A much more melodic and enjoyable listen than I'd expected. Point off for track 8, general misogyny and for trying to rhyme 'air' with 'player'.

fehlt ja einiges bei spotify, ordentlich frauenfeindlich auch. brrr.

Im oftmals hohlen Macker biz des hiphop geht’s nicht ohne sie: Frauen! Als Thema zum Abarbeiten würde hier 2/3 der Tracks jede Grundlage fehlen, im smoothen Refrain ihre sanften Vocals zum Polstern stumpfer Kanten, zuletzt in lobenswerten Collabos („Respect“). Eingedenk dessen und einem teils skizzenhaft-tapey Charakter des Werks: 1.6

Juicy, big poppa, once more Chance much de hip hop

Hip-hop soez.

2/10 Prescindible

Rap coñazo.

this one missed me. a couple of tracks were definitely worth another listen, but i kinda always felt like this particular slice of ny hip hop was just not for me. a whole lot of showboating, but the flow just wasn't there. maybe it was just how it was at the time, but in the end, i didn't love this one.

I don’t hate the music in this, but the content is not my favorite.

meh, I won't remember this album.

Certainly better than I expected. Though there's some decent stuff here, the album is massively let down by a) being way longer than it has any right to be b) a number of very poor songs that do nothing but pad the already excessive runtime c) why the fuck is there a song that's literally just sex noises

old school hiphop. not terrible but not my thing. lyrics might have been great but could not be bothered to actally listen to them

I get pretty tired of the theatrics and f-bombs dropping. Beats are pretty dope.

I don't really like rap, but I know this one is a classic. Still not a fan though.

Wie so oft bei hip hop: geeht so.

Not bad, not really for me. Interesting beats and lyrics. Maybe a bit too "Thug" for my mood

old rap . nothing note worthy .

I recognize that this album objectively pretty great, but it didn't really do it for me. It's not one I would listen to again by choice. 2 stars.

okay echt nice & chilled und sogar zum Arbeiten gut aaabeeeer: diese Sounds am Ende??! Bree das klingt total komisch und wenn jemand reinkommt würde er denken, ich A) spiele ein egoshoot Game B) schaue Pornos C) höre mir random Konversationen zum Spaß an

This is another example of a record that has significance that is simply not my thing. I find it crass, classless, and immature. There's very little offered here that I view as either artistically impressive or enjoyable.

not into trap/rap wtv

Pre Listen: I don't have any memorable exposure to Notorious B.I.G. but I know his name. I recall from my youth my Mom was a fan of his, but I don't recall any of his songs. Notable Tracks: The What - Realized P. Diddy was involved in this shit and stopped listening here out of principle. Will discuss further below! Post Listen: Not good, didn't enjoy that at all really. Yet another self-aggrandizing dick measuring contest of a rap album, with the thinnest of political messaging veneers overtop it. B.I.G.'s voice is annoying, more talk-rap than any sort of singing. The lyrical content is as boring as dirt. We get it, you got women, fuck up your ops, and have lots of money, it's like a broken record with these sorts of albums. What sunk this album from a low 2 to a 1 for me was the second I realized/remembered Sean Combs played a large roll in this thing's production. And so becomes the first album on here where I just can't separate the art from the artist. I do believe somewhat generally that the negative actions of the artist, for the most part, should be pushed to the back of your mind when listening or enjoying art. It's impossible to separate the art from the artists when one of them is an Epstein-tier sex pest, and the lyrical content of the album glorifies that shit. 1/5

I am too white, too middle-aged, and too female for this album. Too bad… Because some of the beats are good. Nice funky vibe.

Nope. Just can’t do the gangster rap stuff.

Not for me

Vocabulario limitado para un rapero

Wow, this was awful.

i am not looking forward to this... Yeah this was definetly not for me, id give it like a 1.5/5. i can see why other people would like it tho, he has a nice voice and good flow but i just cant get behind a some of the stuff here especially about the beating women and the sex in the interludes and stuff. i dont really like or listen to alot of rap music and this kind of reminded me why. I did think some of the songs had good storytelling tho like the one where he was robbing something and the beats were pretty good overall. I am glad i listened tho.

Another rap intro/ woman giving birth FFS Things done boring and shit Gimme the loot sounded ok they bounced off each other but then ruined it by coughing up shit ay the end. Machine gun funk repetitive shit Warning shit Ready to die shit One more chance - voicemail messages he’s clearly a dick 🤣 Fuck me- thought I’d flicked Pornhub on 🥵 Juicy- that told the teachers 😂 WTF is happening at the end of respect… BJ action maybe? Suicidal thoughts- wanting to go to heaven to get his dick sucked.. Can’t even be arsed to put it into a review, I’m off to have a wank to one of the tracks instead! 😂 Best track- ‘gimme the loot’ Worst track- ‘one more chance’ I won’t be giving this album another chance! 1.5 .5 of that for the album- the other 1 for the sexual action 🤣

Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die I bet he wasn't. Weirdly, I didn't mind this rolling along in the background. Obligatory shit intro excepted, the first few tracks offered enough variation and decent beats to engage me, and I quite liked his rapping style. But then I listened more closely to the lyrics 😳 What a load of horrible, misogynistic nastiness. So there's points lost. Then it turned into a porn soundtrack, more points lost. Then I read P Diddy was involved....even more points lost. Only track that I stopped and restarted was Respect. Ironically because I liked the dancehall style female vocal. Finally it ended and I went for a shower to de-soil myself. 2/10

no.. just no.. what the fuck is any of that..

Unfortunately, was genuinely unable to start this project with the knowledge of what's inside, and who produced it...

Gangsta rap is niet mijn ding

See reviews of Cypress Hill, Ice Cube -- similar thoughts about this one. As music (and lyrics), not very interesting to me (indeed, the music is basic and uninteresting, and the lyrics are oppressive). So, a low 2 stars (?) . . . actually, though, now that I think about it, the samples and beats on this one were actually less interesting than on the Cypress Hill and Ice Cube albums, so I think I have to give this one 1 star.

I still love Big Poppa but sadly I can't with this album.

No es lo mío

Not my genre so hard to gauge but the overall beats, samples, and lyrics didn't really grab me.

If this is "Ready to Die" ... does that mean we made it to the end of the list?

I really can't get into rap. A shame because the rhythms and beats are so innovative. Just get shut off by the lyrics.

Not a fan

hmm

Not my cup of tea. Too sweary and crass.

Not my genre

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM ONE BIT. I TORTURED MYSELF BY LISTENING TO THIS AGAIN FOR THIS ALBUM CHALLENGE.

Got through 3 tracks. Not for me.

Se un album inizia con un bambino che piange, riceve automaticamente una stella. I don't care

Call me culturally snob (although I listen to quite a lot of punk stuff) but I will never get this shit

Flows for sure, but the lyrics are appalling and repetitive.

rap? ... rap doorgespoeld ja...

If you, or a loved one is feeling suicidal, call the suicide hotline.

0.7/5 I've seen the biopic and that was ok but I don't like his music. I've never liked rap and this didn't do anything to change my mind.

The link is wrong. use this - https://open.spotify.com/album/2HTbQ0RHwukKVXAlTmCZP2?si=wvjD_G_wTJ-WxnLDKOV7KQ

this is not for me.

Even worse than Arrested Developement in terms of lyrics. What's up with all that *insert insult of your choice here, but make sure it hurts* making rap music? I know there are good rappers with good lyrics out there. Would give this dumb piece of an album -1001stars if I could.

I really didn't need to hear about how much sex this fat asshole was supposedly getting.

This is garbage

Bro, odio el rap. Es que no es mi movida, lo siento.

no me gusto nada

The music's not bad, but for lyrics I give it a zero. I really do not appreciate the misogyny in this kind of music.

No.

I think one of my least favorite things, musically, is the skits/interludes in the middle of an album. This timeframe saw this get used way too much if you ask me. At any rate, I've never been a biggie fan and this did nothing to change my mind. 3-4 minute skits, seriously? No thanks.

Live by the sword....

why did porn come on while i was studying japanese

This is not for me at all. Did not enjoy any of it.

Nope

Got halfway through before I couldn't take any more.

The closest I've come to a DNF. Terrible but I made it through

Terrible

No es mi onda

Not my thing, pero puedo entender por qué es bueno dentro del género.

Overrated

Why?

Nope

ew

I don’t love it, I don’t like how rappers talk about women Fav song: everyday struggle

Overall this album was long and the topic content repetitive. A product of its time that doesn't look as good in the light of the modern day. BIG had skill as a lyricist but like a chef that has only one really good dish a steady diet of the same thing doesn't taste nearly as good. Assuming the autobiography of the work no doubt he had it hard and made choices to get by. It doesn't strike me as strongly as other hip hop albums and won't likely ever revisit it.

overall rap sound may be bearable even quite enjoyable at times. There is some talent here but very clear glorification of tough guy gang robbery, violence, shooting, murder and offensive language is hard to swallow. If there is a positive message in there its buried in blood and bullets. I would not waste my time or money supporting this album. What is scary is all 5 star elevation it is recieving regardless. It does very little to boost my confidence in humanity. We need to rise above this mentality.

A lot of folks revere him, a lot hate him. I'm not interested.

I'm not a prude, but I don't think I really knew what "explicit" was before listening to this. Wow. There's a whole song about the size of his dick. A bunch of really explicit sex stuff. A bunch of drug selling stuff. The hit single is still good but more because of its like Isley Brothers sample and what they added to it that makes the original almost sound empty without it. I didn't enjoy this album.

Great rapper, no doubt. The lyrical content is explicit and usually violent and sexist and you might excuse that with the genre and a realistic image of the times and the scene he describes. What I really can't abide is "Just playing (Dreams)". That's absolutely disgusting misogyny and in no way excusable as being just a joke or whatever. F* this toxic sh*!

Yeah no. Its interesting, but... not of this time. Intro starts with a birth, then an argument, then a train robbery? What?

Legend. Or so they say. This was literally nothing but recorded sex acts, drug sales, and crime. Shorties and forties. This ain't even hardcore. No message, no flow. The album is a series of songs WITH THE EXACT SAME BEAT. Utterly disconnected from my reality. I'm glad that the fellows in UK who thought I needed to hear this before I die got me to listen. I won't waste my time on the next Biggie album.

I do think I need to be in a certain mood to listen to 90s hip hop so perhaps I’m not in the right mindset to review this. Left no impact on me, I really do not think this genre warrants an hour and ten minute runtime especially with so little change to the beats. It seems to me the biggest thing to gripe about is the skits, which for the most part fit the theme of the album. Usually when I don't like skits are when they’re needless sections between song. Most of them fit the theme of hyper violence and street life. But I’m glad I didn’t listen to this in a public space. Anyways, I’ll say a 1 just because on a different day I might enjoy a lot more. Did I need to hear this before I die? No

I know this is supposed to be a legend but these lyrics could come from a 13 year old hormone monster...damn stupid bitch hoe my big dick crap...

Ghetto rhymes. Live for the Funk? Hardly. Simple noise for simple minds. No thanks.

Yuck! Cannot tolerate the lyrics

Het is wel een prestatie om mij in de eerste 60 seconden te laten afhaken. Weer van dat doodsaaie, boze geouwehoer. Het leven is te kort om hier mijn humeur door te laten verpesten. En een kort leven, daar wist deze meneer dan helaas weer alles van.

I could not finish this album. Gun fire, pervasive n-word. I did not enjoy the underlying music like I did with dr. Dre one star

Five stars for artistic merit, minus four stars for Diddy.

Ready To Die (1994) ist das Debütalbum des US-amerikanischen Rappers The Notorious B.I.G. und gilt als prägend für den East Coast Hip-Hop und Hardcore Hip-Hop der 1990er Jahre. Die Aufnahmen entstanden 1993 und 1994 in den D&D Studios, The Hit Factory und Chung King Studios in New York City. Inhaltlich verbindet das Album autobiografische Elemente mit einer nüchternen, teils schonungslosen Darstellung des Lebens in Brooklyn. Die Produktionen setzen auf markante Beats und soulige Samples, ohne die erzählerische Stimme in den Hintergrund zu drängen. Zu den bekanntesten Songs zählen „Juicy“, „Big Poppa“, „One More Chance“ und „Gimme the Loot“. Sie zeigen sowohl die radiotaugliche Seite als auch die rohe Straßenperspektive des Albums. Für mich wirkt das Werk geschlossen und konsequent umgesetzt; es dokumentiert einen Wendepunkt im New Yorker Rap und besitzt bis heute Gewicht innerhalb seines Genres und es ist halt mal wieder Hip-Hop-Gedudel das nach einer gewissen Zeit den Puls in die Höhe treibt.

p743. 1994. 1 star. (C)rap. Sample "lyrics": motherfucker bitch nigga motherfucker dick fuck shit motherfucker bitch nigga fuck motherfucker nigga You, too, can be a best selling rap artist. Hard pass.

Musically, the production is top-notch and Biggie's flow is undeniable (great use of funk samples). 'Suicidal Thoughts' is the perfect example of what this album should have been: concise, atmospheric, with sound effects that actually serve a narrative purpose. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience is completely ruined by the unnecessary length and, above all, the trashy skits. The explicit sexual noises at the end of 'Respect' add absolutely nothing artistic; they are just gross and childish. You can be 'real' without being cheap. It could have been a solid 3 based on the beats alone, but those 'fillers' are a dealbreaker. 1/5.

boring and juvenile.

Vile.

Niet mijn ding

Could not finish it. Too vulgar.

nope

Awful gangsta rap

Not for me. I tried, but it’s relentlessly passing me by. 1

Was originally going to give this a 2 but after reflection overnight there really isn’t anything on this album that I’d want to listen to again.

there are maybe 2 or 3 songs on here that I’d actually listen to. I cannot stand Biggie for the very things he raps about. Be constantly objectifies women, only raps about shooting himself or other and adds unnecessary sex to his songs. Biggie is a predator who had sex with an underage Lil Kim’, cheated on his wife and was abusive. I cannot listen to a known predator rap about young girls being ho’s.

1/10 Gangsta rap. Don't like it

Yeah, this sucks.

More angry gangsta rap bravado. Bored after one song. I think rap albums need to be turned into drinking bingo. Mother F, N word, female dog, and assorted shooting phrases - gets you very drunk. Maybe you can then enjoy the music?

I have no further interest in listening to this again.

No mi estilo :P

One-dimensional misogynistic posturing, replete with obscenities. And musically, it's of no interest to me.

not for me

Every song is some combination of the following themes: drugs, guns, and sex. Very generic beat and awful vulgar lyrics. What a waste of an hour of my life. Can’t stand this style of rap.