Reviews (page 2 of 13)
Good album 10/10 would recommend js don’t listen to it infront of children
Waaaaaaaaaaah j'avais jamais écouté Biggie qu'est ce qu'il rappe bien. Seul problème les skits j'ai eu très peur que le son sorte des écouteurs et qu'on m'entende au taf mais sinon wow !
no brainer
favorite so far
ich mag das Intro sehr, es klingt für mich sehr wie irgendwelche random GTA Scenen. Die Harp in things done changed ist soo cool! ich finde das ist enhanced den beat richtig und ist voll die kreative choice für ein Rap song. Oke ich bin am ende angekommen und ich mochte es sehr. Ich habe das Storytelling mitbekommen obwohl ich wenig auf dei Lyrics gehört habe was cool ist, weil sie das mit sounds und unterbrechungen unterstützt haben. All in all mochte ich es sehr!
One of the best
not me having an emotional breakdown while listening to this during all the sex interludes lmao (overall love this album, glad I got to listen to it in full again despite my neurotic mood swings)
A classic. The skits make me a little embarrassed in public. But overall a fantastic album Rating: 9/10 Favorite song: things done changed, big poppa
This is a 5. Probably the most naturally gifted rhymer that's ever existed and a top 20 debut record from any artist ever. The legacy and importance of Notorious BIG cannot be overstated. And all with just two albums and some posthumous releases. Insane. Imagine what he could have done....
Excellent rap album, one of the ones that drew me in. Yes the skits are absolutely horrible, skip. The rhymes and flows are just amazing, so is the storytelling. Rhyming about a stick up and shoot out with cops and most amazingly: "Suicidal Thoughts". 5/5
Classic!
Some silly skits and Puff Daddy is too prominent (any amount is too much). It's also hilarious, has fantastic, varied beats and possibly the best rapper of all time.
I may be biased as I listened to this many times as a kid - but this was a great reintroduction to this album… Biggie had a way of telling stories that pulled you in, and his voice and flow made most of the tracks memorable. He wasn’t just a great rapper, he became larger than life. It’s not going to appeal to all tastes - and not every part of the album has aged perfectly. Some of the skits feel like filler, and some content shows its age, but it’s an excellent album start to finish. There’s a reason it has a place on so many greatest albums of all time lists. And decades after its release I still feel it deserves that recognition.
The quintessential hip hop classic!
Even diddy's ad libs can't ruin this album. Still what is that interlude. What is that ending to Respect as well.
If this didn't have the sex skits it would be a top 10 album of all time
Rate: 10/10. Another day another struggle.
the flow, the word play, the lyrical dexterity, simply ingenious. Love that several of these hits have been reworked into different genres. Could do without the entire track of sex or the literal blowjob.
A straight-up classic. Biggie's impeccable flow hits like a sledgehammer, his rough but humorous storytelling carried by efficient loops and heavy beats. No one raps like him - he's got one the most unique and immediately recognizable voices in the game. In addition to being the East Coast's answer to L.A. gangsta rap (with a few borrowed G-Funk samples to drive the point home), this album also marks N.Y. hip hop's shift towards a darker tone. Not every part of it aged well, but it's definitely a landmark of the 90s, and I never get tired of blasting the stylistic masterpiece that is Gimme The Loot. 9/10
A Biggie classic. While I was in high school here on the East Coast, everyone loved Biggie, but I was always more of a west coast rap kid. It wasn’t until years later I appreciated him a lot more. And while this album is a classic, it does something I find egregious, and that is put skits at the beginning and ending of tracks instead of tracks on their own. 99% of skits suck, and not making them easily skippable absolutely sucks.
Re-Listen (obviously listened many times)
One of the most monolithic feeling hip-hop albums, like a pivotal moment for the genre and a shift into something grander and more prestigious. More than any other hip-hop album I've heard, this one really feels cinematic, a non-sequential tale of a man and his struggles, his escape from poverty, and his dreams of becoming something greater while being at constant odds with himself. It's epic and so well executed. There is no better way to set the scene for an album like this than with the first three songs here. Skits detailing Biggie's life up until he was released from prison over these classic hip-hop and soul instrumentals (signifying the period in which the skits took place) open the record - I never skip this part. It then perfectly slides into one of the best hip-hop album openers of all time, 'Things Done Changed'. This beat feels so ahead of its time. You get these glitzy strings and an overdriven bass, and a Dr. Dre sample over Biggie's rapping, where he paints a picture of the current state in which he's in, mentally, emotionally, and financially, with a strong sense of yearning for the simplicity of the past. Again, flawlessly setting the scene for the album, no matter how old you are, or how far you are geographically from Brooklyn, you've now been seamlessly transported to this place in space and time. 'Gimme The Loot' is another incredible track, one that showcases that iconic Biggie Smalls storytelling, as he plays two partners and their quest for illegal funds via stick-ups, moral codes be damned. It's pretty funny and over-the-top edgy all things considered, and the "Gimme the Loot!" hook is one of those mega-iconic hip-hop things. I do really love how this album starts, and while I do think it's overly long, with some unnecessary fluff that keeps it from being absolutely perfect, the great moments here outweigh many, if not all, the okay moments. 'Warning' is another one of those iconic Biggie storytelling moments and has maybe the fattest east-coast type beat here. 'The What' with Method Man is also another classic east-coast cut, and while it doesn't play into the grander story here, I'll always have room for a nice bragadocious song on these albums. I feel similarly about 'Who Shot Ya?', a super iconic track that's unfortunately tainted by its dark real-world implications. There aren't many features on this album; this really is just a personal Biggie story for over an hour, but the features that are here are great. Method Man is great, like I said, but honestly, Diana King on the chorus of 'Respect' wins for me; I just love her growly delivery over this funky instrumental. I did mention this album was pretty dark and personal, especially for its time. It's very similar to Pac's 'Me Against the World' in a twisted way. Because with all the fun party songs in 'Big Poppa', or the feel-good success anthems ala 'Juicy', Biggie's grapple with himself is the most glaring theme here. I mean, the album is called Ready To Die, and Biggie makes that clear. The title track, for one, acknowledges this, but also the song 'Everyday Struggle,' further details everything Biggie deals with, from all his people dying around him, to the drug crisis, and his inability to really change in the face of that. And it's all done over this very fluttery synth lead, a strong contrast to the lyrics. 'Suicidal Thoughts' is maybe the most difficult song to listen to of the bunch. Awful P Diddy interjections aside, this song features Biggie's rawest lyrics. There's an awful aggression to it that would almost seem like it came out of nowhere, but is also so obviously boiling up throughout the album once you look back at it. I do think Biggie on this album did a lot for rappers taking on more personal topics, be it love or internal struggle. It feels like Biggie isn't trying so hard to put on a tough-man facade here, as much as he is trying to reach his listeners in as genuine a state as possible. But that really depends on the song still... Yeah, yeah, yeah, this is one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, everyone says it, and I can't really offer a counterargument or contrarian opinion to that at least. Biggie's flow is incredible; his storytelling and conceptual eye are put on full display here. The album contains two of the most popular hip-hop songs that even your grandmother could name, and also some of the most earwormy beats in '90s east-coast hip-hop. What's there not to love about "Ready To Die."
Slightly bloated, almost a perfect album. Impressive rhymes, effortless flows, and convincing style from one of the greats. Must-listen. 9/10
Bro its ready to die. All I have to say is the same shit people have said for 30 some years. I will throw in that I think im more of a biggie than pac guy now. Better raps and beats. Less into all the skits but whatever I can mostly ignore them. Its a classic and masterpiece for a reason.
Landmark 90s hip-hop album that despite the presence of Diddy and some cringe skits still holds up today. Biggie had such command of his lyrics and his flow, and the samples are a goldmine of 80s R&B. His life was tragically cut short 3 years later but this is a guy who was determined to make the most of his time and this album showcases it. Standouts: Things Done Changed, Gimme the Loot, Machine Gun Funk, Juicy, Big Poppa.
Classic
Let's get the most important thing out of the way - Diddy does in fact ruin this album. I would actually fuck with the skits more if Diddy was not on them. He cannot act and he cannot voice act. Even if you strictly judge him on this without the context of him being weirdo, he lacks creative talent and his presence on this album was strictly a business decision. Now if we're talking BARS? Strictly BARS? Biggie holds up. They are crass they are vulgar and some are downright unacceptable, but he's leaning into the punk side of being a growing artist. Shock value for sure. You can take out some of the misogynist bars for sure, I can't lie. Also the beats are so insane. Even on the remaster, there's a real grasp on black music history on this album. Would give it a 4.6 or 4.7 if I could, but here we are. Highlights: Juicy (ofc), Big Poppa (ofc), Everyday Struggle,
Jodido Notorious B.I.G. The what cn Method man es un banger También los clásicos de juicy y big poppa
Sublime. Un 20. El comienzo
Just an absolute classic. The evolution of early NYC Boom Bap rapping into this laid back flow. Doing the track with Method Man just adds to it. I've struggled with the ratings system here because I've listened to 1200 albums and only like 12 of them are 10/10. I have this album as a 9 out of 10 but for here I have to give it the full 5 stars
Fuck me, this is not my world, but this is dynamite. "Biggie smalls on a higher plane" he's really isn't kidding. I struggle to articulate why this is so good, I just know I love it (yeah the skits are dated, but the tracks...
Could've done without the sex interlude, but this is still absolutely a 5/5 even with it.
definitely not one that we were going to listen to while making breakfast as a family, but definitely a hugely important album
Excelente
Just masterful storytelling all the way through. Littered with hits, yet also has some incredible tracks that address Biggie’s mental health, which is a huge step forward at the time.
Someone gets either shot or fucked in every song. No notes.
Ik this bangers
Som enhver hvit millennial var mitt første ordentlige møte med hip hop Eminem. Og selv det kom forholdsvis sent; jeg hadde en lang periode hvor jeg eksklusivt hørte på rock/metal. Men etter jeg hadde min sene Eminem-periode, så var spørsmålet: hva nå? Jeg begynte naturligvis med Dr. Dre og NWA grunnet deres kobling til Eminem, men det var ikke de som satte blod på tann. Tupac var et navn jeg var vel så kjent med fra t-skjorter på barneskolen, og veien derifra til Biggie var kort. Idag ser jeg tilbake på perioden da hip hop-hodet mitt stod i full blomst: hjemme alene en påske, griller for meg selv med en pils og Tupac’s greatest hits på stereoen. Things done changed. Tupac forsvant fra spillelistene, men Biggie ble værende. Han klarte å lage noen av hip hopens aller største bangers, hvor han blander østkystens gangsta bravado og party-vennlige samples med østkystens boom bap alvorlighet. Ready to Die er tettpakket med disse sporene til den grad at det er raskere å nevne fillerne på skiva enn det et å ramse opp gullet. Selv skitsa klarer ikke å ødelegge opplevelsen, med unntak av den obligatoriske sex-skiten. Hadde skiva vært sterke om den kutta 3-4 låter og skitsa? Selvfølgelig. Men det syrner ikke opplevelsen nok til at jeg holder igjen — i hvert fall ikke idag.
biggie smalls is the illest
Really awesome intro, great world building and lyricism, not my cup of tea but deserves the five stars!
instant 5 we needed smthn good today love the sugar hill gang intro feat right off the bat just classic
Vamos hoy con la dosis de rap del reto. Sólo ubico a éste artista de nombre, de cuando el aleatorio puso alguna que otra canción de él y nada más. Me gusta cómo arranca y cómo se mantiene (Me pregunto, también, por qué en Spotify varias de las canciones del disco no están disponibles y tuve que ir a buscarlo a YouTube para escucharlo completo: ¿será por su lenguaje más agresivo? ¿Por los insultos? ¿No se bancan quizás la crudeza, los gritos?). Una sorpresa. Del reto, este es el mejor disco de hip hop hasta ahora que me han sugerido. Muchas gracias y hasta mañana.
Terrific album! Love Biggie! Highly recommend this album!
Another all time favorite. Hadn’t listened in a while but still knew 90% of the words. Classic
Classic.
Easy to see why this was nominated. So tragic
Damn, starts out hot with some great samples; this feels legit good right off the bat. Track after track of baners. Sad I've missed out on this album for so long. I understand why Biggie is a legend. It just gets better and better. Smooth beats, smart lyrics, catchy hooks, it all feels right. This album is rap perfection.
The storytelling is riveting, the rhymes are tight, the samples add spooky, soulful atmospherics to the harrowing subject matter, the production is solid and the beats are slammin. I’m tempted to deduct half a star for the presence of Puff Daddy — I could have done without his dispensable contributions (“right, right”) even back then — and the detailed sex-act sound effects. Otherwise, this album absolutely sounds like New York in the mid-90s; my eyes widened when Biggie spits the line, “Time to get paid / Blow up like the World Trade,” which of course referred to the bombing the year before this came out. At any rate, it’s a quintessential document of a time past, now that Biggie’s old territory is teeming with white girl influencers and the rent is too damn high.
Another album chock full of classic tracks. This album defined 90’s Hip Hop for me
Class just class. Juicyyyy. 5/5. The first one.
Idk
The greatest rap album of all time. Full stop.
One of the best hip hop albums of all time man.
I forgot how great Biggies flow was. This album was also a reminder of how New York Hip Hop has always set the standard for greatness. Banger after banger this album keeps coming at you with a variety of beats and flows that range from smooth to hardcore. And his voice and bars have a weight to them the way he pounces on the beat. Always love the Method Man feature too. It was such a timely collab as fellow NYC rapper from Wu Tang had just exploded into thr scene. Gimmie the Loot, Ready to Die, Juicy, Big Poppa, Who Shoot Ya anchor this classic. If I had one gripe there’s probably too many skits and you could probably snip a song or 2 but either way it’s still an all timer.
Classical gangsta rap. 5 stars without a blink.
Another one, didn’t think I would like it… loved it
Surprisingly excellent! I didn't think I'd be into big but I was mesmerised!
No.164 Classic album. One of the greatest hip hop albums ever. The storytelling, production, rapping are so point it's crazy.
Classy hip Hop. Wie ein Tagebuch eines Gangsters in Musikform. Witzige Songs die ernstere Themen unterbrechen 10/10
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Holy shit
As Edna Krabappel would say: "She's faking it."
Iconic tracks
Heard many of the songs but never listened front to back until now. Just an incredibly cohesive sound...the BOOM BAP beats, the punchy, classic Biggie flows...a gem through and through.
the hip-hop music has saved me from the evil evil trenches of indie pop. this is biggie's first album, the title unfortunately leading up to biggie's death shortly after this album released. wikipedia describes it in a way similar to what i can, the rhymes are very easy to digest and understand, but don't be fooled by its straightforwardness. this is someone who clearly knows what they're doing when it comes to rap music. one doesn't need a lyric insert inside the cd, it's all crystal clear from the getgo. biggie makes hip-hop sound effortless to create and produce, and it's a must-listen for all sorts of musicheads.
Listening session: march 30th, while commuting to internship Listened to before: listened to a few songs before Thoughts: I was contemplating whether to give this 4 or 5 stars mostly because of the skits. So I’ll rate this without considering the skits, which makes this album an undeniable 5 stars because biggies flow is unmatched and I’m a sucker for 90s east-coast hiphop Favourite tracks: Things Done Changed, Everyday Struggle & Big Poppa
Too young too die
Listens: Many, many, many Standout Tracks: Gimme The Loot, Warning, The What, Suicidal Thoughts Man, I fucking love this album so much. Awesome beats, insane lyrics, and hilarious skits. This completes my trifecta of 90's rap/hip-hop albums: Wu Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers), Nas's Illmatic, and Notorious BIG's Ready To Die. The pinnacle of gangsta rap. Top marks!
Tremenda placa...
I stand by my stance that east coast 90's hip-hop is by and far better than west coast.
Disappointed quite a few songs missing from the album on Spotify. One of the rap classics, what else is there to say. Fave track: Big Poppa
Too much baby oil, sex skits suck, none of this can stop fat man
Not a big rap fan but really like this
Obvious hip hop classic
The bomb
This was great. I’d never listened to the full thing. I criticized the swearing in Wu Tang’s album and there’s plenty here but there’s also a story, great sampling and beats. Stellar rap album.
ufff, nunca lo había escuchado de un tirón, que buenos beats y la capacidad de rimar de biggie 10/10
Vanvittigt produceret - ikonisk - fortjener 5 jern.
FINALLY! Some hip hop enters the mix! I was starting to think whoever crafted this list just didn't like hip hop. About time, AND it's a banger. Yep, listened to this one countless times, and it's a certified classic. Easy 5 stars.
It was 2020, middle of Covid lockdown, expecting my first child and I was listening to a Biggy playlist on repeat. Summer heatwaves, dope beats and “and if you don’t know, now you know…” I always used to firmly be of the opinion that west coast hip hop was king. Dre, Snoop, Tupac. But that summer something changed. It was no longer West coast is better than East coast. Or vice versa. They complement each other. The gritty Brooklyn beats and rhymes. This is probably Biggy’s best album. It’s gritty, raw and tells the story of someone who’s lived the streets. This is easily five stars. That’s it. Nothing else will convince me otherwise. Standout tracks - Ready to Die & Juicy
Pienso que es uno de los mejores albums en la historia del Hip Hop, sin duda marco un antes y un después. Es excelente.
The OG. What else do I need to say?
Incroyable surprise. J'ai adoré la vibe de l'album, avec un début très old school et des morceaux beaucoup plus "rappés" qui se suivent avec une facette plus fragile de Biggie, et des prods qui m'ont beaucoup plus marqué comme sur Juicy ou Everyday Struggle. Vraiment j'ai beaucoup aimé l'album et la proposition au global, je trouve que c'est hyper parlant, très efficace, très happant, et personnellement ça m'as eu
All timer non stop bangers with great skits
10/10
This one is a classic gangsta vibes. From suicidal thoughts to Big Poppa, pretty much sums up Biggie's life.
Det er bare fed mand
*91 Rapper som en AA12 i MW2 med artikulation så klar en engelsklærer ville være stolt.
Et all time favorite hip hop album - What's not to like.
Banger (på nær interlude)
я реди
Prime
Not my usual. Fuckin amzing
It’s Biggy, it’s 5 stars. Stop reading this and listen to the album.
Favorite rap album.
Incredible, but the last third is underwhelming for me.
One of the best 90s east hip-hop album. The title is a bit prophetic though lol.
Amazing album. Holds up every well. Production is so tight. Love it.
It's the freaking greatest
he has such a complicated tenor to his voice... really dynamic range, and I suppose it makes sense that a vocalist uses their voice like an instrument... feels like a real kindergarten think to strike me this far into my life loooool.
Toen ik jong was vond ik 2Pac gaaf en daar hoorde dan een beetje bij dat je Biggie kut vond. Geen idee waarom ik daar in mee ging, want ik was ook weer geen uitgesproken fan van 2Pac. Geen te stoere t-shirts voor mij, geen bandana op m'n witte bolletje, maak je maar geen zorgen; ik vond bepaalde nummers gewoon leuk. Maargoed, daar moest ik later wel op teruggekomen. Ik vind Biggie inmiddels veel toffer dan 2Pac. 2Pac anno nu klinkt wat gedateerd, fout, terwijl Biggie nog altijd goed klinkt. Waar 2Pac vooral stoer loopt te doen is Biggie eigenhandig de kunst van het rappen omhoog aan het tillen met een partij binnenrijm waar je u tegen moet zeggen. Uiteraard terwijl 'ie stoer doet, maar dat hoort er nou eenmaal bij (ik hoor ergens in het midden des lands m'n luistergenoot alweer struikelen over regels als "Alles wat ik wil is teefjes, grote achterwerk teefjes"). Probeer maar eens het rijmschema van 'Machine Gun Funk' in de gaten te houden, waarschijnlijk mis je de helft nog zelfs als je je best doet. En ome Christopher laat het allemaal gemakkelijk en daardoor lekker klinken. Volgens mij heb ik ooit wel eens gezegd dat rap van vóór dit album nog niet zo de moeite waard was. Er zullen vast her en der uitzonderingen te vinden zijn, maar als vuistregel klopt dat volgens mij redelijk. 5 sterren.
I was always more of a 2pac guy, but this album is fucking great. Juicy is amazing. Oh, but there’s too many skits. Oh, but the lyrics…won’t somebody please think of the children. Eat a bag of dicks, loser. 90’s rap was the best.
9/10
The flow, the storytelling, the hooks. Peak 90s hip-hop from maybe the best to ever pick up a mic. The skits get a little annoying, but that’s really “of the time” and forgivable given the context. Biggie for life.
He sings with conviction. Like all of the little clips and references. Classic old school hip hop
5/5 album but I still stand by the fact biggie and Tupac are overrated
It’s been quite a while since I’ve listened to this. The subject matter is hardcore - his technical skill and storytelling abilities bring you into his world at the time. Amazing talent. Great production too - really has that gritty sound. The unforgivable part in all of this is him having the listeners hear him having sex - no thank you.
Gordo foda e álbum clássico p fechar uma grande semana de curadoria
Absolute classic.
Biggie, en ekte legende i rap-gamet. Gangsta rap; både braggadocious og følsomt. Ikke ofte jeg spisser ørene for å lytte til lyrics, men her er det et must. Noen tekster er humoristiske, mens andre spille på følelser som frykt og sorg. Tydelig at B.I.G. har inspirert en hurv av rappere; eksempelvis gir den paranoide tonen og uforhastede flowen assosiasjoner til Conway the Machines fantastiske album God Don’t Make Mistakes. Dette albumet består av noen av hans største hits i Juicy (husker godt musikkvideon til denne fra barndommen) og Big Poppa (en av de kjedeligere sangene på albumet, spør du meg), i tillegg til en fullkommen samling av fantastiske låter. Innenfor sjangeren, er dette perfeksjon. Top 3: Juicy, Gimme the Loot, Things Done Changed
As a survivor of the East Coast West Coast rap war I have to give 2Pac the win, because come on he was just that much better. Still this album is pretty great. No reason to not give this 5 stars.
It was indeed a Notorious and BIG album. Absolutely love it. Impeccable flow, never feel so more white in my life than when I listen to Biggie
I have listened to Life After Death more than Ready to Die, which isn't a commentary on the quality of this album more than it is a commentary on which album I preferred as a teenager. This album reinforces two things: 1. Puff Daddy was fucking useless. He's basically a remora who attaches himself to a better artist. 2. The skits are not funny, not creative and ruin the flow of the album. This was a major problem in the 90's and this album suffers from this problem. It won't affect the overall score from me but I can go without a minute and a half of Biggie having sex. Really great album, even if 2Pac was better.
Falls off at the end imo, still so good and part of my fav genre atm
really cool!
I’ve listened to this many times throughout my life. Slaps the same every time. There is a reason why Biggie is still in conversations about GOAT rappers even with such a short career. This album will touch you, no Diddy.
Amazing Intro, full of classics
Simply love Biggie's lyricism, he had an incredible knack for storytelling, kept simple enough for you to easily follow along but never to the point of being dull. Its dark, it's humourous, it's witty, it's genuine and it's delivered with this immaculate voice and flow. And he's doing it all over a collection of these perfect, thumping beats. Not one track drops the ball. Everyone was on their A-Game here. Mix that with the knowledge we have in hindsight of Biggie's life that was cut short just a few years after this Record's release and you have an album with an almost mythical presence. The conceptual elements of life and death, especially leading to that final track are kind of chilling following Biggie's death. However that fuck ass interlude + the outro of Respect, and Puff's haunting presence do leave a bit of a bad taste on the mouth. Nevertheless a phenomenal Album Fav Track: 16 - Unbelievable Best Three Track Run: 2, 3, 4
Old-school rap is growing on me and combined with Biggie’s iconic bars and a collection of rock-solid boom bap beats this album is definitely a killer. A talent lost too soon.
An album I've known for a long time - this one goes down as a classic for me. Juicy, Big Poppa, Warning, Gimme the Loot are all favs
certainly not a dance record, and a lot of the beats are pretty straightforward, but the creativity is crazy
Repeat listen
It’s no wonder that Notorious B.I.G. Is still talked about. His flows and beats were special, with catchy lyrics and boppy hooks. This album features his most famous hit “Big Poppa”, but every song is incredible. Though the messaging wasn’t always…great…, he speaks to a life that he knows and loves. He tells the stories of his life, from growing up poor, to hustling for whatever scraps he could get, to being rich and sought after. He shows us his complexity. His vast love and deep anger. His respect and disrespect are often wrapped as one, particularly when he’s talking about women. He seems to love his life, but he’s so full of regrets and justifications that he sees his death as deserved. Then again, he really loves having sex. He jumps between sex and death so much this album may as well have been titled Eros and Thanatos. Ultimately, though, this album is fantastic and deserves its place in musical history!
Banger top to bottom bar hearing him have the creakiest sex in the world.
I'm obsessed. I grew up with yay area rap/hip-hop so east coast stuff was not really promoted. It feels like I'm transported back to the 90s, walking around new york. Some weird interludes but that's just part of the album's story.
landmark hip-hop classic. masterful storytelling, complex narratives of street life, unmatched lyrical dexterity, smooth flow, and blend of grit with vulnerability, tragic realism
I love this album, it’s my deep-cleaning-my-apartment album (I haven’t listened to it in a while which means it’s time to deep clean my apartment) It really gets my blood going, but I also love seeing a vulnerable side in a guy like Biggy G (suicidal thoughts). Really normalizes bad bitches like us getting sad
To me this is like a greatest hits album. I grew up listening to this album and it helped form my love of hip hop. Big’s rhyming, samples, beats, and flow are just so aggressive and creative. There were a few tracks I didn’t remember too well so hearing this in full again gives it the full effect. The whole album is just littered with great lines.
Used to blast this in my mom's SUV on my way to Catholic prep school. Everyday Struggle for sure.
A hood masterpiece. To my shame, when Biggie came on the scene I thought he was literally a novelty act like the Fat Boyz. Still we wish we could excise Puffy from this, though.
It’s a classic album for a reason. He started a lot of trends, people have sampled these beats and he’s just an icon in the hip hop industry. The sex scenes in this were really weird, but I know it’s the point.
peak
I really felt it. I understood it. It made me so sad that he made this and then died so young, but I understand it so deeply. Also his flow is insane, reason he's the goat.
LOVE THIS ALBUM
90's Classic
This album reminds me of the ignorance of youth. It’s by far one of my favorite and most listened to hip hop albums. Bias aside, B.I.G has the rhyme structure of MF DOOM and the flow of 90s Snoop Doggy Dog. He truly is an example of greatness within his genre and this album is surely his magnum opus. “I used to do stick-ups, 'cause hoes is irritating like the hiccups Excuse me, flows just grow through me Like trees to branches, cliffs to avalanches” Could’ve ended the album right there.
A near perfect album. Part of the soundtrack to my 20's.
Favourite Songs: Things Done Changed Warning Ready To Die The What Everyday Struggle Friend Of Mine Unbelievable Suicidal Thoughts Who Shot Ya?
Very good liked the sounds
It fizzles out a little on the last few tracks but still holds 🐐 status!
Very good album. One of the best rap albums ever, very solid. I’ve always loved this alvum
I mean what else is there to say?
All timer
Lost my initial notes, but I've been listening to this album a lot and it's definitely a 5. My first listen faded to background noise, but when you give the time to really listen, it feels like a time capsule into the 90s. Hard rapping, good beats, storytelling that holds up today. Curious how this album stacks up to his first, when that one comes up on the list
One of the world's all time great albums. A high water mark of East Coast hip hop, behind only Illmatic and 36 Chambers. Biggie gets better the older I get. Shame about all of the Diddy ad-libs everywhere- even before he was outed as a creep it was annoying and unneccesary. Lock him up!
Sets the Standard
Best hip hop album ever
Ugh this is a tough one. Juicy and Big Poppa are such iconic songs and with good reason, and the album itself is huge for hip hop, but do the rest of the tracks live up to it? A lot of misogyny and I hate those skits. But I’m going to say the rapping is strong enough to get it to a light 5 for me. Amazing album title too.
Flawless in Every way! As good if not better now than 1994!!! Classic!
such a complete album
This was the good to album in my buddy's mini van for after school routes in high school. Whole album is a banger.
Beat e flow impeccabili. Testi un pò misogini ed ispirati alla violenza, ma sono comunque frutto dell'esperienza di Biggie e del suo vissuto. Per me pietra miliare dell'Hip Hop
This album is awful and misogynistic and gross. At the same time ot manages to be poetic, redemptive and heartbreaking. What it is is real life, not pure bragging sex talk and drug trades, but not watered down, family friendly garbage either. It's a real portrait of life on the streets of Brooklyn in 1994, and is a testimony to the odd places genius can come from. It is an artefact from pre-disney New York, which means decadence, violence and reality. Unlike West-coast gangsta rap, Biggie isn't just flexing about all the hos and crackpipes he has, he's not gloryfing gang culture, he's showing NYC in all of its ugly glory.
Just a masterpiece. Biggie's flow is ridiculous. A few unfortunate artifacts of the sketch/interlude era of hip hop, but other than that flawless production and just acres of lyrical genius
The story telling with the great flow and smart bars is amazing!!
Institutional. No notes.
Foundational storytelling. The ability to keep a listener engaged from track to track, without sounding repetitive, is a rare skill. The vulnerability expressed on this album adds to why it's such a gem. Biggie Smalls is upfront about his lack of self-preservation - but not for a lack of trying on his part. His mother has cancer, his friends continue to die, he is at a point of doing whatever it takes to survive. It's honest, bold, well produced and takes you on a journey without overstaying its welcome. You can tell many rappers later on tried to emulate this sound. However, they were often playing personas or playing into what an industry expected of the genre. Even at the time of the album, the culture of rap had a lot of "posers," with Biggie calling them out on the track Machine Gun Funk. Rap is at its best when it is vulnerable, and when it defies previous waves - reinventing itself for every decade.
Some of the hits from this album are always in rotation but its nice to have a reminder to listen all the way through again. A foundational work, not much to say.
And if ya don't knoooow, now ya know Fuck, I love this album. Biggie has never been my favorite 90s rapper, especially out of the East Coast, but, damn, every track is great. I think saying this album too long is a cop-out; there is not a single track that you could leave off because they're all 10s that a larger story about his life. Major hits aside, you've got "Things Done Changed," "The What," and "Everyday Struggle" on this one, all songs that really speak to Biggie's promise and lyrical talents as an artist. We've got a lot of topical range throughout, too, that gives the album a lot of replay value. A lot of great diversity on the production side, too. Yes, D*ddy, is there, but more importantly DJ Premier and Lord Finesse(!). I find it to be the only Biggie album that doesn't feel over-produced because of the small list of producers involved. Maybe it's got some of the flash that made Diddy popular in the 90s, but there's still that East Coast grime on the shiny suits. Plus, the fucking samples are insane. Production used to be such an art, piecing songs together through the inclusion of this snare hit from this song here, and this bass line from this song here, and so on. "Warning" samples three of the best funk/soul artists to create one of the best rap songs of the era, which is only the result of pure genius and a master craftsman. Highly recommend looking through the sample list and exploring some of those sounds. What I love about 90s hip-hop albums outside of Wu-Tang Clan is how few featured artists there were. After 'The Infamous' by Mobb Deep, we start to see that change a bit, and the late 90s there are a lot of features on albums. But this whole album is just Biggie rapping his ass off with one dope feature from Meth, who was arguably just as big (no pun intended) as Biggie at the time. If you don't know much about Biggie, his life, or his music, I would highly recommend watching a documentary/docuseries on him. The one by Netflix is good (I Got A Story to Tell), but they're all about the same. I've always found hearing his mom talk about his life to be really special.
Obviously one of the best albums of all time.
Absolute classic!
Solid. several songs have been removed from the album on Spotify because of copyright claims, but i loved the music. 10/10
so close to perfect, falls off near the end, friend of mine and unbelievable are the only misses. the what is an underrated track. (also ignore the interlude lol we do a bit of trolling) 4.5/5
This album is exceptional. Keeps going from start to finish with great song after great song. I enjoyed this a lot.
The greatest rap album of all time
probs a 4.5 but so fun to listen to that it had to go up
I was raised listening to 2pac and didn't listen to Biggie because of their beef. And i missed something huge (I mean music and not the artist himself).
„Ready to Die” to monumentalny debiut - brutalny, szczery i poetycki zapis życia człowieka, który zrozumiał, że jego historia jest większa niż on sam. Studium przetrwania, ambicji i autodestrukcji, które brzmi tak świeżo, jak w dniu premiery. Flow ciężkie jak beton, genialna produkcja - no arcydzieło. Najmocniejsze 5 na świecie.
10/10/25. Amazing storytelling and flows beautifully. This will forever be a classic for me and not many hip hop albums have topped this. Biggie is missed.
Prophetic
già sentito😝😝😝😝 e spacca
It's a great album, even with the skits.
Classic Biggie - 4.5/5
This album is a movie. It's easy to hear how Biggies effortless flow, punchy lyrics, and creative storytelling still have a heavy influence on hip-hop today I will never complain about another Mac Miller interlude ever again. 5 outta 5 Classic
This gets a lot of criticism for glorifying abuse, homophobia, and crime, and we can all agree that Biggy was probably not the nicest dude. But, I mean, it’s Ready to Die, what else would you think this would be? I actually like the overly hypersexed skits. This album wouldn’t have such a sense of humor without them. I’m tremendously not a fan of rap, but every time I play Ready to Die, I always wonder if it’s the best rap album ever made. No other album from any genre feels so deeply autobiographical. You know who Biggy is after listening to this. And, despite the crazed world Biggy lived in and conveys here, his word choice is always so spot on, you can’t help but smile even when he’s describing something terrible. I always hear something new on each listen too. Biggy would tell all naysayers against Ready to Die to go take dirt naps. I won’t go so far, but I will say, this is worth the hype. Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.
If not for the sex skits, this would be a perfect album
My first vinyl ❤️
East Coast 90s hip hop at it's finest, super listenable tales of his experiences (or fiction writing) on the street. His smooth voice makes for a calmness in all of his raps. One of the top albums in the genre from this period for sure. Great storytelling in his raps that keeps the listener interested.
One of those albums I've seen the cover of my entire life and known I needed to listen to. Biggy and this era of rap are my blind spot but I have been learning more and more over the last 2 years or so. Fantastic album. The amount of things that had me going "that's from this??!?!" alone makes it a masterpiece. Favorite song: Juicy & Big Poppa
I had forgotten just how legendary Biggie was. Every song on here burrows into your ear and forces you to bop along to the beat. I might not ever be able to truly relate to the lyrics, but that doesn't matter here. He tells you his story, and you can't help but relate in whatever way you can. "Big Poppa" is the show stealer here of course. The album as a whole is probably 4 stars but bumping it to 5 because, RIP Biggie.
So happy this was to start. Even better than I remember. 5/5
A classic among classics
dude - it's hard to listen to other rappers and think they're nearly as tough or scary as biggie - bro is so hard and these beats just make so much space for him to just talk the hardest street talk you've heard. any this came out decades ago!
Insane
This is one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time from possibly the most talented rapper of all time. Nobody comes close to Biggie for having it all - lyrical dexterity, brilliant, intricate word play, ingenuity and the smoothest flow imaginable. My only advice - skip the skits… 5⭐️
Listened to this album many times and really really enjoy it. Of the story rap albums from the 90's, this is one of the best. I always picture Biggie walking down the street while rapping on this album. Makes it sound so easy
En del texter har innehållsmässigt inte åldrats superväl och visst är skitsen jobbiga, men det här är verkligen en av världens bästa rappare så allt sånt är förlåtet.
Hell yes
Legend
Absolutely insane album, really wish we could have got more from Biggie. The potential he displayed here really is quite like nothing else, just his rapping, his wit, and everything else going on make this one of the most amazing debut albums in hip hop.
Classic beats, chill era. Absolute top. Every game suddenly became GTA San Andreas. Also helps in making a tasty dinner according to my mom
5/5 Legit one of the most influencal, lyrically impressive hip hop albums EVER created. Shit like this is why Biggie's considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. It sucks that he left us in 1997 while only being 24 years old, I wonder how many other bangers he would've put out if he was still alive. I think the important part when listening to "ready to die" is that you shouldn't hold it to today's standards, especially when it comes to certain topics displayed on this album, like sex, violence and mysogyny. These things are as present today as they were in the 90s from all I know, people just shy away from reality cuz it's comfortable. I said it before about Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP and I say it again now: If you're too busy with complaining about the cussing & controversal themes in music, you should quit being a pussy. Get your head out your ass, this is hardcore hip hop - what did you expect?
Biggie wasn't the first rapper to get personal and vulnerable on a record - he wasn't even the first to commit suicide on wax (that's Scarface) - but he was the ingenious pioneer of rap as memoir. Before Eminem was letting the world know about his mom problems and female dilemmas, B.I.G. was discharging lines like: 'Fuck the world, fuck my moms and my girl / My life is played out like a Jheri curl, I'm ready to die'; 'Born sinner, the opposite of a winner / Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner.' The debonair yet aggressive flow, the ability to voice two characters on 'Gimme the Loot' and 'Warning,' the appeal born from self-deprecation and comedic timing, all add to the mystique of an artist who has no misgivings about who he is.
Classic. Darker than I expected. Fun tracks too
the best album
This 5 comes with an asterisk. Yes, it's a little bloated, yes, the skits are lame, yes, we don't need Puffy as a hype-man... But Biggie's lyrical gift and his flow are just unreal. Absolute classic of an album.
Seminal
Ready to Die is cited as one of the best rap albums of all time, and certainly of 90's, and it deserves the title. B.I.G's flow, lyricism, and laid back style were fresh for east coast ganger rap, and became genre defining after its reception. The tracks are well mixed and produced, with satisfying beats and killer samples.
Great album, almost no notes. Back to back bangers throughout, only issue was random sex noises in middle -- why was this needed? Besides that, really enjoyable album that I'm excited to relisten to more than once.
This is a masterpiece, despite the sadness of much of the subject material and ultimately the fate of the artist.
Didnt get to listen to full album due to being unavailable but what i did hear was great
“You look so good, I’d suck on your daddy’s dick” 10/10
Top 5 rap album of all time, its pretty long but it was great to finally hear the hit songs as an album and as a whole. It's very explicit though!
A wild ride. I've never actually listened to the whole thing all the way through, only ever catching the singles. Insane how much of a legacy this album and culture and era has, even today. I was tripping when I saw that it was making shawty and timbs jokes, and honestly disheartened at how a good day in the man's life was one without violence. Is it good musically? It's less than the some of its parts. Is it good as art? It's sublime. It's raising the bar for what I SHOULD call a 5 star.
Absurd yet rooted. Sharp and boisterous lyrisism paint vivid pictures of a life both in the streets and in the first stages of limelight. He was a hometown hero yet big enough for the world stage. A masterpiece, even if the skits amd overly sexual nature of some of the interludes didn't age particularly well.
Super Dope
It was important for me to separate art from artist for this record, the Puffy influence is strong, and can harm the experience if you're sensitive to the reality of recent events and information. I've always liked Biggie, but I've never heard an album through. This was an experience akin to watching The Godfather for the first time. It's a masterpiece created for adults, that children will definitely enjoy if they can get their hands on. It's raw, honest, and extremely cliché gangsta rap, sex, drugs, and suicidal thoughts are the core of this record, but it comes from a place of experience, it's genuine and that can be shocking. There's a lot of rappers out there with a story to tell, where Biggie stands out is in his complete domination of the word as a concept. From meaning to sound, the way he plays with words feels so effortless, beautiful, and cunning. It's a talent that has inspired a lot of modern day greats, directly or indirectly, and hearing this in an album that starts itself off with an appreciation for hip-hop roots is just such a delicious flavor for the ears. This is already a classic kind of album, and it shows appreciation for similarly stunning previous projects— all the way through. I wasn't expecting to enjoy listening to this so much. The production is arguably really good in some tracks as well. We can say dated without sounding terrible, as it holds strong today regardless. 4.6/5
Love this album, biggie just destrpys on this
Not a single weak verse.
All of the songs are bangers. Biggie was ahead of his time. Rest in Piece, Biggie.
One of my favourites
An absolute banger. The first time I've ever listened to a biggie album....I risky get why people think he's one of the greats
From the intro, with top billin', subway noises, and west coast trolling, this album hits hard. One of the classic examples of golden era hip hop, skits and all.
Love everything on display. The production is catchy and the rhymes practically trip over each other.
Cmon man. This is maybe THE quintessential 90s hip hop album.
No review needed.
wonderful
Ooh, my first 5 star! The funny thing is, there isn't much left to say about it. The skits are a terrible waste of time, they've always been pointless. For some reason, it was the style at the time. But the juvenile dipshittery can be overlooked because of the sheer talent on display. The weaker tracks are only weak because they exist next to things like Gimmie the Loot and motherfucking Juicy, you know? It's a classic for a reason. Fuck Puffy for real, though.
1994. A Hip Hop Legend with an album that will always remain. The immediate style and grace, depth and humor. How far could he have flown if given more time rapping? Its full of hits and its one of the best rap albums of all time.
Perfect. But damn what was that blowjob hahahaha
Perfect.
My type of rap!
I was nervous to approach this, uncertain about how the lyrical content would hit and especially icked out by the participation of Diddy, but this album is undeniable. It's such a pleasant listen. All the production, the beats, the little synth hooks, Biggie's voice, it all just blends so fucking well I can't resist it. Absolutely a must-listen. #167
5.5 - Legendary
Just an absolute classic. Gets a bit weaker near the end.
Possibly my favorite album of all time or at least very close to it
banger
Great album!
Classic
Biggie is my GOAT and this album is really good. Biggies vocals are one of a kind, raw power, and he can tell a story. Light years ahead of some of his peers (cough.. ICE T). Broken record but could have done without some of the skits, although some worked.
Biggie, one of the OGs. If you are PC, skip this 😀 Favorite track: Gimme the loot other picks: things done changed, juicy, big poppa, respect, one more chance
5/5. From the get go, Biggy lets us know his influences and why he's making this record. This man is 22 at the time of this album, growing up in New York, and with the help of a few established producers, basically wrote the whole album himself. He had full creative freedom and you can hear the naive young mind along with an experienced and traumatized person. There are jokes throughout, within his lyrical genius and his skits. Hearing the skits can be uncomfortable but actually listening to the words is hilarious, Biggy is displaying his hubris in this skit while also humbling himself in the deprecating words the woman says. He goes on to demean women but in a way that feels self aware, saying kind words and then calling her a B****. I think with enough time, Biggy could have been a progressive rapper and activist, or at least I like to imagine, once he finds his place and removes the toxic people from his life. The suicidal thoughts and even title itself is haunting in retrospect, especially considering the changes he was making to his mental health later on. This is a young man who needs therapy but instead found it in his music. It's a great album, samples, beats, and all. It deserves the recognition it gets. Best Song: Things Done Changed, Juicy, Gimme The Loot
megusto
Genius by the greatest of all time
Classic!!!
Love: Things Done Changed, Machine Gun Funk, One more chance "here to shatter your bladder", lmaoooo the Fuck Me interlude is something ELSE, Juicy obviously legendary, Everyday Struggle, Me and My Bitch (??romantic), Big Poppa (anthem), Respect (sick hook but the ending is unhinged lmao), Unbelievable
Misogynistic, antagonistic, criminal, catchy
i love this album, 10/10
10/10 Ready to Die holds a special place in my heart. Biggie was a huge inspiration for the hip hop scene and inspired so many more great artists that I love listening to. He flows effortlessly throughout this album. Although some may not agree with his lyrics and the interludes are too much at times even for me. You can’t deny the wordsmith that Biggie was. No song sounds the same on this magnum opus. It’s such a shame we lost him so early. There’s something to be said about this culture that does so much to young impressionable teens with violence and drug abuse. Talking about the highs and lows of the gangster life is so real and that’s another thing I appreciate with this album. One of the greatest albums I’ve heard. Favorite Tracks *Things Done Changed*, *Gimme The Loot*, *Juicy*, *Everyday Struggle*, *Suicidal Thoughts*
nice concept albun
It’s his flow. He sounds like an overweight dude mixed with some amazingly detailed rhyming that illustrate scenarios that float from deadly graphic to comical seamlessly. A shame how he was shot down in his prime. At least he gave us this classic.
peak
My Rating: 5/5 Black Timbs and Truth Bombs This album is the cornerstone of gritty, honest hip-hop. Biggie didn’t just rap—he narrated the psychology of growing up where hope was the rarest currency. Every line hits like a memory wrapped in gunpowder.
Brilliant, one of the best rap albums of all time, also if you’re listening to “Me and My Bitch” the first line had me in stitches….”you look so good I’d suck your daddys dick” was certainly creative 😂 Best songs - Gimme me the loot, ready to die, the what, Juicy and big poppa
Absolutely essential.
Spectacular.
For some reason the link on the generator goes to a version of this album with a different track listing which completely omits GIMME THE LOOT. Luckily, I knew something was horribly wrong right away and was able to sleuth out the correct version. Yes, the skits are unfortunate but I just love Biggie.
No shit.
Top 20 rap album ever. The flow is perfect the transitions are amazing, studio recording clear as day. Gimme the loot is his best song ever.
could i write poetry to this? yes
Finally! First real hip hop album of the list, and what a way to start! For many, this album is the GOAT from the GOAT. It's definitely a top5 in my (sort of uneducated) personal list of hip hop albums. The album is packed with hits. Now that i'm old, I don't find the sex noises skits funny or edgy anymore so i could live w/o them =) but all in all, this is an easy 5
The worst skits and the best rapping — the latter outweighs the former
Really surprised me how much I enjoyed this album overall. Some fabulous storytelling In this album, paints quite the picture. A lot of albums I've listened too over the years have referenced this one, so it was cool to listen. Quite a bit of derogatory language but that kind of comes with the genre.
God damn. While this was the only studio album that Notorious saw released, it might be the only thing bigger than the B.I.G. himself. The man spits bars better than a Snickers conveyor belt. While the album is often dark and dangerous, there is a range of emotions, including joy and humor. There's authenticity in what he's saying (something severely lacking in lots of later rap lyrics), and it might give the most honest representation of being a drug dealer in the 80's and 90's. He makes you feel what he felt, experience his life, which can be difficult as a white dude from rural Pennsylvania. There's so many great references and samples in here (lots of rap history here), this is truly one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
I love individual Biggie tracks, but I've never listened to the entire album. I immediately love "Intro". Hip-hop albums have a unique sense of theater to them with the skits. The bars are immense on "Things Done Changed". 'Either you're slingin' crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot' is one of many hard-hitting lines. "Gimme the Loot" is amazing. The individual songs got away from me a little as I listened, but I love this album. The beats are classic, the bars are amazing, and biggie's flows/voice are so enjoyable to listen to. The lyrics are bleak. They paint a picture of a brutal survival-of-the-toughest world happening in the background of the America I live in. My favorite songs are "Juicy" and "Big Poppa". My only complaint is that the album is too long. Even when I love what I'm hearing, it gets old after an hour and fifteen minutes. 9/10
All MCing aside just check out the range of production on this, the samples, the tracks flipped. So many iconic grooves and soaring hooks that make these tracks instantly palatable. Then you add in one of the most compelling storytellers in hip hop history and it's classic after classic. Yes there are a lot of annoying skits, but that was just a thing in 90's hip hop and it's almost unavoidable during this era.
Well, Biggie is one of my favorite rappers, and this album always makes me sad. I can’t help but think that if this legend had lived longer, he would’ve built one of the greatest discographies in hip-hop. Unfortunately, this is the only album he released before his death. It’s really a perfect hip-hop record except for that one skit we all know about. Biggie’s flow is still unmatched even after all these years. His rhyme schemes are top-tier, his writing is razor sharp, and his storytelling is so vivid that he paints whole movies with his words. What makes Ready to Die so special is Biggie’s versatility: he could make bangers, deep and emotional songs, gritty street tales, and even playful tracks all in one project. Of course, I have to mention “Juicy,” one of my favorite songs ever. To me, it represents hip-hop itself. That boom bap beat, that bassline, and the way Biggie unfolds his come-up story. it’s genius. The song carries every emotion: nostalgia, celebration, and love for the culture. Biggie was truly one of a kind, and even after all this time, no one has really matched him. This album is a reminder of how unique he was, and it always leaves me thinking, what if he was still alive?
I was a teen when this album came out, but I never listened to it fully until maybe 15 to 16 years after it's release. Biggie is a top 5 rapper to me and I have a soft spot for him because he is of Caribbean descent with his mom being from Jamaica. To me he is like what happens to Caribbean people sometimes when they come to America and just get absorbed into the wrong things, maybe with immigrant parents that do not fully understand the world they've entered. Biggie's intelligence apparently won him spelling bees as a child but then take that same intelligence combined with no father being present in the home while surrounded by the wrong crowd and there you have it. Though I can't relate to the violence on the album, his delivery, story telling, smoothness and vocabulary are on a different level. Whenever I listen to this album I think to myself 'what if his experiences in life had been more positive and he'd rapped about more positive things, like maybe Gift of Gab'. What if he had lived longer...what kind of songs would he have made? Here's some extra credit for you, many may not know this but look up 'rap song featuring Heavy D, Busta Rhymes and Biggie Smalls' and give it a listen. This is while Biggie was moreso an unknown I think. All 3 of those rappers are of Jamaican decent I'd feel odd writing the song title here, you'll see why. Killer upright bass sound on it..... can't beat 90s hip hop man.
Amazing
An absolute masterclass in 90's rap. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 4.5, and I’m kind of conflicted about whether I should go down to a 4 or go up to a 5. I’ve heard this album before – I think anyone who claims to know 90s music has at least heard one of “Juicy” or “Big Poppa” before, and in my case, I listened to the whole thing for the first time… gosh, maybe a decade ago, when I was 15. I liked it back then, but I never really gave a lot of thought to the lyricism, and this is obviously when people still liked Diddy, before… well, you know. So, with several years removed from listening to this album in full, but with years of the songs coming up in my big playlist, I was really curious about how it would hold up as a complete front to back package. I’ve matured in spades since 2015, and as part of this whole 1,001 albums thing, I’ve learned to really & truly pay attention to music, and analyze it a lot more past “it sounds good”, for the most part. From the intro, though, this weirdly felt akin to riding a bike – once my brain locked in on “Things Done Changed”, a lot of it came right back to memory. From a purely musical standpoint (i.e., melodic flow, instrumentals/beats, mood-capturing energy, etc), this really is a masterclass on most of the tracks. Easy Mo Bee deserves a lot of fucking credit for the opening stretch of this album, because his stuff is an incredible tonesetter, and a bar for every other producer on here to meet, and they all got pretty close. The lyrics need to be talked about, because they are mostly the reason I’m wavering between a 4 and a 5 – it’s not even necessarily in the fact that a lot of the deeply misogynistic stuff has aged so poorly (although that is a really big factor that should not be understated), and more so in the fact that when you really pay attention, a lot of these tracks end up circling the bases on flexing, bragging, self-hype, and threats of violence, with a touch of domestic abuse throughout. Granted, that’s probably a lot of Diddy’s influence striking through on this album (and I’ll get to him at some point), and from what I remember of “Life After Death”, his songwriting improves tremendously in those regards to make a more varied, thoughtful, introspective & arguably, a more fruitful & better album. On here, though, while those subject matters have legs for a while, by tracks 14 and onward, it just feels like retreading old water, and it does get sort of bland. The curse of a long album, I suppose. However, I’m more inclined to lean towards a 5, if only because Biggie Smalls makes those lines, as poorly aged and repetitive as they might be, sound compelling and unique and mesmerizing every single time – yes, this is a 70 minute album, but it genuinely still flew by for me. Part of that is familiarity, but a lot of it comes in how charismatic and unique Biggie’s voice is, and how he’s able to pull you into the story he’s telling almost every time, without fail. It really didn’t hit me until I had headphones in just how smooth the man’s flow is – the ending of “Everyday Struggle” struck me as the key example, with the bass picking up, the percussion getting a little louder, and the clarity where you can hear just how on-beat he was the whole time becoming apparent. It’s that sort of mesmerizing appeal that’s pulling me towards a 5, and I think it’ll stay there. I’ll be damned if old Puff Sean Diddy Daddy P. Combs didn’t do his damn best to drag this down to a 4 though – it’s not even that he does anything especially bad, but for the love of God, man, do you need to be doing hype-man adlibs on every single fucking track? It’s a side effect of getting this album after all the crimes really came to light, but I just don’t need to hear the man give an Ariana Grande-esque “yuh” after every single fucking line Biggie says. It happens so often that it feels like I’m listening to a man ride coattails in real time, and it is by far the worst side effect of The Notorious B.I.G.'s success. Ultimately, though… I dunno, maybe I just have too much reverence for this album from my younger years, but I think I just have to give it a 5. I can see the case to go lower, and if I were going in with totally fresh ears, I’d probably be there. I cannot change the misogynistic parts of this album from existing, and they do genuinely drag it down on a modern relisten (and don’t even get me started on why the interlude had to be on this album), but on so many of the tracks, I’m just reminded of why Biggie felt special. Even in 2015, I just knew. Beyond the mythos of the Tupac rivalry & his own subsequent death, the man’s talent was on full display, and in 2025, I think his musicianship still speaks for itself. I could (& probably will) go down to a 4 in the future, when I have less of a starry-eyed glaze, but I feel OK about giving this a 5.
Such a great voice and flow, it really is a shame he died so young. It is kind of weird how much he talks about dying on this album. The beats on this album are also really great and groovy. Mid 5.
Top 10 rap album ever probably. I’ve of course heard songs off of this album but listening to it all in one sitting made me feel like it’s actually a bit more intimate than I realized. Kind of a chronicle of Biggies life, at least is how I took it. 5 stars
A rap classic. You could maybe argue 4 stars because I don't love the skits but his its catchy. He has good flow, and the beats are good too
this one is a hard one to rate, because on one hand this feels like a great view into peak 90's hip hop with some really captivating songs in here, some real good flow, and the intro was one of the best album intro's i've ever heard. on the other hand though, the theme of the album kind of just boils down to 'sex, drugs, violence, repeat'. I think i've decided on a 5 for this purely because this was jus the style of the time, and i still think it's done extremely well.
Bonafide classic
What can we say more about this absolute classic. A contender for best rap album of all time. Incredibly influential.
Rap is not my thing. I'm not a fan of the robots making music and am drawn, in music, to melody and harmonic progression over lyric and rhythm. That said, I can't dismiss this album. Biggie's flow is amazing and the creativity and intelligence reflected in the rhymes is undeniable. The subject matters are super challenging. But it comes across as a 100% honest chronicling of an American experience.
Yes, the skits are unpleasant, but the music is really good, and importantly, is not one-dimensional.
Obligatory five stars because of what this album is. One of the greatest rap albums of all time this arguably could be the best rap album of all time because of a lot of things. I didn’t realize how much foreshadowing there was in his death. Literally every song is about him about to be killed or getting some ass lol
Maybe the smoothest flow on an album you'll hear outside of maybe Doggystyle by Snoop. Biggie though has the incredible lyrical ability to go along with it, and some classic beats. It's an easy 5.
Really good album the only one i dont like is where biggie is getting his lil biggie ridden and she calls him alot of racist things. Gimme the loot is really good
Possibly my favorite rap album I’ve listened to during this project thus far. A perfect encapsulation of the struggle of gang life in that era set to a masterful flow and infectious beats. Definitely some work I’ll have to revisit. Notable Tracks: - Things Done Changed - Gimme the Loot - The Loot - Juicy - Big Poppa - Respect 9/10
It got some flaws like the skits that haven't aged well but a majority of the songs make up for those parts. A weak 5 but a 4 would be too low.
Believe it or not, Len Houmous was the first person to be interviewed on that fateful day for Biggie. They’d had a heated argument that afternoon. We wanted to cover Me & My Bitch in honour of Lens first wife, Andrea. Len just can’t stand swearing. So we wanted to change it to Me & My Witch but Biggie wouldn’t have it. Fortunately the only thing Len hates more than swearing his his ex wife and firearms so they knew it wasn’t him. 4.7
Iconic and totally changed the game. One of the best rap albums of all time.
Such a classic
Bigs best
"Gimme Da Loot" Plus "Who Shot Ya" on the remaster version...those are my faves.
would love to listen to a version of this that edits Diddy and the two atrocious sex skits out. what was the obsession with taking 2-3 minutes out of an otherwise fantastic album for the least funny audio skits you've ever heard? those blemishes aside, wow. this is one of hip hop's first timeless albums; Biggie Smalls' flows are immaculately constructed, and listening to him light these beats up is a pure delight. there's tons of different approaches to the art of storytelling across these tracks! my favorite is when he plays multiple characters in the same song, like on "Gimme the Loot" or "Warning"; it feels like he was planting a seed for Kendrick Lamar to harvest a couple decades later. "Things Done Changed", "Everyday Struggle", "Suicidal Thoughts" and many other songs here portray Biggie's criminal lifestyle and condition in society with vividly macabre detail, matched with ornate, jazz-tinged production and piledriving drum grooves. it's undeniably New York, but the influence of West Coast G-Funk is also undeniable. there's also a few glitzier cuts dedicated to his material possessions and the women he's bedding (and threatening to beat if they act out of line), as any mainstream rap classic worth its salt tends to have. the production value and rhyming quality hardly ever dips, but the subject matter is often pretty repetitive. there's definitely no shortage of material here, with 15 proper songs clocking in at over an hour. this was the early days of the CD age, where everyone was trying to fill up as much of that disc as they possibly could. I think you could maybe trim this down by 5-10 minutes and it would be a much tighter experience. but, when so many of these songs are so legendarily good, I can hardly complain! light 9/10.
Absolute gold.
delightful. smooth and way ahead of its time. could have done without the sex noises though
A bonafide classic that is loaded with massive hits and some of the best hip hop deep cuts ever. Puffy’s production impresses throughout this record. Considering Diddy’s crimes, and some of the outdated lyricism from BIG, I was expecting to not like this as much as I used to. The sexual interludes and “sucking on your daddy’s dick” level of nastiness included in the lyrics is uncomfortable to say the least. That being said, BIG’s lyrics and flow are influential and timeless. The personal lyrics about thoughts of suicide are some of the first deeply personal lyrics included in hip hop. It’s hard to give this much lower of a score, because it shaped my interests at a young age honestly. And although, it has aged poorer than others, it is loaded with classics. Everyday Struggle isn’t a song that gets mentioned often, but I like it more than other rappers’ whole discography. Juicy is one of the best songs of all time regardless of genre. There are so many other tracks I could mention, because it is that loaded.
This hit so hard, his lyrics are sometimes graphic and a bit intense, but the ending song is one of the greatest ways to end an album
Best beats. A little uncomfortable.
Definitely a skit or two that I never need to hear again.
This album fucks so hard. Outstanding production, strong pop sensibilities, great voice and delivery from Biggie, it's got it all. The lyrics are kinda juvenile in a lot of places but I get it, they were basically kids. I wrote terrible lyrics/poetry at that age too. Anyways, now that I'm not a shitty teenaged metal snob, I can totally understand how this became huge and how (along with the Death Row stuff) rap/hip hop broadly became such a sensation around this time. I mean, not that it wasn't already popular but rap was basically the default soundtrack to the 90s. My only beef with this album is Big Poppa copping the West Coast style G-Funk sound. It's out of place. I mean, it sounds good, but it sounds like they were trying to dip their toes into waters that Dre basically owned. Other than that, this is basically flawless.
päheetä sakkia nää tummat... valmiina koulemaan!!!!! elämä on rankkaa mut mun sielu on vankkaa.. virta on sulava mutta syön vittu pullavan... siks oon läski vitun läski joten laita pääskii... pikku riimiä teillekin, ehk extra settiä albumille emt... yyyhyyy rivouksia... yhyhyhyyyyy seksisti paskapää!!! on osa kulttuuria heh... opi tavoille... respect the culture..... mene kiina syö koira... osa kulttuuria, ongelma? ei kannata olla homo. saudi arabiassa... jos ei kulttuuri kelpaa niin ei tarvi vittuilla...... albumi vähän pitkästyttää loppua kohden mutta on ainakin semmoisen tunnin verran eliittiä settiä. i dont give a hell!!!!!! on nää päheetä sakkia nää tummat... respect
Haven't listened through the album before, was good
Awesome
What flow. What a debut. Too much Puffy. One of the best to ever rap
RIP Biggie. One of the OGs. Phenomenal album and such a classic.
Essential 90s east coast rap. It tells a story that never gets old
THIS IS NOT MUSIC! this is foul-mouthed pretentious self-indulgence with no musical content, innovation or inspiration..
A classic of its time i guess
Inarguably one of the best debut albums of all time.
Classic. The lyricism is incredible, the flow is impeccable, the beats are fantastic.
Would be hard to say this is not one of the best hip hop records ever.
This album just missed the day my twins were born which would have been amazing considering the album art and the song "Big Poppa." I love Biggie's cadence and rhyme. There is a smooth and crunchy sound to his voice that makes it so good. Some of the lyrics are your stereotypical rap theme (women, money, drugs, murder, cars) but when Biggie raps about these things it feels real. Biggie sounds like a motherfucker you don't wanna mess with. Probably what got him killed unfortunately.
5-