It has been 28 years since the Notorious B.I.G.’s life was tragically cut short at just 24 years old. Since then, and to many even before, the Brooklyn MC has been deemed the greatest rapper of all time, and the continued adulation of his music is a testament to that claim.
While Biggie Smalls masterfully commanded the streets and the clubs with his music, his chart topping singles like “Juicy,” “One More Chance (Stay with Me Remix)” and “Mo Money Mo Problems” cemented him as a mainstream success. But it’s a fair argument to say that it’s his album cuts, those records that buoy a project and are what’s needed to deem an album a classic that truly cemented his legacy.
No video or fancy marketing behind the record, just bars and beats. The stuff that had fans hitting the rewind button over and over and making an ugly face. You know the vibes.
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So with the spirit of the Notorious B.I.G. in mind, here’s a list of his 9 best album cuts. A lot of these should have been singles, with videos and all that, if we keep it a bean.
1. "Who Shot Ya?"
This is the song many thought at Tupac after the infamous Quad Studios shooting, but BIG and Junior Mafia always insisted it was not. The sinister beat cooked up by Nashiem Myrick from David Porter’s “I’m Afraid the Masquerade Is Over” was the perfect backdrop for the menacing lyrics. Technically, it was an unreleased b-side to the “Big Poppa/Warning” single but was added to subsequent posthumous, “remastered” releases of Biggie’s Ready To Die debut.
2. Junior M.A.F.I.A. – "Realms of Junior M.A.F.I.A." ft. Notorious B.I.G
The Notorious B.I.G. managed to put on his own Junior Mafia crew, and set them up with a record label, Undeas, via Atlantic Records. Biggie bats clean up on this song produced by the late, great DJ Clark Kent. Keep in mind that save for Jamal, it sounds like he wrote all the lyrics. Yes, he was that great. “Realms of Junior M.A.F.I.A.” is from the Conspiracy album that dropped in August 1995, a little less than year after B.I.G.’s own debut album.
3. "The What" ft. Method Man
Notorious BIG and Method Man was gold off the rip. And if you were in NYC when BIG debut dropped,this was the track you heard on the streets. Wu-Tang Clan was asserting themselves and insisted on keeping their ranks tights, but Method Man snuck out and dropped an absolute heater with the same guy Rae and Ghost would accuse of being a shark biter.
4. "Gimme The Loot"
If you don’t know, Easy Moe Bee produced this track along with a healthy chunk of Ready To Die. The Notorious BIG got his Slick Rick on by rapping with dual personalities and going as far saying he would even rob a pregnant woman. Yes, it was all just for the sake of rap and kind of heinous, but damn it was good.
5. "Kick In The Door"
Jeru The Damaja allegedly sent sublimals to the Notorious BIG. DJ Premier was good money with both men. But that didn’t stop Premo from producing “Kick In The Door” whose line, “Son, I’m surprised you run with them I think they got cum in them, ’cause they nothin’ but dicks,” was aimed at Jeru and Premier. Damn, son.
6. "Just Playing (Dreams)"
The story goes that “Just Playing (Dreams)” was a promo single that featured Biggie Smalls wittily (that’s a nice way to put it) rapping about bedding famed female R&B singers. He wanted it on his album, but word was Patti Labelle (who was on an affiliated label) was not happy, and that was that on that. Time must heal, because years later it made it only remastered albums.
7. "I Got A Story To Tell"
If someone asks you if Notorious BIG was a great storyteller, play this song. We got word years ago that it was allegedly Anthony Mason who got caught up in the real life caper, rest in peace. The flow, the groove (via Buckwild and Chucky Thompson), and comedy (a rained out basketball game?!), all flawless. What a time.
8. "Ten Crack Commandments"
The Notorious B.I.G. on the bars, DJ Premier on the beat and Chuck D (via a scratch vocal sample) on the hook. What’s not to like. You also have Biggie dropping bars that any illicit pharmaceutical distributor trying to not get caught up should live by. Biggie taught ya.
9. "Notorious Thugs"
There is a reason Bone Thugs-n-Harmony were so unique in their style—that cadence is difficult as hell. But Notorious B.I.G. was such a talented MC he managed to keep up, not an easy feat, and it managed to be one of the hardest records on Life After Death. Respect.
