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Week 37:
The Notorious B.I.G.
Artist Introduction
Christopher George Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls is widely considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, gangta rapper of all time. Unlike anything we've covered in the music club to date, his music is East Coast hardcore hip hop. He raps about living in the hood in the streets of Brooklyn, and he is most known for his flow and story telling ability. Biggie was tragically murdered at the age of 24 just 6 months after the killing of West Coast rival, Tupac Shakur. His music remains incredibly popular today, and is used as the entrance song to Conor McGregor's octagon entrances. I know this is not everyone's favorite style of music in this club, but I really think you will find some enjoyment out of the greatness that is Biggie Smalls. Put on your bullet proof vests and buckle up, it's time to get street on ya'z.
Joe Cascella
Most Popular
Hypnotize
Welp there’s a lot to unpack here right from the start. I forgot how aggressive a song Hypnotize is right off the rip. Before we hop into the lyrics, let’s quickly discuss one of the most famous sounds in hip hop history. The little three piece that immediately sets the tone and just puts you in the mood to rip some Biggie. That bass/guitar chord sound is actually a sample from a song in 1979 called Rise, by Herb Alpert. That song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, and that iconic sound became much more famous 18 years later when Biggie looped it for his most famous song ever. Other artists wanted to sample the sound, including Ice Cube and Eazy E from NWA, but it was never approved until P-Diddy, the producer of the song, showed the song to the original owners. This song was the first single off Biggie’s last album, Life After Death. Lyrically, it’s different from a lot of his other music because it’s a celebration of everything he had already accomplished at such a young age. His attitude was pretty much Fuck you, I can say and do whatever I want. This song was a celebration of what his life was becoming…. until…. 8 days after this song was released, Biggie was tragically murdered. The song was already gaining huge momentum, but his death led to the biggest album release in hip hop history, not even 2 months later. Personally, I love the flashiness and boldness of the song. It’s incredibly fun and flows really well. Can I relate to the lyrics? Absolutely not, but who cares, it’s fun to get rowdy every now and then. Baller start.
Big Poppa
Another incredibly iconic sound right off the rip. I immediately associate it with the movie Hardball, which if you haven’t seen, have some frecin fun with your life and get it going (warning: saddest death in movie history). In a more uplifting scene, the Kekambas are getting smacked around the baseball diamond when Keanu Reeves helps the pitcher Miles find rhythm, by throwing his hands up and singing the chorus to this song. The whole crowd gets involved and the whole thing is a lot of fun. Check it out! Okay, back to the music…Biggie has ridiculous flow and this song just exudes confidence. It’s a fun song that you can take light heartedly but you can still see some of his more impressive abilities. He raps clearly and pours on the rhymes to fit the story, and the flow is truly immaculate. Extremely fun song.
Juicy
Alright now we get into some of the great story telling Biggie is capable of. While the flow is still fantastic and the rhymes are smooth, it’s the lyrics in this one that really sets him apart. This song combines chip on your shoulder mentality, with a little luck and surprise to find himself being everything he dreamed of being. He clearly expresses how he was doubted continuously, but he holds no grudges and still has love for everyone in the neighborhood. The perfect example of all of this combined is “condos in queens, indo for weeks, sold out shows to hear Biggie smalls speak (I like that he chooses to say speak here. Not only does it fit the rhyme scheme, but he’s really saying all I’m doing is just talking into this mic) …. Lunches, brunches, interviews by the pool, considered a fool cause I dropped outta high school.” He’s grateful for what he has but he put in the work and remembers who said he couldn’t. Another extremely famous chorus that has probably gotten plenty of white people canceled throughout the years, it’s just so easy to sing along to. Also the verse that starts with “Super Nintendo Sega Genesis” is one of my favorite rap verses of all time. Fantastic song
Personal Favorites
Gimme the Loot
Well, if I have not already lost you, here we go. My college roommate Ray Smith (who's now a cop) used to play this song all the time, and it turned me on to my love for Biggie Smalls. This song is pretty clear what it’s about. Gangsta life doing robberies and getting money. This was the life before Biggie got famous. I’m sure my parents would not be proud that with the perfect number of beers, I could rap this song line for line with the best of 'em. It’s hardcore gangta rap at its finest. It promotes a culture of violence and is heavily anti-police, which of course I’m very against…. But…. Biggie raps like an absolute animal and I love his ability to be crafty with lyrics but still come off as hardcore as anyone has ever. Banger rap.
Party and Bullshit
Okay,a bit more light hearted here. The boys just wanna party and bullshit, and what's so wrong with that. Outside of the fact that it’s not happening because of the life of a gangsta. I thought I liked this song more than I did, it’s too fast paced and not as catchy or flowy. The chorus is fun for college students and any young adult male for that matter.
Mo Money Mo Problems
Great groove, upbeat, fun to move around to. Strong rap abilities by both Mase and B.I.G. Considering how little music Biggie has, it’s so crazy to think how many are still incredibly relevant today, especially considering when they were released. I know today it’s considered throwback rap, but at the same time is still mainstream. I guess the counter argument to that would be iconic rock songs by big bands still playing all over the place, like the Stones or Zepp. The one thing they have in common is that they’re all members of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Good stuff.
Unique Songs
Playa Hater
I can't wait to read dad’s misery with this one hahahaha. They ask for unique, I give you unique. Can Biggie sing? Absolutely not. Does he care? Absolutely not. He falls on the playa side of this conversation. This almost reminds me of Just a Friend by Biz Markie, where the musician who was supposed to sing the chorus didn’t show, so he did it himself. Biz can’t sing either but at least that song is incredible, unlike this one. Also, Biggie isn’t taking anything too seriously here, and you’ll see more of that on the next song. Just having fun and laying down tracks.
Ten Crack Commandments
The concept of creating a rulebook for the world of selling drugs is just a hilarious concept to me. It’s a short and simple song, but it’s a hilarious and fun listen. My personal favorite commandment is #6. “You think a crackhead paying you back, shit forget it.” Absolutely hilarious but also true. I wonder how many drug dealers have abided by the ten crack commandments, and for those who don’t, how many end up behind bars? Musically, I like the spinning vinyl sound that sets the tone throughout the entirety of the song. The combo of that and the counting being mashed is smooth and easy to rap over in Biggie’s tone. I’m back in.
Runnin' (Dying to Live)
There’s quite a lot to unpack here, but let’s start with the fact that this mashup song was released years after both men had already been shot and killed, and it was produced by former music club artist, Eminem. This song addresses a lot of themes, but the big one is that this cycle of violence and hate towards one another is just gunna lead to death. You have unreleased materials from the two rivals, both rapping about their perspective of “the life.” Throughout the song, you hear spoken words from both artists. Tupac claiming it’s Biggie’s people who had him shot, and Biggie talking about the surprise he felt when he heard that Pac had passed, saying he would never wish death upon anybody. I’m not sure how Biggie will be received in the group, but if your interest has peaked at all, I would highly encourage you to watch the Netflix documentary “Biggie: I got a story to tell.” It’s really fantastic and does a nice job breaking down a lot about this rivalry and what really happened throughout this time. It will also make you hate P-Diddy more than you already do. Overall, the song is my favorite, but the meaning is very powerful and worth investing more time in, and I felt it was a good way to conclude this list of songs.
Conclusions
Biggie is a monster of creativity, sharp lyrics, great story telling, fun grooves and iconic timeless hits. Although there’s not much in the catalog from his early death, his music remains undeniable and widely consumed from hip hop fans globally. His impact is so incredibly significant in the rap community. Obviously, there’s absolutely nothing that we can relate to, but it’s fun to put yourself in the shoes of an entirely different life through music. I’m so curious to see the thoughts of Uncle Vin and my old man for this week’s selection, as I’m sure a lot of this will be brand new to them. My score, 8.7.
Cascella Family Reviews
Vin Cascella
I was very late to the party when it came to this kind of music. While everyone in middle school was blasting this and G-Unit, I was listening to Linkin Park, Korn, and Good Charlotte. I think I got into The Notorious way later in college when I was exposed to more kinds of music including different artists of the 90s East and West Coast hip-hop rivalries. I for sure prefer the gritty and aggressive style of the East coast to the laid back and conversational West coast. Anyways, I know most of the music on this list and am looking forward to diving a little deeper than just the surface knowledge I have of Biggie.
Hypnotize: This most popular section might be the MOST POPULAR section out of any artist we’ve had so far. Hypnotize and Big Poppa are all well over a billion Spotify streams while Juicy is just short of the billion marker. To say that Wallace’s legacy is still strong today is an understatement. Now for the song itself, iconic song and a good intro to Biggie’s world. Touches on a little bit of everything. A little of his upbringing in Brooklyn, some of the gangster side, and some of the player side. Lyrically it isn’t anything too special but his flow on top of the ridiculously catchy beat makes this a timeless classic. Didn’t realize how much of this song is just the chorus on repeat, that part is fine.
Big Poppa: Another insanely catchy beat. The hook to this song was in every kid’s vocabulary growing up. Hard to differentiate this song from Hypnotize. They are both pretty similar song structures. Big Poppa focuses more on the player and success side of his life. “Tremendous CREAM” has to be Joe’s favorite line. I love Biggie’s ad libs but not a huge fan of Diddy’s (Puff Daddy at the time). Feels overly intrusive to the first two songs, more so in this one. I was reading that during the east/west coast rivalry, Death Row Records’ Suge Knight took a dig at Diddy saying “"Any artist out there that want to be an artist and want to stay a star, and don't want to have to worry about the executive producer trying to be all in the videos ... All on the records ... dancing, come to Death Row!"
Juicy: Effortless flow. The intro into the first verse is so clean. I think this is his best rapping out of the first three songs. Even the music, outside of the bass, takes a backseat to the vocals in this one. Lyrically all about his come-up and blowing up into success. Reaping the benefits of becoming famous and loving every minute of it. Obviously, real life was a bit different but this song is all about success and being able to get out of the struggle. Three monster tracks back to back and next up we have possibly his most influential song.
Gimme the Loot: This is the style of music I think of in reference to The Notorious B.I.G and a lot of East Coast gangster rap. Could be something the Wu-Tang Clan put out. Lyrically it's an aggressive song in the style of a dialogue between two personas himself and a younger eager accomplice (both rapped by Biggie). Is it a lot? Sure. But his flow and style in this song are really shown off as he effortlessly swaps between the two personas. Outside of just listing different guns and how he’s going to shoot people the lyrics are really clever. You can hear his influence in so many New Yorkers’ styles today. The first that comes to mind is I could 100% see someone like Action Bronson coming up with the line “Rolex watches and colorful swatches”. I like this song a lot.
Party and Bullshit: Another song with a hook that everyone still repeats to this day. I don’t have much else to say about this song that has not been said already for the previous songs. Immaculate flow, fine lyrics. Just about living it up outside of the realities of his life.
Mo Money Mo Problems: This is definitely the most pop sounding rap song in the selection. Biggie gets one verse and… yea he sounds like Biggie. The only thing I find surprising about this song is that it’s technically listed as his song. I feel like he has the least influence on the track out of the three rappers. But hey, it's insanely catchy, and by far the most approachable Wallace will get on this list.
Playa Hater: This is a bad song lol. Even if it's purposefully over the top in a tongue and cheek kind of way version of "Hey Love" by the Delfonics. It’s just a rough listen. Diddy’s ad-libs hurt even more than usual on this one. His ridiculous falsetto at the end reminds me of Spongebob singing. It’s hard to judge a parody song lol. It 10000% fits the unique category but not in a good way. It did remind me of the Dave Chappelle “Playa Haters Ball” skit which is one of my all-time favorites.
Ten Crack Commandments: My personal favorite Biggie Smalls track. The music is so cool and the flow as per usual is fire. The backing track with the record scratches just fits the vibe of the song perfectly. And a big thank you to Biggie for giving me the tools and knowledge I need to sell crack on the streets. The exact opposite of The Cranberries “Salvation”! This song fits the unique category really well. There’s no real chorus or traditional song structure. Just a step-by-step guide in between a quick intro and outro. I remember my buddy B used to blast this driving around Staten Island all the time. He’s a doctor now.
Runnin’ (Dying to Live): A Posthumous track released 6 and 7 years after the passing of Biggie and Tupac respectively. It used recordings of the two artists from a scrapped project from back in 1993. I have a lot and a little to say about this song. You could write whole dissertations on the 90s East/West coast hip-hop rivalry and fallout. For the song itself… sure, it’s fine. Produced by Eminem which is kind of cool. It seems like a bit of a mashup….because it is. I think Biggie sounds better in this song than Tupac because he fits the music better but I don’t think it really shows off either of their talents. It’s a taste of what could have been in an alternate reality.
How to grade this one!? Christopher Wallace had such a short career with only two full studio albums, some collaborations, and a whole bunch of posthumous material. But with that short time he has had one of the biggest if not the absolute biggest impacts on an entire genre. Countless rappers have been influenced by Biggie’s flow and style. Some notes: Immaculate flow, possibly the best. Music and production, solid throughout. Lyrical content, simple but effective, at times repetitive. This selection of 9 songs. 5 bangers, 2 solid tracks, and 2 duds. Is this my preferred style of music? Not particularly but you have to recognize the talent and impact. And sometimes it’s just fun to blast some gangster rap! It’s the same for me as listening to death metal. You don’t have to live the life of these artists, or even fully understand it, you’re allowed to just enjoy the music for the sake of enjoying the music. And with all of that being said… The Notorious B.I.G. gets a solid score.
8.4
Dad Cascella
I know absolutely NOTHING about our next artist, The Notorious B.I.G. other than I think Joseph and Vincent fear my deep dive into this music because I believe it’s referred to as Gangsta Rap. But you should all know I have an open mind when it comes to music, so let the bleeding ears begin:
HYPNOTIZE- Heavy bass line throughout. Clever and sometimes funny lyrics. I’m guessing at this point in his career B.I.G. (I’ll use this in my review to shorten his name) had somewhat made it big (no pun intended). He’s rappin’ about what fame brings to him. There appears to be multiple and multiple references to persons and places in his lyrics,, but being the old man I am, I recognize very few of these names or places. I really like the flow of the song. I’m not sure what to think of the deep-voiced rap, totally new to me, but this was a pretty cool start for me.
BIG POPPA- A rhythm based rap song. Again, not sure, but I think the opening represents how that now he is a known person, it’s easier (and more productive) to meet and sleep with women. Yes? Then we get some ego driven lyrics, how B.I.G. has got the smoothest lines and moves to be with women. Yes? Then he’s rappin’ about the rich things that he’s now enjoying as being a star. Yes? Decent lyrics throughout and his delivery is very good, though not much different from the first selection. And I’m getting used to his deep voice. Okay, that’s two out of the way and I’m not scared off yet.
JUICY- Okay, this is different. Didn’t like the first 23 seconds where he’s pissed at former teachers and tenants who lived in buildings where he sold drugs. But that’s just me. Now onward, which definitely sounds autobiographical. Pretty cool he’s rappin’ about artists he looked up to when he was young, and how hard that young life was. Good, but slowish rap (I guess I’m used to faster pace). Is he forgiving those who previously criticized him with “stereotypes of a black male misunderstood” and “it’s still all good”? Conflicting lyrics I think, but still very good flow. I didn’t like the chorus, kind of hokey. And again, while the flow and delivery is good, he’s rapping’ about the same stuff, how he has the good things now that money can buy, “50 inch screen, leather sofa, limousine with a chauffeur, etc”. Yea, yea, I get it, but it’s getting old. And this song could have been cut to 4 minutes, but instead we get an extended (hokey) chorus at the end. Not my favorite.
GIMME THE LOOT- Damn, as much as I wasn’t crazy about the last selection, this one hooked me in right from the start. I’m guessing this is real gangsta shit. But with very good lyrics. The first 1:45 is about as hard lyrics I’ve ever heard, but I’m not scared off (I listened several times). Then we get a “gimme the loot” chorus. I think he could have done better with the chorus. Then back to edgy, gangsta lyrics. Wow, these lyrics are getting even better. And I really like the changes in his voice throughout. Is there anything he won’t take, and can anyone be a victim to this gangsta? Rough stuff. If this is what Joseph and Vincent were nervous about with me, don’t worry, I get it. Absolutely scary, intense lyrics, but I have to admit, delivered great. My favorite so far. Surprised??
PARTY AND BULLSHIT- Okay, so while I’m really liking the delivery and excellent rhyme schemes, it’s not too different from previous selections. I am liking the gangsta shit again (it feels so strange writing those words). But at 1 minute we get “bullshit and party” 9 times for a chorus. 4 maybe okay, but 9 times? And other lyrics, like “who got the gat, biggie” and “carrying two .22’s”. Then we get another 9 times of “party and bullshit”. I don’t know, it didn’t really work for me. The 2nd half of the song had much better lyrics, some of his best yet. But at this point I want, and need, different.
MO MONEY MO PROBLEMS- Had to look it up, but I liked Kelly Price laying down the background vocals in this song. No B.I.G. until the two minute mark. Interesting. So while the rappin’ is real good, it’s the lyrics that make this song stand out (I’ve read them multiple and multiple times). There is so much here. 3 rappers, flaunting their power, but knowing there’s problems that go with this power and fame. And definitely don’t fuck with them or their crews. Funny thing is I thought Mase’s and Diddy’s verses were better than B.I.G.’s. Very powerful song.
PLAYA HATER- WOW!!! And that’s a huge WOW!!! B.I.G. trying to sing. I’m actually laughing while listening to this. O.M.G., at the 2:04 mark I almost fell out of my chair. B.I.G. falsetto?? Remember how I’ve said before to be careful what I wish for? Well, I wanted different, but my God, I absolutely did not expect this. While the song is in the top 3 of Cascellamusicclub bad songs, I give kudo’s for different/unique. Way to go Joe. If you don’t know the song, look up Biz Markie “You Got What I Need”. This one reminds me of that. So fucking bad.
TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTS- Yup, a perfectly different/unique song as compared to the other selections. And a very good one at that. This is such an interesting idea of a song. The Notorious B.I.G., being in the rap business, is teaching others his rules and “Commandments” for making it to and staying in the game (and life). Great lyrics, good delivery. And if you don’t follow these commandments, well, it’ll be a pretty harsh end.
RUNNIN (DYING TO LIVE)- Again, had to look it up, but I liked the hook, sung by Diana King, throughout. Such a cool and different beginning, with real conversations and news report. First verse, B.I.G. rappin’ about his drug dealing days. Great rhymes. Then Tupac takes over (I believe it’s the first time i’ve ever heard him rap). Again, real good stuff. And the ending, with B.I.G. talking about Tupac getting shot, and dying. It’s so different, and interesting, that it made me research their relationship. And that in itself is very interesting, but for another club. Anyway, cool end. These last three lumped together definitely takes the award for different/unique set we’ve had.
Okay, so I got thru my first “gangsta”rap artist. Obviously, this is not my favorite genre of music, but hell, Eminem (not gangsta) shocked me with his unique style, but did B.I.G. music shock me enough to go with a high score? Overall, not much to talk about with the music, I did like the two songs using the female artists. For the most part, very good rhymes and definitely his delivery and flow are great. He’s slightly slower than other rappers I’ve been introduced to, but in a very good way. I found that many of his songs’ lyrics were repetitive, rapping about his drugs dealing days and gangsta life and spoils of success. But I do (now) know he died at age 24, so this was all he knew. So yes, while this was extremely different for me, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. But that PLAYA HATER, WTF was that!!! As for the rating, I liked this more than Childish or Mac, but not better than Eminem. I’ll go with a 7.4
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