In these sessions, XXL magazine describe an "inexperienced, higher-pitched" Biggie sounding "hungry and paranoid". The first tracks recorded include the album's darker, less radio-friendly content (including "Ready to Die," "Gimme the Loot" and "Things Done Changed"). Biggie started recording his debut album in 1993 in New York, after making numerous guest appearances among his label-mates' singles around that time. In 1992, Biggie was signed to the Uptown Records label by A&R Sean "Puffy" Combs. In 1994, Biggie was 21 years old when he recorded the album. The album was recorded in New York City (mainly at The Hit Factory) in two stages during 19. It has been ranked by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. The album was significant for revitalizing the East Coast hip hop scene, amid West Coast hip hop's commercial dominance. In April 2018, Ready to Die was certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The Notorious B.I.G.'s lyrics on the album were generally praised by critics, with many praising his story-telling ability. "Big Poppa" was a hit on multiple charts, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and also being nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. "Juicy", the lead single, peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles. Three singles were released from the album: " Juicy", " Big Poppa", " One More Chance" and a promotional track of Biggie: "Warning". Ready to Die peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and was subject to widespread critical acclaim and soon a commercial success. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper's experiences as a young criminal, and was the only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death in 1997. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The album features productions by Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, among others. So, the next time you find yourself attempting to make a classic rap album, make sure to go through your old family photo albums to find the perfect baby picture for the cover.Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. Fluctuating in style and authenticity, these covers are probably not going anywhere anytime soon.
#Notorious big album cover series
His bragging of coming from nothing and making it conflicts with the knowledge that where Drake really started was on the Canadian teen drama series “Degrassi.”įrom Illmatic to Nothing Was the Same, this visual concept continues to be repurposed and by a new generation of rappers. When the two are put side by side, they create one complete painting of the child staring at the adult that he will eventually become.ĭrake details his past on the album, paying homage to the previous rappers autobiographical works, but when he raps, “Started from the bottom,” it doesn’t really resonate. There are two versions of the cover: one featuring a baby Aubrey Drake Graham with his head in the clouds, and the other featuring adult Drake. While all of the previous covers feature photographs, Drake decided to commission artist Kadir Nelson to create oil paintings of him.
Canadian rapper Drake decided to follow in the footsteps of rappers before him - including his mentor, Lil Wayne - with his album cover for Nothing Was the Same.