Biggie’s ‘Ready to Die’ at 20: 10 Lyrical References Millenials May Not Understand
Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready To Die debuted in 1994, just as hip hop was moving to the forefront of popular culture. Buoyed by the success of Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle two years prior—and Nas' Illmatic earlier that year—there had never been a better time for Biggie to unleash his cleverly worded tales of life as a dope slinger in Bed Stuy. Radio-ready singles like "Big Poppa" perfectly counterbalanced the grit of "Warning" and "Suicidal Thoughts," and Christopher Wallace was on his way to icon status at 22.
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