Classic Of The Day Ready To Die?

Question

http://bp1.blogger.com/_yuGx2p_Kpck/Ri1zgR-VF1I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/YDYt_f0OAZE/s1600-h/Ready+to+Die.jpg


(Juicy) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFB8UZjYJwk

(Warning) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwAzkJs7DaA

(One More Chance)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDRkO_UmXY

(Big Poppa)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLAdMpk9BQo


"A ************* rap phenomenon"
                    - Notorious B.I.G.
Yup, Biggie sure saw it coming, didn't he?  Well, in this case, I'm glad people acknowledged his skills.  And believe me, when I say that Biggie has skills, HE HAS SKILLS!!  It's real easy for everyone to say that Biggie was overrated just because he's dead and has millions of dickriders, but LISTEN TO THE MAN RAP!!!  He has such a unique way of rapping.  At his finest, Biggie had the compelling storytelling ability of Kool G Rap, the straightforward, but sharp-as-nails flow of Lord Finesse, and the charisma of Big Daddy Kane (that's especially impressive for a guy that weighed 300+ pounds).  If there's ANYBODY that sounds like Biggie, they just bit him and failed miserably.  To this day, there's no one that sounds like B.I.G. at his finest.  There are as many hip-hop quotables here as on Paid In Full or Long Live the Kane.  Believe that!  You'll noticed that in at least half of the songs, Biggie sounds oddly high-pitched.  That's because those were tracks that Biggie did when he was still signed to Uptown Records.  You'll also notice that those are Big's nastiest and violent songs, since it was before Puffy's influence (I'd like to mention that Puff also soiled his draws during that club incident in '99).  XXL stated that on the pre-Bad Boy songs, Biggie sounded "inexperienced and paranoid".  I'd also like to mention that XXL still spents most of their time promoting G-Unit, so who cares what they think.  I love that high-pitched Biggie even more than the "finessed" Biggie.  He sounded so RAW and energetic.  The man wanted to impress and saying that he did would be an understatement.  Lyrically, there hasn't been an album with so much swearing, disrespect towards women, and over-the-top violence since Mr. Scarface Is Back.  Hell, even that's deeper than Ready to Die.  Biggie's teaching all the wrong morals here, but honestly who cares?!  Picture Biggie telling you to respect your fellow sistas and to have safe sex.  CORNY!!!  There are plenty of more articulate albums of '94, like Illmatic and The Sun Rises In the East, so don't chastize Biggie for acting the fool here.  As far as the beats go, the most prevalent producer here is Easy Mo Bee.  Among him are others like DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Puffy, and others.  I wouldn't call the production equal to Biggie's rapping, but they get the job done.  Believe me when I say that Ready to Die is a CLASSIC.  Even if Biggie would've sold out post '97, at least he gave me an album that I enjoy even more than Jealous One's Envy, The Infamous..., Reasonable Doubt and even Illmatic.  Anyone that loves hip-hop NEEDS THIS ALBUM!!!  Non-fans will completely hate this.  For anyone that's a fan of Biggie, Ready to Die should be the reason.  This is Notorious B.I.G. at his absolute finest.  If someone claims to be a huge fan of Big, but they ain't heard Ready to Die, they ain't a fan.  

Song Quality: 10/10 ("Biggie Smalls is the illest")
Lyrics: 10/10 (to reiterate, "Biggie Smalls is the illest")
Beats: 8/10 (mehhh, doesn't hinder the album though)

Favorites songs:
Things Done Changed
Machine Gun Funk
Ready to Die
One More Chance (the remix is better though)
Everyday Struggle (storytelling GENIUS!)
Juicy
Me & My *****
Big Poppa
Suicidal Thoughts (eerie, but brilliant)
Unbelievable
Warning
Gimme the Loot (Biggie just doesn't give a damn)
Friend of Mine
The What (Big and Meth KILLED it!)

Least favorites:
none

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

"XXL stated that on the pre-Bad Boy songs, Biggie sounded "inexperienced and paranoid". I'd also like to mention that XXL still spents most of their time promoting G-Unit, so who cares what they think."

^^Troof

One of my favorite albums...one of the greatest albums, ever. Dude's flow was, and is, unparalleled.

Anonymous · Answer

I live in bed-stuy, if u dont know where that is your not a biggie fan and when i heard that biggie album ready to die i died myself and became a new person i have been listening to all of the tracks on ready to die for one year straight and been listening to it as if it was my first, i like all the tracks on tha cd and it was the greatest cd ever made, after that album i realized how much better old school is and dumped new school rap in the garbage and refussedto ever listen to it again i am strickly old school now, even the way i dress, so thats just to tell you how much power lyrically and physically this dude has brought to this world thorugh one cd dont get me wrong 2pac was good and very positive but it took 2pac 12 cd or so to become what he is as a legend today, biggie cameout with one cd and blew up as legend (life after death doesnt count because he wasnt alive to say what tracks he wanted and what tracks he wanted to make to add to the cd, so i dont count it) and pac was jealous of biggie if you think deeply about, 2pac started with all this beef ****, he should have kept quiet, but you know they were young and had a lot to learn, it was a big loss well always love big poppa, and for 2pac only god can judge me rest in peace and make peace and be friends in heaven and hopefully they forgave eachother
R.I.P. 
The Notorious B.I.G.
R.I.P.
2Pac
Yall well never be forgotten

Kevin D (RIP Adam Yauch MCA) · Answer

I gotta disagree and give the production/beats a solid 9/10, in particular Easy Mo Bee's and DJ Premier's one track. Just because Biggie outshone the production on many few tracks doesn't make them merely decent, it just shows you good a lyricist he was. Unbelievable is one of the best hip hop beats ever. Machine Gun Funk (listen to the intro sample, its killer). Juicy -who's sampled Mtume as well as that? 
My song rankings:
Unbelievable
Gimme The Loot
Things Done Changed
Machine Gun Funk
Ready to Die
Friend of Mine
Juicy
Everyday Struggle
Warning
Big Poppa
Intro
Me and My *****
The What
Suicidal Thoughts
Respect
One More Chance (the remix kills the original)

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah,I bought the 10th anniversary edition last month,and it's my favourite rap album now.They added Who Shot Ya and Just Playing.I'm more of the West Coast listener,but Biggie single-handedly turned my attention to the East Coast.

"Gimme The Loot,Gimme The Loot(I'm a bad bad guy)."This is a ******* classic.Once I heard this song I went "**** everyone else,Biggie is the best!".

Anonymous · Answer

The Notorious B.I.G. is the greatest rapper in history when it comes to flow, no one can touch him. I have listened to this album so many times and just really admire the stupendous lyricism and story-telling seen throughout it. This album is a bit less polished than his follow-up "Life After Death", but Biggie still comes through with some classic material. A real classic that should be in any true hip-hop fans collection.

Ns@YnE · Answer

I see some hater came thru on this...lol (thumbed downed everyone) But yea u cant listen to XXL anyways...they still a lil salty that Puff ran up in their office when they first started the mag...They sued Puff...plus D Dot also ran up on them too for telling everybody who the Mad Rapper was. But yea Big was straight from the streets thats why his rhymes werent all "keep ya head uppish"...lol Eventually Big would have changed his content like JayZ did...He had already changed his flow to more relaxed and laid back...They even started calling his music Contemporary Gangsta Rap...lol...He didnt have a chance to make the positive stuff that ppl But yea I like the uncut Big too...Puff saw the potential of Big and exploited his lack of knowledge of the business...Thats why I didnt buy the post death releases...They released a lot of music that didnt make the first album because they were too graphic...like Dead Wrong...But overall I agree with ya thread

RIP BIG

Anonymous · Answer

Man I can't praise this album enough... Unbelievable's flow is top notch... can't see no ni99a touching Biggie's flow no matter who. The production is way too gritty tough, it could be more worked on.... we could take all the acapellas from this album and work on some solid remix album... **** would be dope. Peace

MikeyJayyy · Answer

I like when he said "...like breast stroke was the best stroke,death stroke, tounge all down her throat..." in 'One More Chance'> If you don't respect Biggie... I'm a West Coast fiend California Boy, and I think Big was a better lyricist than Pac. I do think that he could have made more positive songs like Pac, but we can't really change that now.

Anonymous · Answer

fav rapper fav album

damn straight Biggie Smalls is tha illest

here we go (in order)
Juicy
Gimme Tha Loot
Ready To Die
Everyday Struggle
Warning
The What
Things Done Changed
Big Poppa
One More Chance
Machine Gun Funk
Unbelievable
Suicidal Thoughts
Me & My B*tch
Friend Of Mine

Jessica Marie · Answer

You gotta respect biggie hands down... his albums are on point.  I miss real rap like that.

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Classic Of The Day Ready To Die?

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