Big Poppa

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"Big Poppa"
BigPoppa.jpg
Single by The Notorious B.I.G.
from the album Ready to Die
A-side "Warning"
B-side "Who Shot Ya?"
ReleasedDecember 24, 1994 (1994-12-24)
RecordedJune 1994 (1994-06)
Studio The Hit Factory (New York City)
Genre
Length4:11
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Notorious B.I.G. singles chronology
"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)"
(1994)
"Big Poppa"
(1994)
"Can't You See"
(1995)
Music video
"Big Poppa" on YouTube

"Big Poppa" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on December 24, 1994, as the second single from his first studio album Ready to Die . Featuring a sample of the song "Between the Sheets" by The Isley Brothers, "Big Poppa" was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards and also went on to win at the Billboard Music Awards.

Contents

The single was certified platinum by the RIAA and sold over 1,000,000 copies domestically. [2] [3]

There was an official remix released in 1995 featuring Jermaine Dupri, called "Big Poppa (So So Def Remix)" which has similar lyrics, with Dupri replacing Puff Daddy, and Biggie providing a new third verse. This remix appeared as a single.

Background and content

In the song, taking place in a club setting, Biggie brags about his prowess of attracting women, and his uniqueness compared to other flirters: "Who they attractin' with that line, "What's your name, what's your sign?"".

The title is based on one of The Notorious B.I.G.'s many nicknames. The line "I love it when you call me Big Poppa" is sampled from his first ever released material, a verse from the "Bad Boy Extended Remix" version of the Super Cat song "Dolly My Baby" released in 1993. The song also samples the beat from The Isley Brothers' 1983 hit "Between the Sheets." It also references fellow original Bad Boy artist Craig Mack with the line "now check it, I got more Mack than Craig in the bed...".

Legacy

Music video

Filmed in late 1994, the music video premiered on BET and MTV for the week ending on December 11, 1994. [7] Mary J. Blige, Misa Hylton, Craig Mack, Busta Rhymes and Treach of Naughty by Nature make cameo appearances.

Live performances

Biggie performed the song live on March 14, 1995 on MTV Spring Break .

Track listings

12 inch

Maxi-single

  1. "Big Poppa" (radio edit)
  2. "Big Poppa" (remix radio edit)
  3. "Who Shot Ya?" (radio edit)
  4. "Big Poppa" (remix instrumental)
  5. "Big Poppa" (club mix)
  6. "Big Poppa" (remix club mix)
  7. "Who Shot Ya?" (club mix)
  8. "Warning" (club mix)

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [16] Gold45,000
Italy (FIMI) [17]
sales since 2009
Gold50,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [18] Gold30,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Platinum600,000
United States (RIAA) [20]
Physical
Platinum1,000,000^
United States (RIAA) [21]
Digital
6× Platinum6,000,000
United States (RIAA) [22]
Mastertone
Gold500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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