Christopher George Latore Wallace, known by the stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, and Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was usually semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.
Cameron Ezike Giles, known mononymously as Cam'ron, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in the early-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed with Lance "Un" Rivera's Untertainment, an imprint of Epic Records to release his first two studio albums Confessions of Fire (1998) and S.D.E. (2000); the former received gold certification by the RIAA. After leaving Epic, Giles signed with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2001 to release his third studio album, Come Home with Me, the following year. It received platinum certification by the RIAA and spawned the singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma", which peaked at numbers four and three on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. His fourth studio album, Purple Haze (2004) was met with similar success and likewise received gold certification by the RIAA.
Total is an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of the Bad Boy Records imprint during the mid-1990s. The group consists of founding members Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long. Total is best known for their feature on Mase's "What You Want", as well as their hits "Kissin' You", "Can't You See", and "What About Us?" and "Trippin'", both featuring Missy Elliott. Long also sung the chorus of The Notorious B.I.G.'s hit song "Hypnotize", although she was not officially credited. Total made their first appearance singing the hook on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut single, "Juicy", widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.
Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim, released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. After achieving success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with the Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay-Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album.
"One More Chance / Stay with Me (Remix)" is a song written and recorded by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Three versions of the song exist: An original, lyrically explicit version prefaced by an answering machine performance featured on the album, and two versions released as singles, both of which contain identical lyrics by B.I.G. despite differing instrumentals and choruses. The first is an upbeat "Hip Hop Mix" that samples Marley Marl's "Droppin Science", and the second is a sultrier R&B remix parenthetically labeled the "Stay with Me Remix", which samples the namesake 1983 song by the band DeBarge. The lattermost remains the most popular, and features backing vocals and harmonies performed by his wife Faith Evans, as well as uncredited appearances by Mary J. Blige and Bad Boy Records label boss Puff Daddy—who also produced the version with Rashad Smith. It received platinum certification by the RIAA by July 31, 1995, and has sold 1.1 million copies.
"It's All About the Benjamins" is a song by American rapper and producer Puff Daddy. It was released as the third single from his debut studio album No Way Out. "Benjamins" is a slang word for money, referring to Benjamin Franklin's image on the US $100 bill. The song featured an uncredited vocal arrangement by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, and featured a signature guitar hook played by Marc Solomon.
Mason Durell Betha, better known by his mononym Mase, is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 and quickly found mainstream recognition as Combs' hype man. He guest appeared on Combs' 1997 single "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while his singles as a lead artist, "Feel So Good" and "What You Want" both peaked within the top ten of the chart. Released in October of that year, his debut studio album, Harlem World (1997) peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart, received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned his third top ten single as a lead artist, "Lookin' at Me". Furthermore, his guest performances on labelmate the Notorious B.I.G.'s single "Mo Money Mo Problems" and Puff Daddy's "Been Around the World" peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, that same year.
James Lloyd, better known by his stage name Lil' Cease, is an American rapper and former member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A.
"It's Okay (One Blood)" is a song by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist The Game featuring vocals from reggae singer Junior Reid, from his second studio album Doctor's Advocate. Released as the album's lead single on July 24, 2006, the song was written by The Game himself and Junior Reid, and it was produced by D-Roc, and Reefa. The Game himself revealed that the song would be released on July 31, 2006, but actually was released on July 24, 2006. The song was originally to be released on July 4, 2006 but got pushed back by The Game. Jimmy Rosemond, head of Czar Entertainment and The Game's manager, explained how "One Blood" would receive positive radio airplay and prove the talent that The Game had. A supposed original version of the song was released in late January 2011.
"Not Tonight" is a song performed by the American rapper Lil' Kim featuring Jermaine Dupri for her debut studio album Hard Core (1996). A remix was released the following year featuring female rappers Da Brat, Missy "Misdeameanor" Elliott, Angie Martinez, and the late singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes for the Nothing to Lose soundtrack. It was released on June 24, 1997, by Atlantic Records.
American rapper Mase has released three studio albums, two mixtapes and twenty-two singles, including ten as a featured artist.
"Oh Boy" is a 2002 Grammy-nominated hip hop single by Cam'ron from his album Come Home with Me, and features Juelz Santana. The single was released through Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, Cam'ron's Diplomat Records and Def Jam Recordings.
"Notorious B.I.G." is a song and single by the Notorious B.I.G. from the album Born Again, which features Lil' Kim, and Puff Daddy. As a tribute song, Lil' Kim and Puff Daddy's verses have little relevance to Biggie's verse, which is about being in the hospital while being comforted by attractive female nurses. It samples the song "Notorious" by Duran Duran.
"Let It Go" is a song by American R&B singer Keyshia Cole featuring American rappers Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim. It was written by Cole, Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb, Lil' Kim, and Missy Elliott for her second album Just Like You (2007) and samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, while also interpolating "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G., who also sampled "Juicy Fruit." An uptempo song written by all three artists with Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb and James Mtume and produced by Lamb and Elliott, it marked the first collaboration between any of the three artists with one another.
"I Can Love You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige along with her sister LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, Rodney Jerkins, and Lil' Kim for her third album, Share My World (1997), with Jerkins producing the song and Lil Kim having featured vocals. The contains elements of the song "Queen Bitch," a track from Kim's debut album Hard Core (1996), co-written by Carlos Broady and Nashiem Myrick. Due to the inclusion of the sample, they are also credited as songwriters.
"Get Money" is a song by the American rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A., released as the third and final single from their debut album Conspiracy (1995). "Get Money," whose instrumental is fundamentally a sample of R&B singer Sylvia Striplin's 1981 song "You Can't Turn Me Away," was produced by EZ Elpee, rapped by the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil' Kim, and received a music video. B.I.G., formally, was featured, but at times was deemed, like Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease, a Junior M.A.F.I.A. member.
"Been Around the World" is a song by American rapper Puff Daddy, featuring the Notorious B.I.G. and Mase and included on Puff Daddy's debut studio album No Way Out (1997). The song samples David Bowie's 1983 hit song "Let's Dance", and contains an interpolation of Lisa Stansfield's song "All Around the World", sung by the Notorious B.I.G. in the chorus. In the album version, the song concludes with a skit featuring an interview with "The Mad Producer".
"Horse & Carriage" is the lead single from Cam'ron's debut album, Confessions of Fire. It was released through Untertainment and Epic Records. The song was produced by Trackmasters and Cam'ron's childhood friend Mase was featured on the song's hook.
Lance "Un" Rivera is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, record producer, and music executive.
"A No No" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fifteenth studio album, Caution (2018). The song was written by Carey, Robert "Shea" Taylor, Priscilla Hamilton, Mason Betha and Camron Giles. Since the track samples Lil' Kim's "Crush on You" (1997), songwriting credits were added for a total of nine. Digitally released as a promotional single in November 2018, Epic Records serviced it to rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio as the second single from the album on March 4, 2019.
