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.
Life After Death is the second studio album by American rapper the Notorious B.I.G.,released on March 25,1997,on Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. A double album,it was released sixteen days after his murder. It features collaborations with guest artists such as 112,Jay-Z,Lil' Kim,Mase,Bone Thugs-n-Harmony,Too Short,Angela Winbush,Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC,R. Kelly,the Lox,and Puff Daddy. Life After Death exhibits the Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the mafioso rap subgenre. The album is a sequel to his first album,Ready to Die,and picks up where the last song,"Suicidal Thoughts",ends.
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.
"Nasty Girl" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G.,released on October 11,2005. The song features guest appearances from Jagged Edge,P. Diddy,Avery Storm,and Nelly,and the video also contains guest appearances from Pharrell,Usher,Fat Joe,8 Ball &MJG,Teairra Mari,Jazze Pha,DJ Green Lantern,Naomi Campbell and Memphis Bleek. It can be found on the album Duets:The Final Chapter (2005), a remixed album of Biggie Smalls' work. The single reached number one in the United Kingdom and became a top-10 hit in Finland,Germany,Ireland,and New Zealand.
"Hypnotize" is a song by American rapper the Notorious B.I.G. featuring uncredited vocals by Pamela Long,released as the first single from his album Life After Death by Bad Boy and Arista Records on March 4,1997. The last song released before his death in a drive-by shooting a week later,it was the fifth song by a credited artist to peak the Billboard Hot 100 posthumously,and the first since "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon in 1980. Rolling Stone ranked the song as number 30 on their list of the "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".
American rapper Lil' Kim has released five studio albums,one remix album,four mixtapes,forty-two singles,and thirteen promotional singles. In 1994,Kim was a member of the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Their first album,Conspiracy,was released in August 1995,and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It spawned the gold and platinum-certified top-twenty singles,"Player's Anthem","Get Money",and "I Need You Tonight".
"Satisfy You" is a 1999 single by American hip-hop artist and producer Puff Daddy and features vocals by contemporary R&B singer-songwriter R. Kelly on the hook. The song spent six weeks at number 1 on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks. The song was co-written by both Combs and Kelly,with additional writing by Kelly Price,who performs backing vocals. The song's beat and bassline is taken from "I Got 5 on It" by Luniz,which itself interpolates Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad" among others. The song is about satisfying the significant other. It garnered a nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000.
"I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" is a duet song by American rapper Method Man,featuring American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. The song is a remix of Method Man's "All I Need",which appears on his debut studio album Tical (1994). The song,a hip hop soul record,was released as a single by Def Jam Recordings and PolyGram Records on April 25,1995.
"No One Else" is a song by American girl group Total featuring American rapper Da Brat. It was released as the second single from Total's self-titled debut studio album on November 28,1995,by Bad Boy and Arista Records. The song was produced by Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs and Poke of the Trackmasters,while the songwriting was handled by the two alongside the featured Da Brat and Terri &Monica vocalist Terri Robinson. The song also contains a sample from the track "South Bronx" by Boogie Down Productions.
"Can't You See" is a 1995 song by American R&B girl group Total,released as their debut single. The track was released from the New Jersey Drive soundtrack and also later appeared on their debut album,Total. After making their recording debut on his tracks "Juicy","One More Chance" and "One More Chance" ",The Notorious B.I.G. returned the favor with an intro rap verse to the song. The track was written and arranged by Terri &Monica's Terri Robinson,produced entirely by Sean "Puffy" Combs with instrumentation provided by associates Rashad Smith,Herb Middleton and Chucky Thompson and contains a sample from James Brown's "The Payback". The track was a success both on the mainstream US Billboard Hot 100 chart,reaching number thirteen and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,where it made number three. The song also peaked at number forty-three on the UK Singles Chart,where it charted for two weeks.
The discography of American rapper Sean Combs consists of five studio albums,two collaborative albums,one remix album and seventy-two singles –including thirty-three as a lead artist and thirty-nine as a featured artist.
"No Time" is the debut single by American rapper Lil' Kim featuring Puff Daddy. It was released as the lead single for her debut album Hard Core in October 1996. It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100,reached the top ten on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,and peaked the US Rap Songs for nine weeks—becoming Kim's first number one hit on the chart. Additionally,the song charted at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart. "No Time" was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and contains a sample of Vicki Anderson's "Message from the Soul Sisters" and Lyn Collins's "Take Me Just As I Am."
"Crush on You" is a song by American rapper Lil' Kim. The original version,a solo performance by fellow Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease,was released in 1996 on Lil' Kim's debut album Hard Core. In 1997,a remix of the song with Lil' Kim performing alongside Lil' Cease was released as a non-album single. The Notorious B.I.G. makes an uncredited appearance,performing the chorus,on both versions. The remix peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart. The song samples "Rain Dance" by the Jeff Lorber Fusion.
"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".
"Mo Money Mo Problems" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G.,released as the second single from his second studio album,Life After Death (1997) on July 15,1997 by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. It features guest performances from labelmate Mase and label boss Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs;all three performers co-wrote the song with Stevie J,who also co-produced it with Combs. "Mo Money Mo Problems" contains a sample and an interpolation of "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross,hence Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers are credited as songwriters;the sampled portions are heard in the production,while the hook is interpolative and performed by Kelly Price in an uncredited appearance.
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" is the debut single by rapper Puff Daddy. It appears on Puff Daddy's debut studio album No Way Out and the song was released to Rhythmic contemporary radio in December 1996 and was physically released on January 7,1997. The single was released through BMG Music,Arista Records and Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records.
"I'll Be Missing You" is a tribute song by American rapper Puff Daddy and singer Faith Evans,featuring the R&B group 112. It honors Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace,a fellow artist on Bad Boy Records and Evans's husband,who was tragically murdered on March 9,1997. Released as the second single from Puff Daddy and the Family's debut album,No Way Out (1997),the track incorporates a sample from The Police's 1983 track "Every Breath You Take," with an adapted chorus by Evans. Additionally,it includes elements from the 1929 hymn "I'll Fly Away" by Albert E. Brumley and features a spoken introduction layered over a choral arrangement of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings."
