{"title":"The Notorious B.I.G.","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout The Notorious B.I.G.\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eChristopher George Latore Wallace, performing as The Notorious B.I.G. (also Biggie Smalls and Biggie), was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 21, 1972 and raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. He launched his recording career in the early 1990s and signed with Sean Combs's (Puff Daddy \/ P. Diddy \/ Diddy) Bad Boy Records. His 1994 debut Ready to Die became one of the most important debut albums in hip hop history - establishing East Coast hip hop's contemporary commercial template. His public feud with Tupac Shakur across 1995-1996 (intertwined with the broader East Coast \/ West Coast hip hop rivalry between Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records) became a defining cultural moment of the era. Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. The Notorious B.I.G. was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997 at age 24, six months after Tupac's death. Both cases remain officially unsolved. His posthumous double album Life After Death (released two weeks after his death on March 25, 1997) reached number one on the Billboard 200. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 (posthumously). His foundational influence on East Coast hip hop and broader hip hop history is widely cited.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSound and style\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Notorious B.I.G.'s sound combines hip hop, East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, gangsta rap, mafioso rap, and conscious hip hop with his distinctive flow (range from intricate technical material to relaxed conversational delivery), virtuosic technical lyrical approach, and lyrical content addressing Brooklyn life, the drug trade, ambition, and contemporary urban experience drawing on autobiographical material.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscography highlights\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReady to Die (1994, Bad Boy\/Arista)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLife After Death (1997, Bad Boy\/Arista) - posthumous double album, Billboard #1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBorn Again (1999, Bad Boy\/Arista) - posthumous\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuets: The Final Chapter (2005, Bad Boy\/Atlantic) - posthumous\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFor collectors\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal Bad Boy Records \/ Arista pressings of the Notorious B.I.G. catalog are foundational items in hip hop collecting. Multiple anniversary editions of Ready to Die and Life After Death, audiophile reissues, and the comprehensive Bad Boy \/ Atlantic reissue programs have been released.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhere to start\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eListeners new to The Notorious B.I.G. typically start with Ready to Die (1994). \u003cspan class=\"related-collections\"\u003eExplore more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hip-hop-vinyl-records\"\u003eHip-Hop\/Rap\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-ready-to-die-cd","title":"Ready to Die CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eNotorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die CD+DVD (remaster). The remastered debut pairs the album with a bonus DVD of promo clips and live footage; features 'Juicy' plus bonus tracks 'Who Shot Ya' and 'Just Playing (Dreams)'.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540734849207,"sku":"210000032745","price":13.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/862559fe-11c3-464a-9f71-7106ad6125fa.webp?v=1781154056"},{"product_id":"the-notorious-b-i-g-big-poppa-remix-vinyl","title":"Big Poppa (Remix) 12\"","description":"\u003cp\u003eA suite of remixes for his instant-classic rap ballad “Big Poppa”, along with the fan favorite B-Side “Who Shot Ya?”.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540759163063,"sku":"210000101922","price":18.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/hip-hop-new-fcqdj.webp?v=1781154161"},{"product_id":"the-notorious-b-i-g-ready-to-die-30th-anniv-color-vinyl","title":"Ready To Die 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e30th anniversary color vinyl reissue of the critical hip hop album from THE Notorious BIG\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541030842551,"sku":"210000092142","price":39.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/notoriousbigrtdcover-600x600-crop-center.webp?v=1781155149"},{"product_id":"the-notorious-b-i-g-ready-to-die-vinyl-30th-anniv","title":"Ready to Die 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e30th anniversary release of Biggie's debut LP, which has gone on to earn it's place as Rolling Stone's #1 hip hop album of all time, become a radio staple, and influenced generations of MCs, fans, and athletes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541030973623,"sku":"210000092143","price":39.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/biggg.jpg?v=1781155150"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-ready-to-die-vinyl-140g","title":"Ready to Die 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecognized as one of the greatest rap albums ever recorded by one of rap's greatest storytellers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541038674103,"sku":"210000063624","price":41.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/noto.jpg?v=1781155180"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-greatest-hits-vinyl","title":"Greatest Hits LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eDouble LP reissue. Mighty 17-track anthology from Notorious B.I.G. in 2007, includes team-ups with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, R Kelly, Faith Evans \u0026amp; Mary J. Blige, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and others.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541056434359,"sku":"210000047792","price":45.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/abdb-101380-137221-08032018020212-4377-2.jpg?v=1781155245"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-life-after-death-vinyl","title":"Life after Death 3LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the second and final studio album from Notorious B.I.G.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541073440951,"sku":"210000047296","price":56.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/ldn60704.jpg?v=1781155301"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-an-introduction-to-cd","title":"An Introduction to... CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis compact disc is a solid testament to the enduring legacy of Notorious B.I.G., featuring pivotal tracks like \"Juicy\" and \"Mo Money, Mo Problems.\" With its robust packaging design, it serves as an homage to his cultural impact, representing not just a collection of songs but a defining moment in '90s hip-hop history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785666212023,"sku":"210000034277","price":10.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/3899732.jpg?v=1783045595"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-greatest-hits-cd-import","title":"Greatest Hits CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis import CD presents the legendary sound of Notorious B.I.G., featuring an array of his greatest hits like \"Juicy\" and \"Big Poppa.\" A titan of Hip-Hop, his tracks drive forward the genre with undeniable force. This collection includes previously unreleased tracks that strike hard, leaving a lasting impact. Claim your piece of history with this definitive tribute to a true music pioneer.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785679057079,"sku":"210000035950","price":11.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/1054868.jpg?v=1783045631"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-greatest-hits-cd","title":"Greatest Hits CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Notorious B.I.G. Greatest Hits CD assembles 17 pivotal tracks, including iconic anthems like \"Juicy\" and \"Big Poppa.\" This collection, housed in clean and sturdy packaging, highlights his lyrical mastery alongside two new tracks that deepen his enduring legacy. It invites both serious collectors and newcomers to witness the evolution of Hip-Hop as shaped by one of its greatest storytellers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785689247927,"sku":"210000095345","price":15.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/1023311.jpg?v=1783045661"},{"product_id":"notorious-b-i-g-life-after-death-cd","title":"Life after Death 2CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThunder rolls across the streets while Notorious B.I.G.'s \"Life After Death 2CD\" thunders through a labyrinth of rhymes and rhythms. Tracks like \"Hypnotize\" and \"Mo Money Mo Problems\" collide with the grit of New York's pulse, weaving sharp tales of ambition and reality. Biggie's lyrical mastery flows seamlessly, reinforcing his legacy with each commanding verse. This collection is a bold reminder of why his voice resonates through the genre.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785698521271,"sku":"210000048377","price":15.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/170148.jpg?v=1783045688"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.waxtraxrecords.com\/collections\/notorious-big.oembed","provider":"Wax Trax Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}