The album that reinvented East Coast rap for the gangsta age, made a star, and vaulted ' Bad Boy label into the spotlight as well. Today it's recognized as one of the greatest hardcore rap albums ever recorded, and that's mostly due to 's skill as a storyteller. His raps are easy to understand, but his skills are hardly lacking -- he has a loose, easy flow and a talent for piling multiple rhymes on top of one another in quick succession.

He's blessed with a flair for the dramatic, and slips in and out of different contradictory characters with ease. Yet, no matter how much he heightens things for effect, it's always easy to see elements of in his narrators and of his own experience in the details; everything is firmly rooted in reality, but plays like scenes from a movie. A sense of doom pervades his most involved stories: fierce bandits ('Gimme the Loot'), a hustler's beloved girlfriend ('Me & My Bitch'), and robbers out for 's newfound riches ('Warning') all die in hails of gunfire. The album is also sprinkled with reflections on the soul-draining bleakness of the streets -- 'Things Done Changed,' 'Ready to Die,' and 'Everyday Struggle' are powerfully affecting in their confusion and despair.

The album that reinvented East Coast rap for the gangsta age, Ready to Die made the Notorious B.I.G. A star, and vaulted Sean 'Puffy' Combs' Bad Boy label into the spotlight as well. In celebration of the Notorious One's Birthday, we present to you his finest creations, alongside some of yours. Happy Birthday, Christopher Wallace!

Not everything is so dark, though; ' production collaborations result in some upbeat, commercial moments, and typically cop from recognizable hits: 's 'I Want You Back' on the graphic sex rap 'One More Chance,' 's 'Juicy Fruit' on the rags-to-riches chronicle 'Juicy,' and ' 'Between the Sheets' on the overweight-lover anthem 'Big Poppa.' Producer 's deliberate beats do get a little samey, but it hardly matters: this is 's show, and by the time 'Suicidal Thoughts' closes the album on a heartbreaking note, it's clear why he was so revered even prior to his death.

• ' Released: August 9, 1994 • ' Released: December 30, 1994 • 'Warning' Released: February 1995 • ' Released: June 6, 1995 Ready to Die is the debut by American rapper, released on September 13, 1994,. The album features production by Bad Boy founder,,,, and, among others. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at and in. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper's experiences as a young criminal, and was the only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album in 1997. Ready to Die was released to critical acclaim and became a commercial success, achieving Gold certification. Prezentaciyu na temu pajka en.

In 1995, it was certified double platinum by the (RIAA), and has since reached a certified 6x with sales. It was significant for revitalizing the scene, amid 's commercial dominance. The album's second single ' was nominated for a at the.

Ready to Die has been regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip hop albums, as well as one of the best albums of all time. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Background and recording [ ] The album was recorded in (mainly at ) in two stages between 1993 and 1994. In 1994, Biggie was 21 years old going on 22 when he recorded the album. In 1993, Biggie was signed to the label. Biggie started recording his debut album in New York, after making numerous guest appearances among his label-mates' singles during the previous year. The first tracks recorded include the album's darker, less radio-friendly content (including 'Ready to Die,' 'Gimme the Loot' and 'Things Done Changed').

In these sessions, magazine describe an 'inexperienced, higher-pitched' Biggie sounding 'hungry and paranoid'. When executive producer was fired from Uptown, Biggie's career hung in limbo, as the album was only partially completed. After a brief period in, Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new label possessing 'a smoother, more confident vocal tone' and completed the album.

In this stage, the more commercial-sounding tracks of the album were recorded, including the album's singles. Between the two stages, XXL writes that Biggie moved from writing his lyrics in notebooks to them from memory. The album was released with a cover depicting an infant resembling the artist, though sporting an, which pertains to the album's concept of the artist's life from birth to his death.

It has been listed as among the best album covers in hip hop. Lawsuits and sample removal [ ] On March 24, 2006, and won a federal lawsuit against for copyright infringement, with a jury deciding that Combs and Bad Boy had illegally used samples for the production of the songs 'Ready to Die', 'Machine Gun Funk', and 'Gimme the Loot'. The jury awarded $4.2 million in punitive and direct damages to the two plaintiffs, and federal judge enacted an immediate sales ban on the album and tracks in question. On appeal, the found the damages unconstitutionally high and in violation of and remanded the case, at which point Campbell reduced them by $2.8 million; however, the verdict was upheld. All versions of the album released since the lawsuit are without the disputed samples.