The Notorious B.I.G. lived his life Ready To Die, and he set out to prove it to the world with his 1994 debut album... Ready To Die. After walking away from a straight-A career to enter the world of drug dealing and rap, Christopher George Latore Wallace (or, as you may know him, Biggie Smalls) became THE dominant force in the thriving East Coast hip-hop scene. His music was unfiltered, witty, and raw. It didn't glamourize or sugarcoat his lifestyle, but also highlighted his lighthearted side. Crossover hits like Big Poppa and Juicy set Biggie up for incredible success... and then the unthinkable happened.

James & Connor will explore Biggie's role in the infamous East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry, his decaying friendship with Tupac Shakur, and the pair of unsolved murders that devastated the music world. We'll hear the story unfold through tracks like Things Done Changed and Who Shot Ya? The Mixtaper is back to tell us about some unfortunately realistic sound effects, a personal diss he took to heart, and some spoiled "mashed potatoes" during an Unbelievable round of Fact Or Spin. From opening heartbeat to final thud, we'll cover the clever lyrics, soulful samples, and unstoppable attitude that make up the only LP released during Biggie's abbreviated lifetime. Learn how he achieved rap immortality and Life After Death this week!

Are you a fan of the harder tracks or the pop crossover sounds? Will you ever hear Respect the same way? Where do you stand in the Biggie/Tupac rivalry? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Follow, like, and check out our website for more!

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Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

2:01 About Biggie Smalls

10:51 About Ready To Die

16:55 Later Career

19:07 East Coast Vs. West Coast Rivalry

21:27 Tupac Murdered

23:35 Biggie Murdered

26:14 Awards & Accolades

27:02 Fact Or Spin

28:23 A Public Service Announcement

28:59 You Can Hear His... Explicit Activities

31:47 He Signed A Rapper While In Bed

34:12 Biggie Dissed His Teacher

36:49 His Mom Threw Out His Mashed Potatoes

39:29 Biggie Had His Own Restaurant

43:36 Album Art

44:36 Intro

46:13 Things Done Changed

47:19 Gimme The Loot

50:12 Machine Gun Funk

51:18 Warning

52:53 Ready To Die

54:04 One More Chance

57:00 F Me (Interlude)

59:05 The What

1:00:12 Juicy

1:04:24 Everyday Struggle

1:05:29 Me And My B****

1:07:04 Big Poppa

1:09:21 Respect

1:10:33 Friend Of Mine

1:12:00 Unbelievable

1:12:35 Suicidal Thoughts

1:14:57 Who Shot Ya?

1:16:47 Just Playing (Dreams)

1:18:12 Final Spin

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Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 243