American rapper. His debut album, Ready to Die , was produced by Combs and released 13 September The album mixed B. His success brought attention to Bad Boy Entertainment and its founder Combs. The focus and attention on an emerging East Coast label at a time when the West Coast had dominated the rap scene for two years most notably the acts on Dr. You do not currently have access to this article.

Where people listen
Now Playing
Every birthday is a reminder that the man born Christopher Wallace was able to accomplish all of this in just five years in the business and one album released in his lifetime. The stars he name-checked -- including Mariah Carey , Mary J. The Ready to Die fan favorite finds B. Ready to Die was another example of a cultural sea change in hip-hop. Classic B. The sneering delivery that became her signature was present from the jump. Preceded by the pornographic "Fuck Me Interlude " skit, this edition is a cartoonishly obscene sex rap rivaled only by the 2 Live Crew. Still, Diddy saw something radio-worthy in it -- and in one of his frantic strokes of genius, called up producer Rashad Smith to chop up a sample for the remix.
Follow Billboard
We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and our services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. In just a few short years, the Notorious B. His all-too-brief odyssey almost immediately took on mythic proportions, especially since his murder followed the shooting of rival Tupac Shakur by only six months. In death, the man also known as Biggie Smalls became a symbol of the senseless violence that plagued inner-city America in the waning years of the 20th century. Whether or not his death was really the result of a much-publicized feud between the East and West Coast hip-hop scenes, it did mark the point where both sides stepped back from a rivalry that had gone too far. Hip-hop's self-image would never quite be the same, and neither would public perception. The aura of martyrdom that surrounds the Notorious B. Aided by Sean "Puffy" Combs' radio-friendly sensibility, Biggie reestablished East Coast rap's viability by leading it into the post- Dr.
Twenty years after his death, join us in looking at some little known facts about the hip-hop legend Notorious B. It wasn't long before Lockhart sued, and Biggie was forced to change his official name to Notorious B. Biggie was suppose to be on a plane to London on the night he died, but instead went to a party in LA to celebrate finishing his second album 'Life After Death. He was supposed to go to London.