The Notorious B.I.G. changed the game on September 13, 1994, when he released his multiplatinum debut Ready to Die. Under the guidance of Bad Boy CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs, Big was able to take dark and grim tales from his native Brooklyn and make them relatable to the world, spitting over smoothed-out hip-hop beats.
There isn’t an MC worth listening to that the late-Biggie hasn’t influenced, and there are few albums that you can even mention in the same breath as his debut; that’s why we’re still celebrating it 20 years later.
The way we see it, listeners have had two full decades to absorb every nuance of Ready to Die, and if you’re a real B.I.G. fan then you know the LP front to back — so our Ready to Die quiz should be a breeze. If Guerilla Black is more your thing, maybe you’re better off sitting this one out.
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