The B.I.G. write up...(Pun intended)

I decided to stop being complacent, stop making excuses, and write a blog. I have been dealing with some things (including a death) and that is related to this particular write up. No, this isn't going to be a "1, 2, 3, links" post, I am actually going to write and make my opinion be known, and argue some other points.

Who might this monologue be about you ask? None other than Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G aka Biggie smalls aka BIG aka (in my and many other's opinions) the G.O.A.T (GREATEST OF ALL TIME), who was taken from us by violence 13 years ago yesterday. That is fantastically high praise, considering all the talent we have witnessed in the roughly 35 year existence of this culture known as Hip Hop. Before I get into the details to support my opinion, I have to go back.

I have been blessed enough to have grown up in the greatest era of Hip Hop EVER, Which is why 92-2000, especially 94-97, is so special to me. It was during these years that today's aged veterans (Nas, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep etc) were young and on the come up, so through middle and high school, I felt like I grew up with them. For those that know me, for as much as I am downloading torrents and adding tracks to my iPod now, I was the 3rd grader with the cassette tape trying to record Funk Master Flex off Hot 97 (yeah, he's that old). Whatever was hot, I was dubbing it! So it was only a matter of time for his tracks to catch my ears.

Before I ever heard BIG for the first time, I think I was predisposed to like him. I'm from NY, my dad worked in Bed Stuy, he was influenced by the crack era (the years I was born into), and even from a young age, I love LYRICS. I memorized every hot song, verse and album. Naturally, the first BIG song I heard was Juicy on Hot 97, and that's all it took. Hot 97 always had the exclusive joints (even when Puff wasn't ready for them to have it) and I couldn't wait for the album to drop. My best friend Mo was the guy always buying the tapes and CDs (BACK THEN!) so I promptly dubbed a copy when it dropped in the fall of 1994. That was a cold winter, but please believe, "Ready to Die" was in my headphones as I walked to Jr. High (my Mom always asked why I'd rather walk then get dropped off? My time with the music was a big reason).

By the time BIG was murdered, I was a freshman in high school (and now living in Miami) and I remember that morning clearly. We didn’t have cells back then, so when I got to school, I would always read the newspapers. I saw the bad news on the cover of the USA today. STUNNED. Hypnotize had already been tearing up the airwaves. BIG was THE MAN, and less than 6 months after 2Pac was killed, he was gone too. Only God knows why it happened, and what would be different had he lived to release 6 or 7 albums. Without a doubt, 13 years later, I still marvel at his skills, how he changed the game, and argue with my boys about what the Hip Hop hierarchy would look like now. Sadly, we can only speculate.
So was BIG the best? I concede that it is debatable. He only released 2 real albums (biggie duets, born again and all that rehashed crap Diddy puts out to whore BIG’s memory for every last dollar doesn’t count) but they are UNDENIABLE CLASSICS. Let’s break down some of MY candidates:

BIG: 2 classic albums that will endure forever (quality), master flow—can spit (rhyme) any way he wants, can do R and B remixes, joke songs, funny skits, sick metaphors, effortless 16’s, so many imitators, one of the best storytellers ever, one of the hardest battle/freestyle rappers ever, the first to cross hardcore rap over into pop success, trendsetter (coogi, Jesus pieces, land cruisers, leather jackets, Versace clothes got HUGE exposure because of him). Incredible shows, great interview.

JAY-Z: 11 solos albums (longevity), 7 debatable classics (quality), great flow, swagger, metaphors, braggadocios raps, many imitators, flowed easy, but needed to be pushed to go HARD, great show, incredible trendsetter and pop success and an incredibly successful businessman (all things I believe BIG would have been).

NAS: 10 solos albums (longevity), 6 debatable classics (quality), incredible flow, swagger, stories, reporting, news, metaphors, probably makes spitting a sick 16 look the EASIEST, doesn’t care of about sales (but is still rich and successful), great show, does hardcore, conscious and pop rap all well. Probably had/has the most potential STRICTLY based on rapping ability.

2PAC: 10 solo albums (longevity), 6 debatable classics (quality), huge female following, international following, huge social impact, great interview, great topics, great style, great mood music, different swagger, EASILY THE LEAST CAPABLE RAPPER of this group.

HONORABLE MENTION: Big Pun, Big L, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Eminem, Scarface, Snoop.

So the competition is pretty fierce, but I think BIG had all the talent and charisma to have made all the impact and all the money that the others made if he were still alive. I think Jay-Z would have come up as a Robin to his Batman, and would never be as "big" as he is today. I also think a lot of the crap that gets through and gets airplay or makes money now wouldn’t have dared to come out if BIG were around. I would bet anything he would have had a reality show and probably his own label. If not, Bad Boy wouldn’t be in shambles like it is now, but PDIDDY wouldn’t be as famous as he is now. There’s so much else we can speculate.

One thing we don’t have to speculate about is his legacy. His music sounds fresh as ever to me, and they still play hypnotize every time you’re in the club (do they not)? His Legacy lives on in his music, his wife, his crew, his old label, his movie, his freestyles, his trends, his book*, his borough. Learn BIG. Cherish his music. And if you don’t know….you need to find out**! R.I.P BIG!!
*click the link, the book is incredible. BUY IT. READ IT.
**He has too many hot songs, so my suggestion is his ENTIRE CATALOG. Read his Wikipedia and YouTube yourself silly.