March 9 marks the anniversary of the Notorious B.I.G.'s death. The Brooklyn-born rapper, whose real name was Christopher George Latore Wallace, was one of the most influential musicians that changed the rap music scene.
Fourteen years ago, on March 9, 1997, Notorious B.I.G. was killed by an unknown attacker in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His album, Life After Death, was released two weeks later and hit number one on the U.S. album charts. It was also certified Diamond in 2000, something few hip hop albums have achieved.
Since his death, two more albums have been released and MTV ranked Notorious B.I.G. at number 3 on their list of The Greatest Rappers of All Time. Here is a look at Notorious B.I.G.'s top five songs.
“Juicy” was released in 1994 on Biggie’s album “Ready to Die.” The song was produced by Poke of Trackmasters and Sean “Puffy” Combs. The song is listed at number 15 of the 100 Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Songs of All Time. Reuters“Hypnotize” was released in 1997 on the album “Life After Death.” When this song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart it made Notorious B.I.G. the fifth artist in Hot 100 history to have a posthumous chart-topping song. Reuters“Mo Money Mo Problems” was the second single off his album, “Life After Death.” The song was released posthumously and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in 1997. The song was nominated for the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Creative Commons“Notorious Thugs” was also off of Notorious B.I.G.’s album “Life after Death,” which was released in 1997. This song may have never gained the popularity that songs like “Hypnotize” and “Mo Money Mo Problems” did, but it is still considered one of Biggie’s best. Creative Commons“Sky’s the Limit” serves as a sequel to the hit “Juicy” as the lyrics talk about Notorious B.I.G.’s tough upbringing. The song, which was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1998, talks about following your dreams and never giving up. Reuters
