As far as rap legends go, The Notorious B.I.G. is one of the most celebrated Hip Hop figures of all time. Born on May 21, 1972, Biggie exploded onto the Hip Hop scene with his debut album, 1994’s Ready To Die. Today would have been his 45th birthday, but as fate would have it, the Brooklyn-bred MC was gunned down in 1997, bringing his life to an abrupt end at the ripe age of 24. Biggie’s closest friend, Sean “Diddy” Combs, went on a social media marathon Sunday (May 21) with several tributes to his fallen brother.
The first post came via Twitter late Saturday night (May 20) and read: “I’m extra emotional this year!!! You know that feeling when your on the verge of crying! WORDS CAN’T EXPLAIN! #itwasalladream.”
Of course, the “itwasalladream” hashtag is in reference to one of Biggie’s biggest hits, “Juicy,” which begins with the line, “It was all a dream/I used to read Word Up Magazine.” The song detailed his rise from struggling street hustler to illustrious rapper while showing other young Black men it was possible to turn life from a “negative to positive.”
Other posts include a photo of Diddy and Biggie working in the studio together, and an iTunes playlist completely dedicated to the slain rapper. The curated mix includes songs like “Kick In The Door” “Mo Money Mo Problems,” “Ten Crack Commandments” and “Sky’s The Limit,” all taken from his second (and final) album, 1997’s Life After Death.
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Biggie’s widow, Faith Evans, delivered a tribute of her own in the form of her new duets album, The King & I, on Friday (May 19), a 20-track project comprised of old Biggie verses juxtaposed with Evans’ singing.
Although his life was cut criminally short, Biggie’s indelible mark on Hip Hop that he left behind will continue to be cherished for decades to come. Throw on some Biggie and check out the rest of Diddy’s tributes below.
