Bad Boy Records

Today in Hip-Hop History: The Notorious B.I.G. Dropped His Posthumous ‘Life After Death’ LP 26 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Notorious B.I.G. released his second album, Life After Death. The double LP was released posthumously by Bad Boy Records. Biggie, who was killed two weeks prior to its release, was nominated for three Grammy’s for this project: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for “Hypnotize” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Mo Money Mo Problems.”

Featuring artists like 112, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Ma$e, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort and R. Kelly, along with tracks like “Kick In The Door,” “What’s Beef,” “Notorious Thugs,” “Ten Crack Commandments” and “Sky’s The Limit,” it can be said that Life After Death is one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and the US Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. It went diamond (that’s 10,000,000 copies sold) in the United States alone, double platinum in Canada, and platinum in the UK. Life After Death has also made appearances on top music charts across the globe. The album has been ranked by countless publications as one of the top rap and Hip-Hop albums of all time (The Source ranked it as #8 in 2005).

Salute to Diddy and the rest of the Bad Bot family for this timeless piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: The Notorious B.I.G. Dropped His Posthumous ‘Life After Death’ LP 26 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Diddy’s Son King Combs Addressed Being Labeled A ‘Nepo Baby’ And It Was Very Diddy-Ish

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Just when you thought the ‘nepo baby‘ conversation was over, it reenters social media’s trending topics. This time at the center of the conversation is budding rap star, King Combs.

After landing at the Los Angeles International Airport, King (real name Christian), who is the oldest biological son of music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, was stopped by TMZ to ask him about his feelings around being labeled a nepotism baby. Initially, when asked by the cameraman, King laughs off the subject. Still, after the second ask, he humbly responds, “[It doesn’t bother me], not really. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So [I] have a big legacy I have to live up to,” adding, “but right now, Bad Boy [Records] we’re number one, baby.”

When asked about how he feels about benefitting from his father’s two-decade-long career in the industry, King said, “I feel like I’m blessed. You know [my siblings and I] are going to take the legacy further and further.” Closing with his father’s signature slogan, “Bad Boy for life.”

King Combs, without a doubt, benefits from the groundwork his father has laid in music, but he continues to make way for himself. King hasn’t hidden from his father’s legacy. In fact, he has embraced it. His music leans into honoring his father every step of the way, as recently heard on his breakout song, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop,” featuring Kodak Black.

Today In Hip Hop History: Shyne Dropped His Eponymous Debut Album 22 Years Ago

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On this date in 2000, Bad Boy Records premiere artist Jamal “Shyne” Barrow released his self-titled debut album on the ever-popular Bad Boy imprint under the leadership of BB honcho, then known as “P. Diddy.”

Shyne’s debut album release was a bittersweet one, with his LP being dropped while the Belize-born rapper was serving 8-10 years in an upstate prison for a shooting in Club New York in Manhattan just a year prior involving his boss and then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. Despite Barrow having to do time behind bars, his album was an undisputed success, selling over a million copies in less than a year. It also was a tremendous help that Shyne’s voice was eerily identical to slain Bad Boy artist Notorious B.I.G.

With the album content surrounding Shyne’s real-life gangster image, the project’s leading singles, “Bad Boyz”, which features reggae legend Barrington Levy and the thug love story “Bonnie And Shyne”, were not only popular in the streets, but also did their numbers on-air, with the singles in constant rotation on the radio around the country.

Salute to Diddy, Shyne and the rest of the Bad Boy staff for bringing the people such a timeless Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Shyne Dropped His Eponymous Debut Album 22 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Notorious B.I.G.’s Debut LP ‘Ready To Die’ Dropped 28 Years Ago

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On September 13, 1994, Notorious B.I.G., alongside producers Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, Poke of the Trackmasters, and none other than “Puffy” (as Diddy was called then) as the executive producer, released the Hip Hop masterpiece known as Ready To Die.

As Big’s debut album, this highly anticipated release shows the lyrical prowess of the Bed-Stuy big man, and besides Method Man’s assistance on the epic “The What?” track, Mr. Wallace made it happen all by himself. Other than Nas’ Illmatic, no other solo emcee accomplished that feat during that era on the East Coast. Recognized as “The King Of New York” and as seen on a vintage 1995 Source Magazine cover, Big’s legacy was etched in stone with this LP.

Timeless classics from that four and a half mic-er include the DJ Premier produced “Unbelievable,” the back and forth storytelling adventures of “Warning” and “Gimme The Loot,” and the eerie title track itself were just a few of the highlights of this legendary project. That’s not to forget the mainstream success of singles such as “One More Chance,” the Brooklynplayalistic sound of “Big Poppa,” and of course the hood inspirational, Mtume-based “Juicy.”

We only had the chance to get one more album(prophetically named Life After Death) out of one of the game’s greatest lyricists before he was prematurely killed in Los Angeles in 1997. Still, this album will always remind us that B.I.G. was “Ready to Die” because his talent was and will always be larger than life.

Salute to Big (RIP), Premier, Easy, Poke, Lord Finesse, Diddy, Lil’ Kim, and the entire Wallace family for this classic masterpiece!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Notorious B.I.G.’s Debut LP ‘Ready To Die’ Dropped 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Former Bad Boy Prez Kirk Burrowes Speaks on Diddy Releasing “Who Shot Ya” Aimed At Tupac

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Former Bad Boy Records President Kirk Burrowes spoke to The Art Of Dialogue candidly about what kept the beef between rap icons and former friends Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. alive, saying that Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya?” record was one of the riff’s major culprits.

Burrowes says that the record was never directed at Tupac, but Diddy took it upon himself to take advantage of the recent shooting and robbery of ‘Pac in Quad Studios and drop a record that could easily be misconstrued as making Shakur the target.

“The way it was marketed by the company and released, in the succession of things that were going on that we were dealing with, on all the levels that we were dealing, that record did what it was supposed to do,” said the former Bad Boy executive. Burrowes continued,“That’s a perfect example of how my former business partner works and thinks. And if you could remember that three-dimensional type of thinking, then you could start to pierce through a lot of the common things that are being told and get to what’s really behind those things.”

The post [WATCH] Former Bad Boy Prez Kirk Burrowes Speaks on Diddy Releasing “Who Shot Ya” Aimed At Tupac appeared first on The Source.

Empire State Building To Hold Lighting Ceremony In Honor Of Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday

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This Friday evening at 4 p.m., the Empire State Building (ESB) will host a lighting ceremony to honor the 50th birthday of the Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie), in partnership with Bad Boy / Atlantic / Rhino Records and the Christopher Wallace Estate. 

The Empire State Building Observatory Experience will feature a life-size photorealistic avatar of Biggie for guest viewing and photographs on Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, on Friday and Saturday, fans can purchase exclusive Biggie x ESB hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirts, sold only at the Observatory. Biggie’s 11x platinum album Life After Death will be available to purchase on cassette, along with the preorder for the 8-LP Deluxe. 

Fifteen minutes after sunset on Saturday, May 21 – what would have been Biggie’s 50th birthday – the Empire State Building will light up in dynamic red and white with a rotating crown and the number “50” in the mast.  

The post Empire State Building To Hold Lighting Ceremony In Honor Of Notorious B.I.G.’s 50th Birthday appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: The Notorious B.I.G.’s Posthumous ‘Life After Death’ LP Turns 25 Years Old!

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A quarter century ago today in Hip-Hop history, Notorious B.I.G. released his second album, Life After Death. The double LP was released posthumously by Bad Boy Records. Biggie, who was killed two weeks prior to its release, was nominated for three Grammy’s for this project: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for “Hypnotize” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Mo Money Mo Problems.”

Featuring artists like 112, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Ma$e, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort and R. Kelly, along with tracks like “Kick In The Door,” “What’s Beef,” “Notorious Thugs,” “Ten Crack Commandments” and “Sky’s The Limit,” it can be said that Life After Death is one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and the US Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. It went diamond (that’s 10,000,000 copies sold) in the United States alone, double platinum in Canada, and platinum in the UK. Life After Death has also made appearances on top music charts across the globe. The album has been ranked by countless publications as one of the top rap and Hip-Hop albums of all time (The Source ranked it as #8 in 2005).

Salute to Diddy and the rest of the Bad Bot family for this timeless piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: The Notorious B.I.G.’s Posthumous ‘Life After Death’ LP Turns 25 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.