junior mafia

Biggie Smalls’ Birthday: Stream “Get Money” Feat. Junior M.A.F.I.A. In Honour Of His Heavenly 51st

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It’s been over 26 years since The Notorious B.I.G. – born Christopher Wallace – tragically lost his life in a 1997 Los Angeles shooting. He left behind two children and countless fans who all do their part to ensure his legacy still lives on today. While not everyone remembers the lyricist fondly, his songs have been known to transcend generations, some of them even going viral on platforms like TikTok. One such title is obviously “Get Money” with Junior M.A.F.I.A., which we’re streaming in celebration of what would’ve been Biggie Smalls’ 51st birthday today (May 21).

The catchy track chiefly finds the Brooklyn native popping off on the first verse, reflecting on a romance gone awry after his girl flipped on him. “Guess you could say you’s the one I trusted / Who would ever think that you would spread like mustard?” he cleverly rhymes. “Shit got hot: you sent Feds to my spot / Took me to court, tried to take all I got.”

Read More: Diddy Honours Biggie Smalls On Anniversary Of His Passing

“Get Money” in Honour of Biggie Smalls Today

It’s obviously been decades since fans have heard new music from Biggie himself, though the powers of AI have brought his voice and image back to life in various capacities. Not only did a hologram of the late legend in his home state leave the internet divided in summer 2022, but we also heard a computer-generated version of his voice covering Nas’ “N.Y. State of Mind” last month, which also left many social media users feeling some type of way about the ever-advancing features of modern technology.

Revisit “Get Money” featuring Junior M.A.F.I.A. on YouTube above, or add the song to your playlist on Spotify/Apple Music. Which of The Notorious B.I.G.’s throwback hits is your favourite? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Ex-FBI Agent Says LAPD Covered Up Biggie Smalls’ Murder: Report

Quotable Lyrics:

Disrespect my clique, my shit’s imperial
F*ck around and made her milk box material
You feel me? Suckin’ d*ck, runnin’ your lips
‘Cause of you, I’m on some real “f*ck-a-bitch” shit, uh

Nas Was Almost A Member Of Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lance Rivera Claims

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Nas was allegedly almost a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A., had it not been for a crush he had on Lil Cease’s sister, according to music executive Lance “Un” Rivera. Rivera, who is known for having close ties to both The Notorious B.I.G. and his Junior M.A.F.I.A., detailed the dynamic during a recent interview with VladTV.

“What happened was is that he just got his record deal,” Rivera explained, as noted by HipHopDX. “This is when Faith Newman had him. The first time I seen Nas through the ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ video, I said, ‘Yo B.I.G., this kid is perfect for this group!’ Now, this is how the universe and the story is working.”

Nas On the “NY State Of Mind” Tour

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Nas performs onstage during the “NY State Of Mind” tour at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood on September 22, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

He continued: “I never met Nas at this moment in time. But as we was shopping Junior M.A.F.I.A., Daddy-O took me to Faith Newman’s office, and she had just signed Nas. And Daddy-O introduced me as this brilliant marketer, director, visionary type and she gave me Nas’ second single and said can I come up with a video treatment for it. And I wanted Toni Braxton, who’s hot at the time, to be the girl in the video. So the next thing you know, Biggie and Nas do a show somewhere in their early careers. This is when B.I.G. had ‘Party and Bullshit’ and Nas might’ve had ‘Live At The BBQ.’ They end up doing the show and Nas start liking Cease’s sister. ‘Cause I used to say why does B.I.G. hang with Cease? I’m tryna piece it all together. Like yeah, he was the little brother but Cease was a kid. And B.I.G. embraced him. So this is how they met. B.I.G. and Nas”

The comments from Rivera come after a clip of an A.I. version of The Notorious B.I.G. performing Nas’ “New York State of Mind” went viral on social media, earlier this week. While the A.I. made a cover in that case, the technology has also been responsible for new tracks from artists such as Drake, The Weeknd, and more.

Lance Rivera On Nas & Junior M.A.F.I.A.

[Via]

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.

Junior Mafia’s ‘Get Money’ Video Gets Some ‘React Like You Know’ Appreciation From BIA And Coi Leray

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It’s been a minute since we last dropped a React Like You Know video, so you know we had to come back strong. Not only do we have a new panel featuring Uproxx cover star Coi Leray and fan favorites like ASAP Tyy, BIA, Kali, and Kidd Kenn, but we’ve given our millennials/Gen Zers an absolute classic video to rock with: Junior Mafia’s “Get Money” featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Kim.

For some readers, it might be mind-boggling to realize that many of today’s rappers weren’t even born yet when Biggie was shot to death in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. But his impact still reverberates through their lives and music — even if some of them aren’t even aware of it. The same can be said of Lil Kim, whose influence is one of the common threads in the recent resurgence of female talent in the hip-hop world.

Coi even acknowledges as much, nodding to her own homage to one of Kim’s iconic outfits in her recent Uproxx cover shoot. Meanwhile, Lakeyah sums it up best: “She definitely opened doors for girls like me,” she explains. “She a tough rapper and she owns her sexuality. She knew she was a sexy bitch.” Of course, for a generation that wasn’t raised on the same MTV as the rappers whose videos they’re watching, some of the aesthetics are certainly eye-opening.

When Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson asks whether the rappers back then were raunchier than the ones today, Kidd Kenn wholeheartedly disagrees. “The girls today are disgusting,” he jokes. “I’m one of the girls.”

You can watch our panel react to the “Get Money” video above.

Happy Birthday To The “Queen Bee” Lil Kim!

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Lil Kim Unveils Pretty Little Thing Collection

Born on this date in 1974, Bedford-Stuyvesant native Lil’ Kim has certainly paved the way for female rappers to gain traction in a highly male-dominated world of hip-hop. Making her name, sound, and style notorious (no pun intended) in her appearance on Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s debut album, Conspiracy.

Backed by hardcore lyrics filled with provocative and liberating content, Kim’s attitude and determination broke down gender barriers (which female rappers currently still face) that excelled her respect in the game.

Kim’s resume includes many Hip Hop greats, timeless tracks, fashion moments, and jaw-dropping lyrics. As the musical heiress of the Notorious B.I.G. legacy, Kim has continued to rep the memory of “the greatest rapper of all time”, even naming her sophomore 2000 release Notorious K.I.M.

Morphing from a femcee from Bed Stuy into the iconic figure she is today is a trail that has only been traced by the likes of Cardi B, Megan The Stallion and today’s entire female rap roster. They all have to salute the Queen B.

The Source Magazine sends a supreme born day shout to the Queen on her Birthday!!

The post Happy Birthday To The “Queen Bee” Lil Kim! appeared first on The Source.