Earlier today, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced this year’s 25 recordings to be added to the National Recording Registry. Among “the defining sounds of history” will now sit The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1994 debut album Ready To Die, Slick Rick’s 1999 The Art Of Storytelling cut with Doug E. Fresh, “La-Di-Da-Di,” and more. Songs and albums by ABBA, the Chicks, the Cars, Bill Withers, Jefferson Airplane, and Kronos Quartet have also been added.
While fans are certainly glad that some of hip hop’s most iconic releases have finally been recognized by Congress, many are shocked that it took this long. Others argue that it’s better late than never. After all, it even took this long for Gene Autry’s 1949 version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to be recognized. 2023 inductees included Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday track “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Queen Latifah’s debut studio album All Hail the Queen, and more.
Librarian Of Congress Announces 25 More “Defining Sounds Of History”
Special guest rappers Slick Rick (left) and Doug E. Fresh performs on the “Best of Both Worlds” tour, November 1, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
The news also follows today’s announcement that the 2024 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees will be announced onApril 21. Judge Lionel Richie, who’s a member of the Rock Hall himself, and Ryan Seacrest will announce the inductees during an episode of American Idol. Among this year’s nominees are Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, A Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. & Rakim, Kool & The Gang, and more.
What do you think of the latest additions to the National Recording Registry? What about The Notorious B.I.G., Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, and more making the cut? Are you surprised it took this long? What else do you think should be added? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and also keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Brooklyn, New York, in the early ’90s: The brownstone-laden streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant throbbed with an unmistakable energy. Bodegas and barbershops doubled as discussion forums, with Hip Hop as the preferred topic of debate. This was an era of boomboxes and lyrical bravado, where every street corner and park bench might be the stage for the next big talent. Enter Christopher Wallace, a figure poised to encapsulate this energy, transforming it into an album that would soon reverberate far beyond those same streets.
Few could have predicted the cultural tidal wave that was Ready to Die. Released in 1994, this masterpiece wasn’t merely another album. Biggie Smalls emerged not as a mere rapper but as a raconteur par excellence. His tales, though uniquely his, resonated with thousands who saw fragments of their own stories within his lines. The musings of a young Black man navigating the treacherous terrain of the American dream, punctuated with wit, charm, and a heavy dose of reality—Ready to Die wasn’t just an album but a statement.
Part of Ready to Die‘s allure was its audacity, much like Biggie himself. The very title served as a stake in the ground, a prophetic and sardonic claim that life was never promised, but the music could be immortal. The album sits today as a cornerstone of Hip Hop history, and 29 years on, it’s anything but an artifact.
The Architecture Of A Classic
What makes this album a masterpiece is not just Biggie’s magnetic voice or street-corner philosophies but the veritable dream team of producers and features that flanked him. Names like DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, and Bluez Brothers may not have been Billboard chart-toppers, but they were architects in the house of Hip Hop. With an eclectic roster of talents, the production feels like a symphony that resonates from Brooklyn’s brownstones to Atlanta’s suburbs. Further, tracks like “Juicy” and “Big Poppa” are masterclasses in beatsmithing.
Moreover, while many rappers of the era often succumbed to the temptation of linguistic showmanship, Biggie’s lyrical mechanics were cut from a different cloth. His wordplay was far from mere verbal gymnastics. It was a tightly choreographed ballet of metaphors and life lessons. Tracks like “Gimme the Loot” and “Things Done Changed” are dissertations on the duality of the human condition, navigating a world as dangerous as it was compelling.
Cultural Impact & Legacy
Notorious B.I.G. 1995 (Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)
No amount of intricate production or lyrical dexterity would’ve mattered if the album hadn’t set the charts ablaze. Fortunately for Biggie and Hip Hop history, Ready to Die did just that. Certified quadruple Platinum, this debut oeuvre was less an entry into the market and more of a hostile takeover. Critics offered more than nods. They penned raving reviews that often invoked comparisons to previous benchmarks in Hip Hop.
Additionally, the album served as the roots for a tree that has extended its branches far into the various subgenres of modern Hip Hop. From the confessional stylings of Kendrick Lamar to the gritty realism of Pusha T, the ripples of Ready to Die are discernible. Not to forget, this record was the cornerstone on which Bad Boy Records built its empire. Several artists from the label owe a degree of their success to the groundbreaking nature of this project.
Ready To Die Continues To Resonate
The staying power of Ready to Die is nothing short of astronomical. Decades have rolled by, yet the album’s soul is as untamed as ever. It’s not just another album gathering digital dust in the sprawling archives of streaming platforms. It’s a living, breathing entity. A forerunner in every “best of” list and forever pulsing in the veins of a culture that refuses to forget its heroes. Biggie’s opus remains a stylistic and thematic blueprint in a climate that has witnessed the explosion of subgenres and hybrid sounds.
Almost three decades on, the incalculable contributions Biggie made to the industry and the culture at large have yet to be eclipsed. His lyricism is still studied, his flow still imitated but never duplicated. The irony? An album that so explicitly flirted with death has proven immortal. The staying power of Ready to Die is more than a tribute to an artist taken from us far too soon. It remains deeply rooted in its formative icons and a cornerstone in the ever-expanding cathedral of Hip Hop.
The Notorious B.I.G. would’ve turned 51 years old on May 21st. Setting the gold standard for East-Coast hip-hop, we’re looking back on his greatest hits. At a time when the West Coast was taking over the rap scene, Biggie turned the rap world on its head with the multitude of hits off of Ready To Die. Featuring a discography full of infectious rhythms and dark narratives, Biggie was rapping about gang violence and family struggles amidst larger-than-life beats. Working under the tutelage of Bad Boy Records and Diddy, his career was an unfortunately brief but impactful sabbatical. Passing away 26 years ago due to a drive-by shooting, his haunting sophomore album Life After Death was released a month after his passing. Operating as a hit-making machine and a complex poet, he’s widely held as one of the greatest MCs ever.
“Hypnotize” (1997)
Released shortly before Biggie’s untimely death, “Hypnotize” quickly became an East-Coast anthem. From the menacing beat to the braggadocios lyricism, everything about the track exudes inordinate confidence. Biggie states, “Sicker than your average,” and “Girls walk to us / wanna do us / screw us.” Everything about “Hypnotize” encourages the audience to walk with their held up high. It’s why Conor McGregor walks out to the song before each of his fights. It’s why the song is still blasted on summer afternoons. The track reached the top of the charts and remained one of Biggie’s biggest hits.
“Juicy” (1994)
There’s arguably never been a greater album intro than “Juicy.” Many fans’ introduction to the Brooklyn MC, the song is an anthem about making it out of hard times. He’s talking down on those who “Called the police on me when I was just tryin’ to make some money to feed my daughter” or “To all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustlin’ in front of.” Signed by Diddy and Bad Boy Records leading up to the release of Ready to Die, he references the two of them as akin to a superhero duo on the track. “Juicy” is the third song in his discography to eclipse 500 million streams on Spotify and is undeniably one of Biggie’s biggest hits.
“Big Poppa” (1994)
In contrast to many of Biggie’s more menacing hits, “Big Poppa” opts for sensuality amidst smooth guitar chords. A summertime jam through and through, the track is quickly approaching 800 million streams on Spotify. It would reach No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts upon its release. The track is best known for its earworm hook, solidifying his ability to thrive under various sonic styles. A sensual track in nature, Biggie analyzes his changing relationships with women before and after his fame.
“Mo Money Mo Problems” (1997)
Collaborating with Diddy and Mase, “Mo Money Mo Problems” thrived in its nationwide accessibility. Blending hip-hop, soul, and pop elements, the hit track immediately appealed to a broader audience than Biggie ever had. It showed in the numbers, sitting amongst the biggest songs in his discography. While Ready to Die saw Biggie reveling in his newfound wealth, “Mo Money Mo Problems” sees the rapper processing the realities of his new lifestyle.
“Notorious Thugs” (1997)
The hit “Notorious Thugs” saw Biggie collaborate with the iconic Midwest rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. The collaboration yielded a unique moment in Biggie’s discography. He was blending the grittiness of the Brooklyn streets with the more melodic approach of Bone’s melodic Hip Hop flare. Narratively, “Notorious Thugs” sees Biggie reflecting on his days of street life. He’s at the top of the world, stating, “I’m in the fast lane, from L.A. to Tokyo / I’m so fancy, can’t you taste this gold?”
“Who Shot Ya?” (1994)
“Who Shot Ya?” was widely controversial upon its release. Many interpreted the track’s aggressive lyricism as a diss to Tupac Shakur after he was shot. However, Biggie would maintain that the track was recorded before his passing. One of the deeper cuts on his debut album, “Who Shot Ya?” was added to Ready to Die‘s remaster. Ultimately, the song also contributed to the rising beef between the West and East Coast.
“Nasty Girl” (2005)
Released posthumously as a single from the album Duets: The Final Chapter, “Nasty Girl” features Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge, and Avery Storm. Biggie had enough material to last over a decade over his passing, with “Nasty Girl” becoming one of his biggest hits to date. Essentially, the track sees each membered feature reflecting on their relationships with women. However, the main narrative of the track is the stacked feature list. Nearing a decade after its passing, the effort to complete Duets: The Final Chapter speaks volumes about his influence on the hip-hop scene.
