Thirty years ago, one of hip-hop’s biggest stars prepared to release his debut album. Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G, or Biggie, whichever nomenclature most suits you, had recorded one of the most important and influential albums of not only his era, but in hip hop and music history. As rap music began to take its place as part of mainstream culture, there was no telling what would follow with the release of Ready to Die on September 13, 1994.
Now, a full three decades later, it’s impossible to ignore the impact of Biggie’s only non-posthumous release. For a Brooklyn native, Biggie’s music is ever-present; blasting through the speakers of passing cars, in stores, and especially at parties (even now, no party is complete without a splash of “Warning” or “Mo Money Mo Problems”).
In Brooklyn, Biggie’s impact is found everywhere. You won’t get too far without seeing a mural dedicated to him. From East New York to Bay Ridge to Caroll Gardens, his face is plastered on walls, t-shirts, and merchandise in almost every store, and one of his most iconic (and laughably ironic) quotes from “Juicy” is spray painted everywhere: “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.” Bed-Stuy revels in his impact on hip hop and the borough, as Biggie repped Brooklyn hard. Hence, now the city immortalizes him within the city’s infrastructure, with the city even naming the street he was born on after him. Rappers copied everything he had to offer; his flow, his style, his music subjects. They even would gather an entourage that was similar to Junior M.A.F.I.A., and of course, would copy his “beef” with Tupac.