#60 Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

60

2011 Album Rank

158

Total Points

1005

Year Released

1994

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

15

Weeks at #1

N/A

RIAA Sales Certification

6,000,000 (Multi Platinum)

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Ready to Die Album Details

Ready to Die is the debut album by The Notorious B.I.G., a gritty, cinematic portrait of street life in Brooklyn that redefined East Coast hip-hop in the mid-1990s. Released on September 13, 1994, the album chronicles Biggie's fictionalized life story from birth to death, blending autobiographical detail with larger-than-life storytelling. His deep, commanding voice, intricate rhyme schemes, and ability to shift between menace and humor made him an instant standout in the rap world. Supported by Sean "Puffy" Combs's Bad Boy Records, the album combined raw street narratives with crossover-ready production, creating a blueprint for commercial rap success without sacrificing lyrical authenticity.

Musically, Ready to Die draws from funk, soul, and boom-bap influences, with production by Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Chucky Thompson, and others. Tracks like Juicy and Big Poppa showcased Biggie's charisma and mainstream appeal, while songs such as Gimme the Loot and Suicidal Thoughts revealed a darker, more complex side. The album became a defining statement for New York rap at a time when West Coast G-funk dominated the charts, helping spark a resurgence of East Coast hip-hop.

Interesting Facts About Ready to Die

• Juicy was Biggie's first mainstream hit and a celebration of his rags-to-riches rise, built around a sample of Mtume's 1983 R&B track Juicy Fruit.
• Gimme the Loot features Biggie performing two distinct characters, altering his voice for each, an approach that highlighted his acting ability on the mic.
• The album's intro is a mini audio biopic, moving through different eras of Biggie's life with period-specific music and sound effects to set the scene.
• Warning was written in just one night, with Biggie crafting a tense, narrative-driven track about betrayal and street paranoia.
• Suicidal Thoughts closes the album with an unflinching depiction of depression and hopelessness, ending with the sound of a gunshot, a bold artistic choice that left a lasting impact on listeners.
• The album was originally much darker and more violent, but Puff Daddy pushed for more radio-friendly tracks like Big Poppa and One More Chance to balance the tone.
• Some of the sessions for the album took place at the legendary D&D Studios in Manhattan, a hub for East Coast hip-hop during the 1990s.
• Biggie's storytelling drew heavily from his real-life experiences growing up in Bed-Stuy, but he often exaggerated details for dramatic effect.
• The album cover features a baby in an afro wig, symbolizing Biggie's own birth year of 1972, though the child is not Biggie himself but a hired model.

Ready to Die Tracklist

1. Intro
2. Things Done Changed
3. Gimme the Loot
4. Machine Gun Funk"
5. Warning
6. Ready to Die
7. One More Chance - Reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
8. #!*@ Me (Interlude)
9. The What
10. Juicy - Reached #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
11. Everyday Struggle
12. Me & My Bitch
13. Big Poppa - Reached #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
14. Friend of Mine
15. Unbelievable
16. Suicidal Thoughts

One More Chance Music Video

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