SOHH NYC

 Which one of B.I.G's lines was the hardest he ever spit?

Today's blog wasn't as easy a task as I thought it would be. Biggie had so many hard songs, it would take entirely too long for me to narrow down which one was the hardest of them all. But with a little thought, I decided that "Ready To Die" was the best choice, and for one reason: not only was the beat and lyrics hard, but this song-- which shared the name of the album from which it appeared-- proved to be just three years shy of living prophecy.

This blog is not random. In fact, I was asked to do something with some of Biggie's lyrics in honor of "Notorious," the Biggie movie that's slated for theatrical release January 16th.

What was I asked to do exactly? Either post Biggie's top five lines, hardest lyrics, or break down a verse. I'm a die-hard Biggie fan who came up on his music. But still, I deemed it nearly impossible to pick five hardest or cleverest lines out of countless, try to accurately interpret one of his verses, or even fish for some of his hardest lyrics. I'd be debating with myself for hours on end. So instead, I chose to post the lyrics from one of my favorite songs on the album.

Okay, so I didn't choose this song for just one reason. Not only did I think this was the best choice because of the chilling, prophetic declaration that came at the end of each verse, but this song in part reminded me of 2Pac and his poem "In The Event Of My Demise," where Pac accurately foretold his own death.

If you read between the lines of each verse, Biggie is telling a quick story of murder and then gives the ending result of those actions: his death. Through all the rhyming and gats, infrareds, and brain cabbage, it's that simple.

"As I grab the glock, put it to your headpiece/ One in the chamber, the safety is off release/ Straight at your dome homes, I wanna see cabbage/ Biggie Smalls the savage, doin your brain cells much damage/ Teflon is the material for the imperial/ mic ripper girl stripper the Henny sipper/ I drop lyrics off and on like a light switch/ Quick to grab the right bitch and make her drive the Q-45/ glocks and tecs are expected when I wreck sh*t/ Respect is collected, so check it/ I got techniques drippin out my butt cheeks/ Sleep on my stomach so I don't f*ck up my sheets, huh/ My shit is deep, deeper than my grave G/ I'm ready to die and nobody can save me/ F*ck the world, f*ck my moms and my girl/ My life is played out like a jheri curl, I'm ready to die!!

"As I sit back and look when I used to be a crook/ Doin whatever it took from snatchin chains to pocketbooks/ A big BAD motherf*cker on the wrong road/ I got some drugs tried to get the avenue sold/ I want it all from the Rolexes/ to the Lexus gettin paid, is all I expected/ My mother didn't give me what I want, what the f*ck!/ Now I got a glock, makin motherf*ckers duck/ Sh*t is real, and hungry's how I feel/ I rob and steal because that money got that whip appeal/ Kickin n*ggas down the steps just for rep/ Any repercussion lead to n*ggas gettin wet/ The infrared's at your head real steady/ You better grab your guns cause I'm ready (ready)...I'm ready to die!

"In a sec I throw the tec to your f*ckin neck/ Everybody hit the deck, Biggie bout to get some rep/ Quick to leave you in a coffin, for slick talkin/ You better act like CeCe, and keep on walkin/ When I hit ya, I split ya to the white meat/ You swung a left you swung a right you fell to the concrete/ Your face, my feet, they meet, with stompin/ I'm rippin MCs from Tallahassee, to Compton/ Biggie Smalls on a higher plane/ N*ggas say I'm strange deranged because I put the 12 gauge to your brain/ Make your shit splatter/ Mix the blood like batter then my pocket gets fatter after the hit/ leave you on the street with your neck split down your backbone to where your motherf*ckin shit drip/ The sh*t I kick, rippin through the vest/ Biggie Smalls passin any test, I'm ready to die!

I believe this song is more than laughing in the face of death. How you interpret it may be completely different, but that's just one difference that stands between the music of then and the music of today.  

"Notorious" Theatrical Trailer