Released: December 7, 1999

Featuring: Beanie Sigel Ice Cube Black Rob

Songwriter: Beanie Sigel Ice Cube Black Rob The Notorious B.I.G.

Producer: Coptic Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie Charlemagne

[Intro: Notorious B.I.G.]
Uhh.. UHH
Yeah..
Uhh.. uhh..
Uh! Yeah.. yeah..
Uhh..
I'm on..
Fuck em.. yeah, uhh..
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Fuck her, never knew her
Screw her.. (dump her body, dump her body) sewer
Our father.. uh-huh..

[Verse 1: The Notorious B.I.G.]
What you expected from his next of kin
I'm loco bro, but ain't no Mexican
I got nines in the bedroom, Glocks in the kitchen
A shotty by the shower if you wanna shoot me while I'm shittin
Uhh, the lesson from the Smith and Wessun is depressin
Niggas keep stressin, the same motherfuckin question
How many shots does it take to make my heart stop
And my body start to shake? If I should die before I wake

[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G.]
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake

[Verse 2: Black Rob]
Fluck that, snap a nigga shit, smash him with the 5th, watch his body lift
Shut his hottie's lips, bitch screamin, hit her body quick
Got me like the trifest not knowin how my life is
My life is, rap sheet long as the Turnpike
The sheistest, hey fella, who bidded with the lifers
Did it with the Glocks, spit it with your pops, you was in diapers
Loved me when you came to Rikers
Hated me all in the free cypher, mad you can't be like us
Some murderers who turn bikers, see Biggie Smalls
Recruited these snipers, alumni do it just like us
Some pied pipers, squeezin life out y'all
It's all out war, be all wild as all outdoor
If a coward got beef, y'all be checkin his palm
Paralyzin, my niggas thorough kid, how bout yours?
Real quick to screw a nigga then, pop out four
Clean the wipers, hit the party up and, hop out yours
Bitch nigga, whoah

[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G.]
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake

[Verse 3: Beanie Sigel]
Yo, when you fuckin with Mac, you fuckin with the best
I'm still going to war with them dusty Tecs
Man you know how I handle my shit, S.K. can on my shit
Jump out of vans like Hannibal Smith
Man I spit a thousand rounds, your squad don't need it
Shredders in a riot pump leave you quadriplegic
When I squeeze don't breathe keep it lined and even
So when niggas get hit, they be cryin screamin
Lyin bleedin from that iron steamin
And I ain't tryin to hear that bullshit, I ain't mean it
Niggas start bitchin, when that pistol in they face
Or I sick two pits to come and get you in your place
If I catch you in my shit, I'm wakin my bitch
Hear take this shit, crackin the brick, facin that shit
Takin two sniffs, grabbing my shit
Best believe if I get hit, y'all niggas takin some shit
Picture niggas takin my shit

[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G.]
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake

[Verse 4: Ice Cube]
Niggas never thought they'd see Cube and Biggie
In the year 2000 all drunk and pissy
Off whiskey, you can miss me acting gay
He's the King of New York, I'm the King of L.A
Doin it the O.G. way, it's sorta like
The Brooklyn Way, it's just the crook in me
So this is dedicated to the memory of
The Notorious One, the glorious one
And if you go for your gun, I got to go for mine
Cock my nine and seperate your head from your spine
So, "Grab yo' dicks if you love Hip-Hop" and
Fuck you niggas that shot Big Pop'
The conspiracy of this nation for assassination
Of the young black male in this black Hell
And I can tell, no matter the weather
That you and 2Pac got your shit together
California Love

[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G.]
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake
With my hands gripped, praise the Lord shit
Our Father, if I should die before I wake

The Notorious B.I.G.

Considered by many to be one of the greatest rappers of all time, The Notorious B.I.G. was a major figure in both hardcore hip-hop and 90’s pop music until his murder in 1997 at age 24. He’s best known for his #1 hits “Hypnotize” and “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems,” his top 10 hits “One More Chance (Stay with Me Remix)” and “Big Poppa,” and his iconic early single “Juicy.”

In addition to his crossover hits, Biggie is known for innovative multi-syllabic lyricism and creative storytelling techniques, heard on critical favorites like “Warning,” “Suicidal Thoughts,” “Ten Crack Commandments,” “I Got A Story To Tell,” and “Gimme The Loot.”

As a teenager, Brooklyn native Christopher Wallace started rapping as Biggie Smalls, the name of a mobster character in the 1975 action comedy Let’s Do It Again. He recorded a demo with local Bed-Stuy DJ 50 Grand, which caught the attention of Mister Cee, who was well-known as Big Daddy Kane’s DJ. Cee introduced his demo to the industry, landing him a spot in The Source’s coveted “Unsigned Hype” column in the magazine’s March 1992 issue. Sean “Puffy” Combs, a successful A&R, also heard the demo and signed Big to Uptown Records.