The Notorious B.I.G.

Released: March 25, 1997

Songwriter: Diddy Carlos “6 July” Broady Nashiem Myrick Anthony Hester The Notorious B.I.G.

Producer: Carlos “6 July” Broady Nashiem Myrick Diddy

[Verse 1]
Ah, ah!
I'm sittin' in the crib dreamin' about Lear jets and coupes
The way Salt shoops and how to sell records like Snoop (oops!)
I'm interrupted by a doorbell
3:52 - who the hell is this?
I gets up quick, cocks my shit
Stop the dogs from barkin', then proceed to walkin'
It's a face that I seen before
My nigga Sing, we used to sling on the 16th floor
Check it!
I look deeper; I see blood up on his sneakers
And his fist gripped a chrome four-fifth
So I dip
Nigga, is you creepin' or speakin'?
He tells me C-Rock just got hit up at the Beacon
I opens up the door, pitiful: "Is he in critical?"
Retaliation for this one won't be minimal
'Cause I'm a criminal
Way before the rap shit
Bust the gat shit; Puff won't even know what happened
If it's done smoothly, silencers on the Uzi
Stash in the hooptie, my alibi: any cutie
With a booty that done fuck Big Pop
Head spinnin', reminiscin' 'bout my man C-Rock

[Chorus]
Somebody gotta die
If I go, you got to go
Somebody got to die
Let the gunshots blow
Somebody got to die
Nobody got to know
That I killed yo' ass in the mist, bitch
Somebody got to die
If I go, you got to go
Somebody gotta die
Let the gunshots blow
Somebody got to die
Nobody got to know
That I killed yo' ass in the mist, bitch

[Verse 2]
Uhh, fillin' clips, he explained our situation
Precisely, so we know exactly what we facin'
"Some kid named Jason
In a Honda station wagon
Was braggin', about how much loot and crack he stackin'
Rock had a grip so they formed up a clique
A small crew, 'round the time I was locked up with you"
"True indeed"
"But yo, nigga, let me proceed
Don't fill them clips too high
Give them bullets room to breathe
Damn, where was I? Yeah
Went outta town, blew the fuck up
D-Roc went home
And Jay got stuck the fuck up
Hit him twice, caught him right for the Persian white
Pistol whipped his kids and taped up his wife (niggas is trife)
He figured Rock set 'em up, no question
Wet 'em up no less
Than 50 shots in his direction" (uhh)
"How many shots?"
"Man, nigga, I seen mad holes"
"What kinda gats?"
"Hitchlinks, Kochs, and Calicos"
But fuck that
I know where all them niggas rest at
In the buildin' hustlin'
And they don't be strapped
Supreme in black is downstairs, the engine runnin'
Find a bag to put the guns in
And c'mon if you're comin'

[Chorus]
Somebody gotta die
If I go, you got to go
Somebody got to die
Let the gunshots blow
Somebody got to die
Nobody got to know
That I killed yo' ass in the mist, bitch
Somebody got to die
If I go, you got to go
Somebody gotta die
Let the gunshots blow
Somebody got to die
Nobody got to know
That I killed yo' ass in the mist, bitch

[Verse 3]
Exchanged hugs and pounds before the throw down
How it's gon' go down?
Lay these niggas low-down
"Slow down, ah, fuck all that plannin' shit
Run up in they cribs and make the cats abandon ship!"
See niggas like you do ten-year bids
Miss the nigga they want and murder innocent kids
Not I
One nigga's in my eye, that's Jason
Ain't no slugs gonna be wasted
Revenge I'm tastin' at the tip of my lips
I can't wait to fill my clip in his hips
"Pass the chocolate, Thai!"
Sing ain't lie
There's Jason with his back to me
Talkin' to his faculty
I start to get a funny feeling
Put the mask on in case this nigga start squealin'
Scream his name out: ("Ay yo, playboy!")
Squeezed six, nothin' shorter
Nigga turned around holdin' his daughter

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.

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