Released: September 13, 1994

Songwriter: DJ Premier The Notorious B.I.G.

Producer: DJ Premier

[Intro]
Biggie Smalls is the illest (Uh)
What? Uh
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
Uh
Biggie Smalls, Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
Uh, yeah
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest

[Verse 1]
Live from Bedford-Stuyvesant, the livest one
Representing BK to the fullest
Gats, I pull it
Bastards ducking when B.I.G. be bucking
Chickenheads be clucking, in my back room fucking
It ain't nothing
They know B.I.G. be handling
With the MAC in the Ac' door paneling
Bandaging MC's, oxygen, they can't breathe
Mad tricks up the sleeve
Wear boxers so my dick can breathe
Breeze through in the Q
Forty-five by my side, lyrical high
And those that rushes my clutches get put on crutches
Get smoked like Dutches from the master
Hate to blast ya but I have to
You see I smoke a lot
Your life is played out like Kwame
And them fucking polka dots
Who rock the spot? Biggie
You know how the weed go, unbelievable

[Chorus]
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest

[Verse 2]
B-I-G, G-I-E
A-K-A., B-I-G
Get it? Biggie
Also known as the bon appétit
Rappers can't sleep need sleeping
B.I.G. keep creeping
Bullets heat-seeking, casualties need treating
Dumb rappers need teaching
Lesson A: Don't fuck with B-I
That's that "Oh I, thought he was wack"
Oh, come, come now, why y'all so dumb now
Hunt me or be hunted
I got three hundred and fifty-seven ways
To simmer sauté, I'm the winner all day
Lights get dimmer down Biggie's hallway
My forte causes Caucasians to say
"He sounds demented"
Car weed scented, if I said it, I meant it
Bite my tongue for no one
Call me evil, or unbelievable

[Chorus]
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest

[Verse 3]
Buck shots out the sun roof of Lexus coupes
Leave no witnesses, what you think this is?
Ain't no amateurs here
I damage and tear, MC's fear me
They too near not to hear me
Clearly, I'm the triple beam dream
One thousand grams of uncut to the gut
It seems fucked up, the way I touched up the grill
Trying to play gorilla when you ain't no killer
The gat's by your liver, your upper lip quiver
Get ready to die, tell God I said hi
And throw down some ice for the nicest MC
Niggas know the steelo, unbelievable

[Chorus]
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest

[Outro]
It's unbelievable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
'Believable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
'Believable
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest
Biggie Smalls— Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls
Biggie— Biggie— Biggie Smalls is the illest

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.