Ready to Die marked the precise moment when hip-hops golden age transitioned into its modern age, the height of New York hip-hop, and the sound of the greatest rapper of all time at the absolute top of his powers, Rolling Stone staff writer Julyssa Lopez wrote about the 1994 opus. The 17-track set, executive produced by Sean (Puffy) Combs and Mister Cee, featured the chart-topping, platinum-selling singles Juicy, Big Poppa, One More Chance and other favorites such as Unbelievable, Gimme the Loot and Warning.


Rounding out Rolling Stones top 5 are Outkasts Stankonia (2000) in the No. 2 spot, fellow Brooklyn rap icon Jay-Zs 2001 The Blueprint in the third position, Public Enemys seminal 1988 opus It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back at No. 4 and Kendrick Lamars 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, coming in fifth.


Life After Death debuted on the Billboard 200 chart weeks after the groundbreaking artist, also known as Biggie Smalls, was fatally shot on the streets of Los Angeles on March 9, 1997.

His murder, at age 24, remains unsolved.

Biggie leavened his raw fatalism with a smooth, subtle sense of humor, perfecting a hard-soft dichotomy that would become a template for decades of artists, Lopez continued.


The late rapper, who would have turned 50 on May 21, has been feted all month long in his native borough of Brooklyn.

The Empire State Building changed its colors to red, with a crown spinning in its mast for the Hypnotized lyricist, while special edition MetroCards featuring the artist born Christopher Wallace were sold at three subway stations near his old neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. The sale of the MetroCards attracted long lines.

Lincoln Center will host an orchestral tribute at a creative black-tie event on Friday, featuring a concert symphony performance of Biggies songs from Ready to Die and the R.I.A.A. Diamond Certified Life After Death.

Instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson will arrange and conduct the program, with appearances by The Originals, comprised of New York City deejays Stretch Armstrong, Clark Kent, Rich Medina and Tony Touch, and other special guests at the free event.

This is the greatest honor of my life to celebrate the music of Biggie, Ferguson told the Daily News, while deejay Kent added, Tomorrow is going to be magnificent! New York is getting a special treat. This is the type of show that the world should get to see.

Rhino Records will release a 25th anniversary vinyl boxed set edition of Life After Death on Friday, consisting of eight remastered LPs and a booklet with rare photos, liner notes and exclusive reflections from people who worked on the Grammy-nominated sophomore set.

Source: NyDailyNews.com