15 years ago today the Notorious B.I.G. (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997) was killed in a drive-by shooting in L.A. I can't believe its been so long. The music world was still reeling from the loss of Tupac 6 months earlier, Bill Clinton was just two months into his second term as President, The English Patient was about to win an Oscar for Best Picture, and we were only a few months from watching the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, unfold on our T.V. screens. I was a sophomore in a suburban Maryland high school, and suddenly the frustration, violence, and beauty in the hard-core rap I loved but didn't wholly understand seemed a lot more real and tragic.
The world lost a lot of talent that day, cutting off an artistic life that had not yet reached its prime. When I listen to Biggie now I am amazed at how his music somehow manages to be both completely dated, and timeless at the same time.
In honor of the body of work Biggie left behind you will find two tracks below, Super Cat's "Dolly My Baby" featuring a razor sharp, relatively unknown B.I.G., and my favorite Biggie track "Sky's the Limit" off the tragically titled Life After Death album released shortly after his death. These two songs are basically bookends to his career, showcasing both raw talent and a legendary polished professional. I also have a clip below of news from the day biggie died. Its a bit surreal watching it today.
Sky's the Limit
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