“Y’all don’t know about my Biggie wars,” he raps. Nas used “Last Real N****a Alive” off 2002’s God’s Son to shed light on his feud with Biggie. “I’m up, man, I’m up,” Khalifa says on the skit, copying Big’s early morning frustrations. For instance, the intro sketch to Life After Death’s “Going Back to Cali” - where Diddy famously phones a sleepy Biggie about his flight plans - was remixed by Wiz Khalifa on his Rolling Papers track “The Race” in 2011. Ten years later, on his 2007 mixtape Finally Famous, Sean Don used the same beat to tell a story of his own on “Story to Tell.” The influence is clear from the jump, as the Detroit spitter even mimics Big’s “Who y’all talkin’ to?” intro.Įven B.I.G.’s skits have been remade. This was evident on the cinematic “I Got a Story to Tell” off 1997’s Life After Death. For his 2005 debut Documentary, The Game decided to do the same, reimagining the track on “Dreams.” Other artists have also done the same, including Teyana Taylor (“Dreams”), Lil’ Kim (“Dreams”), and Nicki Minaj (“Dreams”). One of Biggie’s most provocative moments of “ghetto comedy” appeared on “Just Playing (Dreams),” as he sat back, relaxed, and thought about the R&B singers he wanted to sex. A chopped and screwed sample of Biggie’s voice plays throughout the song’s hook while Luda and the Snowman show Big’s influence had no regional limits. In fact, Ludacris used it as the anchor for “Grew Up a Screw Up,” a single off his 2006 album Release Therapy. Jeezy – ‘Grew Up a Screw Up’Ĭole wasn’t the only one to like B.I.G.’s “screw up” line. Prior to this, he also famously borrowed from B.I.G.’s appearance on Lil’ Kim’s “Crush On You” for Drake’s “Jodeci Freestyle” and pulled inspiration from Biggie’s “Hypnotize” for “You Got It,” his Friday Night Lights collaboration with Wale. Instead, he kicked off “’03 Adolescence” with these memorable lyrics from Biggie’s posthumous Tupac collaboration “Runnin’ (Dying to Live)”: “I grew up a fuckin’ screw up.” Cole is clearly a fan. Cole went double platinum without features on 2014 Forest Hills Drive, but he didn’t do it without using a Biggie line. In fact, the “Mo Money Mo Problems” sample actually appears on the track when he tips his hat to B-I-Double-G-I-E. Spelling out his name, he mimicked Biggie’s style and melody. When Childish Gambino appeared on Ariana Grande’s “Break Your Heart Right Back” off 2014’s My Everything, he took a page out of Biggie’s “Mo Money Mo Problems” verse. Childish Gambino – ‘Break Your Heart Right Back’ Today, on the 20th anniversary of the late legend’s passing, Rap-Up looks back on his influence with tracks he’s inspired.Īriana Grande feat. Cole, Childish Gambino, Logic, Nas, and, of course, Jay Z. In the years that followed, Big’s memory has been carried on by fellow musicians who’ve been inspired by his work, including Nicki Minaj, J. Since that fateful night, Christopher Wallace has become an iconic face for hip-hop and music worldwide. The still-unsolved shooting in Los Angeles cut Biggie’s career short, but it didn’t erase the New York wordsmith’s legacy or impact. died in what has become one of the most tragic moments in hip-hop history. Scroll down to stream J Dilla’s remix of Biggie’s icono-cut “Kick In The Door” and celebrate National Donut Day proper, itis and all.Twenty years ago, The Notorious B.I.G. So grab yourself one of those delicious donut holes, put your feet up and bless the air to this certified heater from the gawd, every bit as sweet as the day itself. Well, if not, today we’re reprising that decadent deelight for your listening pleasure, which originally appeared on DJ Soul‘s universally adored Assorted Donuts tributary tape. Consider it a gift from us to you, who yearn for the Dilla-fide treats wherever, however you get them. Perhaps you recall Biggie‘s born day celebrations when we unearthed and liberated a blazing (or should I say glazing) remix of The Notorious One’s “Kick In The Door” fit to the tune of one of Jay Dee’s more booming, swing-loaded specimens. And as an ode to all you purveyors of circular baked goods, it seems like the perfect time to bring back some high-fructose machine-gun funk for y’all to rock with from J Dilla.
Today, dear friends, is the ever celebrated, ever revered National Donut Day.