Much is made of the importance of tracks like the autobiographical “Juicy” and the club anthem “Big Poppa.” Not only were these tracks massive commercial smashes, but they also introduced Biggie to a worldwide audience, helped establish the Bad Boy Records juggernaut, and defined the sound of New York and commercial hip-hop for years to come.īut as has been detailed many times before, much of Ready to Die features Biggie’s tales of pain, paranoia, and misery while trying to survive as a drug dealer and street criminal. Yet he indisputably changed the course of hip-hop music with his debut album Ready to Die and is rightfully known as one of the best emcees the genre has ever produced. (depending on who you asked), with a booming voice and a lazy eye. The Brooklyn-born legend was a 6’3” lumbering behemoth, weighing anywhere between 300 and 380 lbs. would probably not be what most people would envision.

If you were imagining a poster-child for someone who made hip-hop what it is today, the late, great Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here. Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Most Dynamic Debut Albums Ever Made, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods.

Biggie ready to die zip