The Notorious B.I.G. 'Ready To Die' | Album Reviews by Dead End Hip Hop | All Def Music

This day marks the 23rd anniversary of one of the most iconic hip hop albums of all time. On September 13, 1994 Biggie Smalls drops his debut album, "Ready To Die" The guys at Dead End Hip Hop give us their break down of Biggie's debut project.
Was this the greatest hip hop album of all time? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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The Notorious B.I.G. 'Ready To Die' | Album Reviews by Dead End Hip Hop | All Def Music
• The Notorious B.I.G. '...
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[@1stnamesirname315]

It was a concept album. Ready to die then Life after death. Although he had no input Born Again was going to be the conclusion to the trilogy if he released it on his terms.

[@1stnamesirname315]

Daniel Hill It would've been interesting to see the way he would have done the concept if he was alive to do so. Shame that they fumbled it together for a cash grab.

[@thapoint09]

Big Poppa in particular has always sounded ahead of its time to me. I remember thinking for years that it was made in 1997.

[@agipson101]

thapoint09 Naaah

[@ununseptium7961]

Ready to Die is my favorite hip-hop album of all-time.

[@Lillean]

life after death mines

[@Lillean]

@Jarrel Ely no Ready to Die Life after death can't he touched

[@fullmetall77]

I like life after death more

[@ABigBowlOfChips]

Damn it's crazy but true how today marks 21 years since 2Pac died and 23 years since Ready To Die been released.

[@bmore24t56]

Love them both

[@ShareemGoodlet]

Easy Mo Bee did "Ready To Die" and "Me Against The World"...that was and is a fact that does not go unnoticed by me but it does by so many others.

[@LouieV6]

Shareem Goodlet He's easily one of the most underrated producers in Hip Hop.

[@ShareemGoodlet]

LouieV6 that's a fact and a shame

[@radioragdol]

Easy mo bee only did 2 tracks on me against the world, temptations and if I die 2nite. Johnny J was the genius behind me against the world

[@soundscapesMPLS]

@@radioragdol johnny J did only one track on it, you must be confused with All Eyez On Me

[@MrNcking75]

@@radioragdol Johnny J didn't produce me against the world

[@Jamespolanc]

Naww Biggie was rappn so smooth unlike a lot of dudes at the time. Then Jay took that style & made it his own. Biggie rhyming don't sound dated yo

[@jspears19]

Latchwood1 Nas was rapping smooth first and Snoop 2.

[@bigbootiehoes1933]

biggie rhymin is better than most rapper's nowadays, just a little bit slower than nowadays rhymin.

[@kodiacstephens8104]

@@jspears19 Nas and Biggie were rapping smooth at the same time.

[@jspears19]

Kody Stephens prolly learned that from Rakim plus they just naturally smooth (potheads).

[@kodiacstephens8104]

@@jspears19 True.

[@a31cairo]

Biggie and 2pac could never be recreated.

[@hussainalmasbhi427]

The greatest album of all time

[@srtoushh.9773]

All Eyez On Me

[@karimzakaria9621]

The album gets better as you get older. Definitely revolutionized hip hop

[@hussainalmasbhi427]

@@srtoushh.9773 trust me ready to die or the illmatic are competing on the GOAT spot there’s no other album

[@srtoushh.9773]

@@hussainalmasbhi427 Bruh they might be competing there but the spot is taken by All Eyez On Me

[@Temmy30]

No doubt

[@joshuaryun8733]

Pause folk y'all already did this throwback review ... smh should've just did life after death

[@MrVIP1993]

They don't decide, it's the all def music channel that decides what they review. They normally review these iconic albums on their anniversary date.

[@anthonyg2889]

Joshua Ryun they need to do classic albums that don't get recognition instead of the same shit

[@gringokali]

IronMan by Ghostface released Oct 29th 1996. The album is old enough to drink now please review

[@catastrophic3]

I think some of those beats are dated. But what keeps me going back is Biggies lyrics!

[@jsoul99]

Machine Gun Funk!!! Easy Mo Bee!!

[@jlaw6036]

Biggie Smalls is the illiest. ..

[@rafinhaipsep]

My favorite rap album from my favorite rapper!

[@MrOuija-rr8kq]

Have y'all heard the "OG edition?" The original beats were very 1994. Pete rock made the original versions for a good chunk of the album. Easy moe bee is really underrated.

[@catastrophic3]

Aaron Osborn Where could you find the OG edition now?

[@lornegreen6755]

Where did you find it?

[@thagemiini2531]

My favorite track is The What. It's so overlooked and I don't understand why.

[@leonxjaws182]

Only rap feature on the album too.

[@roostercortes2863]

Prolly one of the best features of all time....the way Meth hops on the end of biggie's verse 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💪💪💪💪

[@thagemiini2531]

Rooster Cortes IMO it is the best collab track of all time. Though my favorite is still Got My Mind Made Up. But I acknowledge The What is better. Yeah it was actually Biggies idea for Meth to do that. I saw that on a documentary. In the documentary it also mentioned that apparently the rest of the Wu didn't fuck with Big.

[@thagemiini2531]

Leon X Travis Unless you count Puffs really obnoxious ad-libs. -_-

[@roostercortes2863]

ThaGemiini what is the name of this documentary?

[@xXTheHDNoobXX]

Me Against The World

[@bmore24t56]

love that album

[@Alice-kv3sg]

LIFESTYLEZ OV DA POOR & DANGEROUS

[@Butterd4t4ss]

Jon Lax yo where I'm from it ain't cookies and cream...

[@128patriots]

Jon Lax rip big L the goat

[@jissrapisardi9499]

128patriots Yep. 3 classic albums, 2 of which are influential as fuck. Great flow, top 5 lyricist, greatest punchlines ever. Big L the GOAT.

[@TrellAliii]

Y'all should do black on both sides next month

[@Butterd4t4ss]

Return Flight my favorite album of all time

[@kdnladner93]

Wish yall would review Amerikkkas Most Wanted, The Chronic, Doggystyle, or All Eyez on Me

[@rowdogg7972]

kdnladner93 they already have reviewed both those albums.

[@money0925]

"I don't wanna hear this Biggie shit". Myke swung for the fence lol

[@oblivionworldwide]

They already did this review, why they doing it again

[@ericpage2172]

Damien Figueroa They have a deal with All Def Digital. So I guess they wanted them to do one for their channel with the Ready to Die anniversary

[@jatrellwilliams8814]

What's crazy is Ready to Die ain't even BIG's best album. Life After Death was just as great of an album as you could ever ask for from an artist.

[@damianalmazan1]

If you cut the filler off of Life After Death I'd agree

[@Gemini050788]

Hozay I love life after death. There is no filler to me.

[@jatrellwilliams8814]

What filler does it have? And even if you think it has filler it's only like 2-3 songs max. Out of an album with like 24 tracks

[@damianalmazan1]

Filler to me aren't necessary bad songs but I usually skip them, I could do without em. Even though Sky's the Limit is my favorite Big song I personally loved Every song on RTD

[@ericdxfan511]

Ready To Die is MILES better than Life After Death.

[@charleydriscoll4219]

Best album of all time... period.

[@donpido6023]

Dope album, but it definitely sounds dated. It sounds like early 90's for sure. Soon as the album comes on, it takes you back to that era. That is part of what makes this album so dope, it captured the time in which it reflects. It doesn't need to fit into today's hip hop climate....

[@Gemini050788]

Blac Clinton Dapoet It's what makes it great. It's a completely different biggie from life after death.

[@Lillean]

@@Gemini050788 That's because in ready to die he rapped about his struggle life and after death he rapped about changing the world

[@Mr_Archer15]

I just realized.....myke ain't got no eyebrows!

[@ryanvason6818]

Jujux15 I can never unsee this now

[@SickVidsNick]

So you gonna re-review Illmatic then?

[@vevand513]

do a review on Big L"lifestylez ov da poor and dangerous " one of the most slept on lyricist

[@fesh67]

You guys should do All Eyez On Me next

[@wynrick1]

banana bread nope

[@deonnelson9780]

Patrick Smith Yep

[@elijahduarte4847]

I'm suprised no one mentioned "Fuck Me" the only definite skippable track !

[@kol9495]

Elijah Duarte the did in the classic review

[@EZ95]

and friend of mine. no one mentions that song

[@TheRealitySam]

Noise Martin respect

[@leonxjaws182]

respect? the reggae hook?

[@elijahduarte4847]

I only skip the BJ part of Respect cause I don't need to hear that shit 😂 I'm fine with friend of mine cause is like 5 seconds

[@1234567894444aaron]

LIKE TREES TO BRANCHES CLIFFS TO AVALANCHES

[@garywilliams7306]

Welcome to my Center, honeys feel it deep in their Placenta. Cold as the pole in the Winter!

[@JayWerx]

It's the praying mantis, deep like the mind of Farrakhan A motherfucking rap phenomenon

[@xraftee462]

Why they block the video on the dehh channel?

[@christopherrodriguez9514]

Cuz ur supposd to pay for it

[@troycummings709]

Greatest Album Of All Time. It is a concept album to

[@GarrettAbbey]

Troy Cummings to what?

[@Lillean]

Fax no life After death Was my shit

[@OldSchoolApprentice]

You forgot DMX Mike...I really thought he could spit,he had street cred. & he was mainstream at the same time.

[@roostercortes2863]

Y'all need to review some Redman....Dare Iz a Darkside

[@MCMFF1]

this ^^

[@Mr_Tyatic]

Yes!!!!!!!!!

[@felojimenez9931]

or Whut Thee Album

[@scotturwin1387]

Damn beezy really speaks up on these classic reviews... good shit

[@jacobdenise1648]

This & "Dark Twisted Fantasy" are the greatest mainstream Hip-Hop albums of all time.

[@DoubleSushi4U]

ken's beard getting so wide lookin like a damn video game boss battle

[@karmadelivery4407]

Tyler Hayes 😅😅tekken

[@ADAJ3KINGANGEL]

I love Unbelievable

[@allanalston4794]

This album is a classic easily top 10 from Intro to Suicidal Thoughts. I can't skip 1 track. Never could.

[@DrunkenLockwood]

Slow Down The F Me Interlude

[@JJ5899]

Yall did this Review before right???????

[@myncraft1]

JJ5899 Near the start they say "we did this 3 years ago"

[@ceu8579]

ready to boom mixtape. biggie x metro boomin beats

[@EZ95]

Should've done life after death or do a 2pac album

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

Ralphie Brothaman That's the same thing I said. They could've done Life After Death.

[@panamera53]

Some people just don't give Biggie the recognition he deserves....

[@Butterd4t4ss]

Devonte Murray not true

[@Gemini050788]

Pac and Wayne stans

[@ericdxfan511]

Gemini050788 Bullshit

[@bigbootiehoes1933]

@@Butterd4t4ss just listen to every song of his, goat period.

[@jonavanortiz]

I was gonna say that you should've reviewed a Pac album cuz today marks 21 years from when he passed but this is basically the next best thing so I can't complain. Been listening to Pac all day

[@warrenjezzy6818]

Black Moon Enta da Stage review

[@JDRalls]

I'm not a hip hop head, but Biggie is now my fav rapper over Em and Tech. This album was flawless. "Ready to Die" is my fav rap song ever.

[@Chriscool202]

This was a dope classic album Ready To Die but my favorite biggie album was Life After Death

[@Justinm618]

Can we get a Life After Death review? would be dope

[@PoetryJesusY2K]

LMAO @ all def shutting down their own promo on dead end hip hop smh

[@tmotivate]

The formula Biggie & Pac get credited for was really created by LL Cool J

[@TERRELLTURNER1999]

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. - READY TO DIE w/ DEHH REVIEWS: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6TZm6OAYsirb7s&index=21&list=PLBREYXCBgn83lNYWnJuMw85y2iDC98vrd

[@TrellAliii]

808's AND HEARTBREAK NOVEMBER 24TH

[@bmore24t56]

Love that album

[@joeysmother7535]

Not a classic tho

[@ashiyadelancy]

This album was gold!! It really was.. not a lot of people like to give biggie credit simply because he only made two albums but the man was one of the first if not the first rapper to go mainstream. To have people of all walks of life to like his stuff.. and Tupac did so much as well. Like those two have to be GOATs in their own right.

[@coolwhiprofl]

shy D Tupac and Biggie are easily the most celebrated hiphop artists ever.

[@agipson101]

shy D he wasn't the first to go mainstream but he was the first to have a lasting power to be on mainstream

[@Fleezy81]

Im interested in knowing what Myke C-Town's favorite commercial hip hop albums are

[@streetpoetrychannel7698]

Fleezy81 Common discography

[@mykectown]

Rone Da StreetPoet Wow. You're beyond wrong.

[@streetpoetrychannel7698]

Myke C-Town lol

[@chrishernandez7655]

Myke C-Town You should still perhaps mention what you like, even if it doesn't get its own full video. It'd be interesting to hear it

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

He hates everything that's commercial.

[@My_Anarchist_Superhero]

“And when I rock her and drop her, I’m taking her doorknockers And if she’s resistant, blakka, blakka, blakka” still one of the greatest bars of all time

[@jatrellwilliams8814]

Rakim is a pioneer of hip hop no doubt. He changed the way lyricism was brought and in general how niggas was rapping. But he not fucking with B.I.G one bit. Biggie literally switched flows every single verse, let alone every song. That is fuckin unheard of. Not to mention B.I.G's 2 albums are both arguably top 5 hip hop albums of all time and top 10 albums PERIOD!

[@chaunt100]

Jatrell Williams ?? And paid in full and follow the leader are not classic albums biggie is the king of flows but in no way is he a better lyricist than rakim follow the leader in the ghetto no omega microphone fiend just to name a few and he wasn't cursing nor killing anybody no fabrications just knowledge and lyrics!

[@jatrellwilliams8814]

Biggie is a better lyricist bro. And Paid in Full is definetly a classic. Still no where near Biggie's 2 albums. Don't get it twisted tho. There would be no Jay-z, Biggie, Nas etc if it weren't for Rakim. He was really the first rapper to really introduce lyrics in the game. Before him it was just basic party rap. But I think Biggie was able to take it to a whole new level when he came out.

[@chaunt100]

Jatrell Williams i hear ya point but I can't put big over rakim kane and krs them dudes were lyrical giants

[@chaunt100]

Kane rakim krs g rap are often too overlooked

[@hypokritis]

Biggie don't sound dated cuz rappers got worst after him. After G rap and Rakim rappers got better in the 90's.

[@SILMANTV]

Illmatic is THE perfect hip hop album

[@RONJAE212003]

I never really like Biggie. Yes I liked 4 of his songs but he never really did it for me

[@DrunkenLockwood]

One Of My Favorites Of All Time I Was Like 30 Years Old I Bought The Album For $17.99 Bucks Expensive CD Brand New Sealed With A Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics Sticker On The Case I Played It A Lot I Mean A Lot For A Good Three Months

[@ronaldjames7843]

Ready to Die was basically a whole life story of Biggie. It was a movie

[@rambles1789]

Do DJ Quik

[@KingGosh]

Biggies flow is way better than G Rap... I.e. Notorious Thugs

[@joseph5589]

Nah

[@jaysnider9544]

Listen to Wanted Dead or Alive Live and Let Die roots of evil 456 all classic albums biggie is great but G Rap was a true pioneer

[@kdnladner93]

I love Ready to Die its my favorite rap album but I have to slightly disagree with yall about it being the first perfect combination of hardcore lyrics bringing respect from fellow peers and having mainstream appeal. The Chronic and Doggystyle actually did it first. To me Ready to Die is just an East Coast version of The Chronic. Both had interesting intros that set the tone of the album, catchy commercial singles i.e. Nuthin But a G Thang/Juicy or Fuck wit Dre Day/Big Poppa, skits about fucking bitches, and entertaining outros. Other than the singles the rest of thoses albums were very lyrical and dope as hell.

[@cnrdhd2009]

So Suge knight is doing reviews now huh? 😂😂😂

[@marlohiphopgods2716]

Mike is just a biggie hater u could see it in his face

[@crackswareg135]

You will never see Beezy talk more than when it’s bout classic hip hop or Detroit rap

[@chrisp855]

Hey Mike just wanted to say that you put me on Del with your shout outs in the vids. He was here in D.C. yesterday and it was amazing! Thanks for that and for Atmosphere! Love the review

[@yavnikganguly831]

Life After Death is better

[@baltimoresluggzz9503]

Mayb its jus me but Nas wz b4 Biggie..these dudes sound like they r jus guessing at what they want 2say

[@bolder2009]

There was a lot of great rap albums in 94. The ones we don't need to name speak for themselves. I think The Sun Rises In The East is a better album than RTD from that same year. Everyday Struggle is my favourite track on RTD but I prefer LAD.

[@Fleezy81]

"Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis" dated this album

[@andrewdaly2301]

Fleezy81 dumb af

[@Fleezy81]

Andrew Daly thanks ANDY!!

[@mistergoodcitizen9914]

If you don’t respect the biggie shit the rest of what you listen to is irrelevant. Biggie is the most complete package we’ve ever seen in hip hop. The greatest of all time. Literally your favorite rappers favorite rapper. Been listen to biggie for 20+ years and I’m still dissecting his albums he was so advance.

[@lucassilvadeandrade7081]

Another thing that makes Biggie not sound outdated it’s his lyrics, because he’s was more in that bragging rap than the average of that time, and now that’s the main point of rapping

[@robindavid369]

dislikes? can anyone explain?

[@ashiyadelancy]

Robin David maybe because they did it before or simply because people still living in 1995-96 with east coast vs West cost and bad boy vs death row and Tupac vs biggie.

[@markdeejay86]

Trolls (internet)...

[@ruggedtechie5867]

Nas album dropped first though , matter if fact biggie copied nas's album cover . That being said that's a great album

[@DJObiSmalls]

If anyone's interested, I remade "Ready To Die", remixing BIG's voice with newer beats. And it has had great reviews, check it out on my channel. It's important that BIG's voice is kept alive.

[@donkeykong5414]

Now that I think about it I'd like to hear Rakim with a modern sound.

[@mitchellredd3424]

Dude with the plats are you saying Biggie couldn't rhyme over west coast beat such as dres or east coast beats such as eric b and rock ???? biggie's flow was phenomenal his style transcends coast he could get on any beat and destroy it

[@privatekane4565]

Come on, bro. He clearly said NWA era Dre. Biggie was a beast but over Straight Outta Compton era production it woulda sounded dated. That's all he was saying.

[@mitchellredd3424]

Dated how ??? one thing biggie had was versatility .. he would finess his way through up over and around any beat in front of him ... to me its like saying those songs are dated now ...I do not belive that when that first NWa come on now it thumps and if an MC is versatile enough they can hop on it and rip it and make it transcend period ....Biggie was that fluid to me

[@agipson101]

mitchell redd he saying the sounds of the beats not his flow..the beats

[@Thecriticalplug]

I met Mo Bee such a Awesome dude 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@justinlyn4254]

SEPTEMBER 13 2022 ON THIS DAY IN HIP HOP HISTORY SEPTEMBER 13 1994 28 YEARS AGO THE Notorious B.I.G. RELEASED READY TO DIE ALBUM THE FACT IT WAS 28 YEARS LATER AND STILL A CLASSIC ALBUM OF ALL TIME

[@roymoss75]

Eric B. was the worst dj ever. Scratches were wack. Couldn't stand him back then.

[@Ghennessy2018]

When I was younger I was more of a pac fan but as I've gotten older and now im in my 40s and I'm definitely a bigger big fan then when I was younger

[@SoulOfTheSouth]

Ok so why did they review this album again? They did a review on this 3 years ago. They could've done Life After Death.

[@th3ronin407]

It's funny how tbey failed to mention biggie got the formula from pac. Ready to die is nothing but me against the world with a Brooklyn twist

[@ADAJ3KINGANGEL]

ADD gave DEHH a strike for previewing this video on their channel. Must have been automated.

[@ism519]

"Even Toronto" lol. Feefo, Toronto is closer to New York than Atlanta is. We can see New York State from across the lake.

[@bassitabdul-rahman2629]

yes diddy knew what he was doing cos biggies lyrical dexterity made it possible. he was that great an emcee. afterwards diddy failed in that regard.

[@xDEATHCRUSHx]

okay so yall just got cutty classic reviews on another channel?? lol im mad for sleepin

[@Lillean]

BIGGIE GOAT

[@ism519]

Sounds like its almost time to review a G Rap album. Hoping for Live and Let Die.

[@OMN1N]

I didn't expect you guys to call "Ready To Die" a copy of "Die Lit" by playboi carti

[@XoAngelJaycee]

Can you post the Eminem (Marshall Mathews lp) review?

[@milescagejr6987]

Y'all need to review Lifestyles of the Poor & Dangerous by Big L very iconic

[@eddieneloson7816]

I don't think nwa niggazforlife don't sound dated at all

[@elftower907]

I remember listening to rakim in 2002 and thinking it sounded dated

[@elijahduarte4847]

"Is this the perfect hip hop album?" "No..." 😂😂

[@KitanaiharE]

Tha Carter 1, 2　and 3 should be reviewed.

[@tapyourpocket1849]

Can y'all do Z-RO -Look What You Did To Me