Notorious BIG freestyling in Bed Stuy at age 17

clip from 'The Art Of Rhyme'

[@thegreatone9022]

Just imagine we never got to see this important moment in Hip Hop history. Lets give thanks to whoever it is that recorded this.

[@kayvee5286]

Imagine the shit we did miss

[@ryry4970]

Ok white bread

[@xhveease.4455]

Nah nobody would care fr

[@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588]

ZombaeKitten24 :-: white bread?

[@kayvee5286]

Br dot damn. I hope you get the hug you need and have a better day today.

[@maciejknap6284]

imagine challenging some 17 yr old kid to a freestyle and Biggie pulls up

[@TGO4125]

Rip the challenger

[@snizzy9369]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4vOZoB6hrhkkJY

[@doultonsinclair4180]

Turns up looking like he could be his dad 😂

[@TubeYou1800]

The rhymes are unreal. Like he's from another planet

[@ocmuffler]

yeah but he looks 34

[@akshatverma5478]

Imagine going to a grocery store to buy eggs and witnessing this.

[@zacwoods]

Legendary stuff.

[@forced2induce]

In that store, a loosey or dimebag or 40oz. All more popular items of the bodegas. If ya don’t know, now ya know.

[@forced2induce]

@@gingejones5390 My bad. Totally forgot the Spanish fly.

[@fuierago]

Clutching meh pearls!

[@hateyouwithapassion1]

i woulda been stuck like WHAT this kid 17--instant superstar

[@tix941]

rhyming like this at 17?? you could tell he was destined for greatness

[@MrRover30]

Yup than that PUFFY “SNAKE” COMBS got him and than you know the rest!

[@veidtgothzalez585]

Me at 17: sending risky texts on people's DM's and deleting the message later on knowing full well they've already saw it.

[@kushberry6679]

I firmly believe that this is what "I'm about to end this man's whole career" looks like

[@colorcombinations7387]

Hahahha exactly!

[@Zeeshanbeats]

🤣

[@liebeasta3332]

The other dude polly thought he got an easy win too

[@kushberry6679]

@TheRanger Nah, he managed to change his life around until his unfortunate death. As in Biggie's words "I turned negative to positive"

[@Dakid015]

No lies😂

[@ellllllo77]

When 69 claims to be the “king of New York”

[@TheSamiG]

Then so is a 4 year old getting bullied, as both are snitches

[@starsnstrife]

blicky got the stiffy uhh not doing it for you?

[@itzdrillza7497]

I mean at the time he was famous he really was on top of the game, nobody even came close to his popularity in that window of time.

[@DemonCore618]

@@itzdrillza7497 popularity =/= skills and talent... Hernandez was a disgrace to the "king of New York" moniker.

[@111lillkiller]

What happens when i king dies? Someone else becomes king. For sure isnt 69, but it is not biggie either

[@Dewottm8]

He looks like the oldest 17 year old I've ever seen lmfao

[@seventhsonmedia]

You've never seen Greg Oden then lol

[@CarrotTopPhilly]

The city will do that to you

[@realeyes9055]

I swear so many young famous people look ten times older then they are shits weird lol

[@DJSCRMNGHST]

He was actually 19 when from what the documentary just released and this vid didn't show the whole battle

[@radivel1]

@@seventhsonmedia hahaha Oden was born in Neanderthal times and dethawed in time for the NBA draft

[@floydroyds4069]

Let's just admire how advanced his rapping style is for this particular era

[@mackinshizzaveli4202]

You say that like lyricism hasn’t regressed the past 20 years

[@shadowmaw1909]

For any era. BIGGIE is the G. O. A. T.

[@vets923]

@@mackinshizzaveli4202 Went up over time and then heavily decreased at some point and now here we are.

[@roems6396]

@@mackinshizzaveli4202 Lyricism hasn’t regressed. Maybe it has in mainstream rap, but there’s definitely more skilled lyricists now then there were in the early 90s.

[@roems6396]

@@vets923 There are still plenty of lyricists.

[@FretFreak02]

I’m always amazed by how easy BIG made it look; he’s just floating left, right and centre through the beat, making it look easy. What a goddamn amazing rapper he was.

[@Afatah02]

Gifted

[@JAYCEE-xm5dd]

It’s cause he ate sardines for dinner

[@marcotrinchini4615]

Tremendously talented. I don't think many people realize how truly difficult that is to do. A mic and a brain. Incredible.

[@GetUpFalcon]

I agree. Even on something like a 4 track demo, great artists pack all the magic into it. Studio isn’t necessary for them.

[@beatsbygoldie2383]

This was written

[@avarmauk]

Voice too. Biggie just had so much bass which added to the impact of his raps

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

Pretty sure everyone knows. Take 5 seconds to try it on your own and you realize you can’t freestyle for shit

[@pradabears]

@@beatsbygoldie2383 So what

[@kelevra1493]

For his 17 he looks like me at 25

[@chrisbarnhard7470]

kelevra1493 25 likes is good enough, sit down

[@sushisushi7077]

@@chrisbarnhard7470 I believe you didn't understand his comment

[@frederickwilliam140]

I m french and i think he s just a douche bag my english is shit and i understand what he says

[@CikZxiLeADZz]

@@frederickwilliam140 ofcourse your English is not good. Like most French people. Thats why we Dutch people hate French. Greets from The Netherlands. Au revoir.

[@frederickwilliam140]

@@CikZxiLeADZz germany = ugly woman and shitty food

[@andrewbryton2936]

Yes it's me, the B.I.G Competition ripper ever since 13 Used to steal clothes was considered a thief Until I started hustlin' on Fulton Street Makin' loot, knockin' boots on the regular Pass the microphone I'm the perfect competitor Jewels and all that, my clothes is all that Chumps steppin' to me, that's where they took a FALL at! B.I.G. without burner, that's unheard of I stay close to mine like Tina on Turner Quick to smother, a punk motherfucker Undercover, word to mother, I'm above ya And I love ya, cause you're a sweet bitch A crazy crab, the type to make my dick itch I flow looser than Luther, words ya get used ta B.I.G. is a born trooper Like ice cream I scoop ya, my music you wanna get loose ta Stay pimp, and I'm not a booster So what'cha got to say? This mackin' word is bond There's no other assumption, I got it going on I'm not conceited, my friends tell me this Even my mother, be noddin' her head to this Makes her proud to see her one son get loud Flip on a sucker, and bow to the crowd Drink a little Hennessy, smoke a blunt or 2 or 3 or 4

[@george_wissenbacher]

Thank you andrew

[@brabojungler3746]

very good tksssss

[@sedoid]

tHANKS FOR THIS MAN!

[@shanegoes5778]

Bro thanks for this

[@LPellepi]

Thank you man.

[@AntonioStockton]

at 17 though. All these youtube rappers saying "I'm a 16 year old rapper, I'm a 17 year old rapper check me out" guess what... stop it

[@marselmusic]

preach!

[@SuddenHaiku]

(Michael jordan Voice) Stop it -- Get some help

[@CiaoChowChao]

Big fucking facts lmaooooo

[@macman975]

To be fair if KZbin was floating around back in the day then Biggie may well have a channel saying 'i'm a 17 year old rapper, check me out'

[@AKSatMusic]

I mean a lot of em are wack but you've got actual talented people as well who you just ignore. everyone starts somewhere, you can't blame em for promoting themselves.

[@Touchofvegansoul]

Biggie was destined for greatness. Take a look at him at 17 in Brooklyn.

[@hariseldon3611]

Renee' Thomas-Hartwell meh

[@MrVarunparmar]

The title is wrong the place is Brooklyn

[@seanbeats7499]

@@MrVarunparmar brooklyn is in bedstuy

[@macman975]

Bedford-Stuyvesant is in Brooklyn.

[@augustusmaximus2048]

I don't Know why, but i think bedstuy is in Brooklyn

[@solo636]

Wow, the presence, charisma and the crowd control at 17. One of the greatest of all time for sure

[@suatkayatennis]

Who ever recorded this, you didnt now what history Biggie created that day,thanks thanks ❤.

[@harris2284]

He sounded like he had a very deep voice for his age.

[@rordongamsay932]

You right

[@Musaaaa653]

he was very tall

[@StephXX3]

He had to grow up really young

[@wyatt5167]

@@StephXX3 ?

[@macrons593]

Bruh i had the same deep voice since like 15

[@fearlesssoul9408]

0:41 God bless who filmed this piece of art

[@Unknown-kd3ri]

An experience

[@snakeeyes5432]

Peice of shit not art or fart

[@apachexprime4768]

snake eyes can u do any better? Probably not dawg

[@aboveaero]

snake eyes Shut yo bitch ass up

[@salzeda6295]

I could spend an entire lifetime figuring out how to rap and I'd still be nowhere in the same galaxy as 17 y/o Biggie. Literal once in a generation talent. RIP.

[@arseszarandi5622]

Just look at the crowd in the back.. ahhh good old golden era days... REAL HIP HOP!

[@ogs1mpson609]

This was the moment Tyrone Biggums gave up on his rap career and became a crackhead.

[@anitabonghit7606]

Funniest comment here

[@ogs1mpson609]

Anita Bonghit “Remember what the Bible says: He who is without sin cast the first rock, and I shall smoketh it.” - T. Biggums

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

@@anitabonghit7606 are you Indian and njpw fan

[@쭌-d5d]

Redballs😳

[@BobBobOnYouTube]

And then started a rap career, going by the name lil Baby.

[@folumb]

This freestyle would still destroy most people today several eras later

[@ryanh2479]

At that very spot in BK today, a gentrifying hipster is eating artisinal small batch ice cream.

[@rayseva1278]

While jammin' to BTS

[@WizardBallz]

So true ..probably crying out getting ice cream stuck on his handlebar moustache

[@friedrice69]

And listening to Lil (insert name)

[@youngfunny1824]

You're most likely right. The crazy thing is that spot looks so familiar to me, like I feel like I grew up walking past that corner store before even thought this is before my time. I probably have and don't know it.

[@deshawnwilkins]

but down the block the have a Mural of biggie near a pizza shop so at least they pay respect to one of the greatest

[@AntonyC83]

Whoever recorded this video should receive a medal for this. This is amazing.

[@ractacsquad]

Biggie "I'm about to end this man's whole career"

[@classicgamer6137]

What career?

[@sweettooth1906]

@@classicgamer6137 in what world you live in?

[@godofrasiofernandez]

@@classicgamer6137 imma go holidays under your rock dude

[@gangsta5979]

loool nobody got a joke lol

[@livein101112]

this comment is super cringy at this point.

[@vieetng]

Another year, another mill viewers blessed with this legend in their timeline

[@dean759]

Have to come back here from time to time to remind myself how good music was before my time

[@ShutThePuck]

That other dude's day was ruined in 60 seconds

[@macrons593]

2007 vid of 1989 events with 54 minute old comments in 2019. *NICE*

[@cmontalvo194]

I could almost drop a tear on how effortless BIG ended that mans career. It ended right there that day on that Bedstuy street corner! It’s been over 20 years and your still the King of NY 👑 RIP TO THE NOTORIOUS 🙏🏾🐐

[@derricksargent9980]

Happy 50th, Biggie. Rest easy 🙏🏿

[@trifeloco]

Freestyling in itself is a craft. There have been many great writers out there but the ability to freestyle off the top and sound just as good is what truly shows your talent.

[@jhanks2012]

you can tell these were writtens, at least for the most part. freestyle does not mean off the top

[@trifeloco]

@@jhanks2012 I agree with what you said about the video, yes it sounds like it was written and memorized. And in rap culture it can mean both. Look it up. I grew up in NY during the golden era, I know well what I'm talking about lol.

[@drzpapi413]

Who else got the chills man? RIP to a real one.

[@NoName-jb4tl]

No autotune... No mumble... Just pure talent.

[@NoName-jb4tl]

@@sparkie4604 what you mean?

[@NoName-jb4tl]

@@sparkie4604 why?

[@drewmaxwellcopy]

Corny

[@NoName-jb4tl]

@@drewmaxwellcopy nah, just facts

[@gabbamoore8549]

This is better then the top charts currently!

[@stoffie9521]

In case anyone's wondering, this is from a documentary called Freestyle: the art of rhyme. Highly recommend

[@junsol2473]

Damn. He killed it. Never knew he could freestyle like that.

[@neldormiveglia1312]

biggie was a legend even at 17, you wouldn't even believe the voice that's coming out of that kid's body lmao. he sounds SO GOOD.

[@kingape1572]

The best bit is when the guy he is battling just walks off he knows he has had enough.

[@Bria_Blessed95]

Wow. Who recorded this. This is legendary.

[@Sergio-fu7mv]

Think about it. The dude with the rag on his head is in his 50’s now. 😂

[@mysharona6754]

Yeah, it sucks..I was a teenager rocking out to Biggie having so much fun, feels like ten years ago..now I'm in my 40s with grey hair and am ready for bed by 10:00 pm...I don't know how I went from young buck to old head that quickly

[@idratherbflyingthesaucer6270]

Biggy will never leave my soul I'll rock that dude til my day comes RIP The Greatest Notorious B.I.G

[@mindfictiontv4664]

Even the dude he was battlin' knew he was out of his league! He first stood there. Then, bursted out laughing. Only to be seen, leaving the murder scene before it was even over!

[@charlieg4732]

Smh legendary and this was before he made it big you knew he was special after hearing this made it look to easy .....RIP BIG

[@matthewmann8969]

That flow is unmistakable

[@markmac2206]

"my slow flow is remarkabowl" he knew how to bend words at an elite level too.

[@chiganuggoo9929]

The guy with the glasses watching BIG sums up how I am watching this video....concentrating on every word, cracking up laughing at some of the insane disses and clapping in appreciation of just how awesome this was.

[@hans-jurgenmuller9148]

what a bullshit.

[@denniston2822]

@ daniel nimley 17, he wasn't yet on big business. He was born in 1972, that means this video is from 1989. Tupac was born in 1971, so 18 years at that time, they probably didn't know each other yet. Both artists weren't famous yet.

[@lucias2729]

Math Wizz in the house.

[@j.scottcaudill7543]

@NOODLES Tupac is STILL the G.O.A.T 🐐

[@antonioazevedo5833]

Nobody in rap till this day has the authoritative voice BIG had!

[@somedude6683]

Imagine if Biggie were still alive, went on Wild n Out and performed like this. The entire auditorium would be humbled with silence.

[@innovativeinnovation6629]

Him and big pun were the best lyricists of all time

[@dolan_7647]

@1:38 "Aight Imma bout to head out"

[@Showtimee1000]

*hears biggies voice* My hairs: alright bois time for a standing ovation

[@gaivoron]

Damn imaging just being there, listening to it live. Not knowing he will blow up in few years. Damn.

[@SilentNights185]

"I pull Lucifer's loot tho"....wow! So much depth in this line. 😮❤

[@centre_killerz9431]

It's crazy how you miss someone who died before you were even born.

[@madeobazee]

deep comment

[@caverys]

Thanks to technology

[@TheZigzach]

The guy in the white t and glasses starring at Big mesmerized by his flow is my favorite part of this video.

[@deebo865]

bro even at 17 he realer than all the rappers out rn

[@Liam0269]

“Live from bedford stuyvesant, the livest one”

[@sabahaksamagliyorum]

I love Tupac so much, also I really love Biggie. Kings never die, RIP TO THE LEGENDS

[@DerekCarter-c7n]

The way he said “regular” and “competitor” just takes me back. We were robbed of so much greatness between Biggy/Pac. Makes me mad just thinking about

[@ThePicasoBlack]

Dude kept going in! There's only so much humiliation a man can take.

[@JNrealog]

Biggie Smalls lançando um freestyle na frente da mercearia do Doc

[@prod.theuzz011]

KKKKKKKKKKKKK

[@Gsuneow]

The crowd went crazy because they thought he was about to be done when the music was stopping and going.

[@robert1317]

thats some insane talent to keep your mind so at edge that you can come up with lyrics that clever in a freestyle, meanwhile everyone around you keeps losing their mind because of what youre saying. He just kept it rollin

[@buttholemcgee6493]

Hes rehearsed it

[@deanconnor5528]

This is better than modern rap and it is a freestyle

[@mitchelld.2922]

Check out harry mack if you want your mind blown away with real freestyling

[@baleedat8560]

In regards to the Biggie Tupac debate it’s pretty simple. Biggie was the better rapper/lyricist Tupac was the better writer/story teller. Both legends, but if you put both of them on the spot with a mic, the Notorious wins that 10/10 times.

[@mrrickus]

Props to the dj who cut up the beat 1.18. My favourite YT video.

[@emmanuelm.d8748]

Imagine what it would be like if these guys were still alive.

[@PlayafromtheHimalayas]

RIP BIG. Life After Death stays on heavy rotation

[@randmiller88]

Holy shit, this footage is older than Do the Right Thing

[@barto4443]

I been seeing this video since 2009

[@TheHumanDescensionist]

its weird to see B.I.G as just a regular street performers

[@RB-ku3hh]

The reaction of the guy with the glasses is priceless

[@Pulsonar]

He just stood there smiling in Biggies face like a father watching his kid learning to walk

[@Ziotic]

I see the KZbin algorithm brought us all here.

[@yungzux9809]

This vid been in the algorithm for a long time

[@Ziotic]

@@yungzux9809 bruh

[@patrickmanigat8834]

Christopher Wallace AKA biggie the few people that can perform a freestyle rap lyrics song and make it into a platinum selling album make a rap song off the top of his head he didn't even write I love it when they call me big papa he just did it off the top of his head and it became a national worldwide album one of the greats The notorious BIG

[@trueninja-gaming2279]

I miss 80s rap when everyone got along and shit. Now it’s every man for themselves and ppl talk about killin themselves and shit and a lot of rappers are off flow and flex what they got instead of appreciating what you got and continuing with rapping

[@shable1436]

Yep admire what it meant, the power it gave, seems like it's not needed so maybe evolving into other types of flow, its true rap as we knew it has declined but so has all music its like our soul got robbed after del phone tech became everyone had one. That's probably too late, but idk

[@shable1436]

Melle Mel is living inspiration, originator and they need a movie about grandmaster flash and the beginning of rap and how it's evolved quickly, 8 mile and nwa was good movies

[@earthsgard]

I just love looking at the boys around him in shock like wtf is this fella doing ...rip biggie you are sorely missed,

[@dl30wpb]

It's said Biggie looked like he was 40 years old at birth

[@pas5294]

That makes the whole soundcloud rapping community sound like trasshhhhhh

[@Skeletor-hl9jd]

They always sounded like trash

[@LuxioV2]

One of the most legendary videos on the internet

[@garrysucks4190]

Biggie's 17 here!? He must've drank from the fountain of age!

[@masterthotslayer9601]

This guy is going to be recognized someday real talent

[@flowersandcandyflowersandc9093]

It's great that this man overcame poverty in life.

[@santonino7741]

At 17 year old he was already a veteran in the Hip Hop Lyricists

[@TheBigChad]

Can you imagine if biggie and pac made it to their 40s? Would they still be making bangers like Em or Nas? Man the greatest legends die too young

[@mysharona6754]

In my head, Big and Em would've been cool with each other and so Big would've decided he wanted to do a song with Em and it would've been the greatest song of all time

[@stoffermedmark]

Better quality than most videos 2020..

[@lr990]

Legend has it that man is still walking to this day

[@davidrheinhardt4274]

He isnt fat Hes just full of talent

[@sanderrombouts8809]

Yeah true his talent is as much as free willy

[@bqrre]

Cant even comprehend the Flow, goosebumps

[@arthgc8710]

Pass the microphone i'm da perfect competitor!

[@mattt5228]

I just started listening to rap and many other types of music. I gotta say, B.I.G. You are, (because your spirit and musicl lives on.) one of the best rappers of all time, man. Thank you for the music you made during my long nights.

[@blvkbullentertainmentblvkb8921]

B.I.G reminds me of how hungry Pro kid was, the only rap battle king in Africa to ever do it before fame 🎤👑👑 may your souls rest easy in paradise kings we truly miss yall 🙏

[@MrStevo626]

Possibly the most important moment in rap history!

[@weisss94]

my man just left when biggie started dropping a second verse on a street freestyle😭😭😭😭

[@uromi-owuopukeme6081]

From this video you can see biggy at 17 is still better than 90 percent of the rappers today .

[@genocyber4842]

Just imagine how many bangers we would have had by him 😢

[@olerak4697]

Imagine to be that dude with classes standing there watching Biggie rapping face to face

[@rogercollins2653]

The best notorious big he redesigned music not just one label of like soul or rap or top 40 or easy listening or country he across the entire spectrum changed and challaged all music forward in time to step or get but out.

[@KingKongPlayingPingPong]

Even at this age you could easily tell biggie was gonna be very fat

[@thestoicwhinger]

*phat

[@crimson5063]

@@KingKongPlayingPingPong who gives a fuck about his weight lol. His mad rapping skills is all that matters

[@localoppboy7668]

@@thestoicwhinger u gay asf

[@thestoicwhinger]

@@localoppboy7668 *phag

[@scarface7142]

Gonna be

[@jamiewaitai4602]

This is all my writing in this freestyle