Ready to Die
by The Notorious B.I.G.
Released: September 13, 1994
East Coast hip hop, hip hop
Why This Album Matters
This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Chart Success.
The Album
Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. It was his only studio album released during his lifetime; he was murdered shortly before his second album, Life After Death, came out in 1997. In 2024, it was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Inside the Recording
Featuring production from Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, the album was recorded in New York City and captures Biggie's experiences as a young criminal.
Essential Tracks
Ready to Die
Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records.
Explore the Album
The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
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Reception
The album includes a guest appearance from Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan and features singles such as "Juicy," "Big Poppa," "One More Chance," and the promotional track "Warning." Ready to Die was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, peaking at #15 on the Billboard 200. The album was certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA in April 2018 and was ranked 22nd on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and 1st on their 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time in 2020.
Legacy
It revitalized the East Coast hip hop scene and is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
The Complete Album Story
Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. Featuring production from Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, the album was recorded in New York City and captures Biggie's experiences as a young criminal. It was his only studio album released during his lifetime; he was murdered shortly before his second album, Life After Death, came out in 1997.
The album includes a guest appearance from Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan and features singles such as "Juicy," "Big Poppa," "One More Chance," and the promotional track "Warning." Ready to Die was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, peaking at #15 on the Billboard 200. It revitalized the East Coast hip hop scene and is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album was certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA in April 2018 and was ranked 22nd on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and 1st on their 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time in 2020. In 2024, it was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
More East Coast hip hop Albums
De La Soul - Stakes Is High
Run-Dmc - Down with the King
Run-DMC - Run-D.M.C.
Public Enemy and Paris - Rebirth of a Nation
50 Cent - Curtis
Run-Dmc - Tougher Than Leather
De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin'
50 Cent - Guess Who's Back?
50 Cent - The Lost Tape (mixtape)
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