Jay-Z, Denzel Washington, 50 Cent, LL Cool J & more discuss Biggie's hits

[Mac 10 †]

Artist: Jay-Z

Pick: "Who Shot Ya," verse 1
"Who shot ya?/ Separate the weak from the obsolete/ Hard to creep them Brooklyn streets/ It's on n---a, f--- all that bickering beef/ I can hear sweat trickling down your cheek/ Your heartbeat sound like Sasquatch feet/ Thundering, shaking the concrete/ Finish it, stop, when I foil the plot/ Neighbors call the cops, said they heard mad shots/ Saw me in the drop, three-and-a-quarter/ Slaughter, electrical tape around your daughter/ Old school, new school needs to learn though/ I burn baby burn, like 'Disco Inferno'/ Burn slow like blunts with yayo/ Peel more skins than Idaho potato/ N---as know, the lyrical molesting is taking place/ F---in' with B.I.G., it ain't safe/ I make your skin chafe, rashes on the masses/ Bumps and bruises, blunts and Landcruisers/ Big Poppa smash fools, bash fools/ N---as mad because I know that cash rules ..."

Where to find it: Born Again (1999); Ready to Die: The Remaster (2004)

Why: "You're just as good as your competition around you," Jay said. "You know when someone else pushes you to really step your game up? Like I said, I'm a fan of hip-hop. People know that about me. So my man [Kareem] "Biggs" [Burke] had bought me 'Who Shot Ya' [before it came out]. He brought it to me on 125th Street [in Harlem] like it was a drug deal: He jumps in my car, looks around, puts in 'Who Shot Ya' and then he gets out and says, 'You keep that.' Because he knew I'm a fan of the game. He knew that if I heard 'Who Shot Ya,' it's going to inspire me to make songs even hotter. But that song, it was so crazy. It just had an effect on everybody. The world stopped when he dropped 'Who Shot Ya.' "

"When we did 'Brooklyn's Finest' [from Jay's 1996 LP, Reasonable Doubt], that really perked our relationship," Jay recalled. "After that session, we clicked so much and we would talk every day. I mean, in general, he was just a great guy. He was funny: Just talking to him, you'd laugh.

"One of the highlights, as far as performances, for me was [performing with Big at the Apollo Theater]," Hov added. "The whole balcony was shaking at the top. I actually went to the guy at the soundboard and was like, 'Do you see that? Is everybody safe?' I was scared, I didn't want anybody to get hurt — I was like, 'Is that supposed to do that?' He said, 'Yeah, it gives, so it won't crack.' Can you imagine that?"



Artist: Usher

Pick: "Juicy," verse one
"It was all a dream/ I used to read Word Up! magazine/ Salt-N-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine/ Hangin' pictures on my wall/ Every Saturday, Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl/ I let my tape rock till my tape popped/ Smokin' weed and bamboo, sippin' on private stock/ Way back, when I had the red-and-black lumberjack, with the hat to match/ Remember rappin', 'Da-ha, da-ha'/ You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far/ Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight/ Time to get paid, blow up like the World Trade/ Born sinner, the opposite of a winner/ Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner/ Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri/ Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky/ I'm blowin' up like you thought I would/ Call the crib: same number, same 'hood, it's all good/ And if you don't know, now you know, n---a."

Where to find it: Ready to Die (1994)

Why: "Ready to Die was an album I was in the middle of," Usher recalled. "I was working with P. Diddy up in Scarsdale [on my first album]. I just made my introduction to New York. I remember records being made like 'Machine Gun Funk,' 'The What' with Method Man, 'Party and Bullsh--,' a lot of underground music that first solidified him as being a great MC with underground fans. He was doing a bunch of his early records with [Deric] "D-Dot" [Angelettie] and Easy Moe Bee. It was later, when he came with his big hit records, that confirmed it. What made him dope was that his lyrics were so vivid. Whether you were doing what he was rapping about or not, you felt like you were there. You felt like a kingpin or a hustler without having to go through it."



Artist: Jadakiss

Pick: "My Downfall," verse one
"Uhh, I dreams filthy/ My moms and pops mixed me with Jamaican rum and whiskey/ Huh, what a set-up/ Should've pushed them dead off, wipe the sweat off/ 'Cause in this world I'm dead off, squeeze lead off/ Benz sped off/ Ain't no shook hands in Brook-land/ Army fatigues bring fatigue to enemies, look, man/ You wanna see me locked up, shot up/ Moms crouched up over the casket, screamin' 'Bastard!'/ Cryin', know my friends is lying/ Y'all know who killed him, filled him with the Lugers, from they Rugers/ Or they desert/ Dying ain't the sh--, but it's pleasant/ Kinda quiet, watch my n---as bring the riot/ Giving cats the opposite of diets/ You gain 30 pounds when you die, no lie/ Lazy eye, I was high when they hit me/ Took a few cats with me/ Sh--, I need the company/ Apologies in order, to T'Yonna my daughter/ If it was up to me, you would be with me ..."

Where to find it: Life After Death (1997)

Why: "That was crazy, the pain, the origin, the thunder, just everything," Jada said. "I heard that song before it had a full production, then I heard the mastered version, which is even more crazy. Big, he used to say to me, 'Yo man, I'm glad you're on my team.' He used to invite us to hear his songs at his sessions. We sat down and said, 'You know what? We on the same label, we ain't even gonna say how nice we are. We just gonna get out there and show them.' I definitely miss B.I."



Artist: Kanye West

Pick: "Hypnotize," verse two "I put hoes in NY into DKNY/ Miami, D.C., prefer Versace/ All Philly hoes love Moschino, and every cutie wit' a booty bought a Coogi/ Now, who's the real dookie, meaning who's really the shi-- ... Frank White push the sticks on the Lexus, LX, four and a half/ Bulletproof glass tints if I want some a--/ Gon' blast, squeeze first, ask questions last/ That's how most of these so-called gangstas pass/ At last, a n---a rappin' 'bout blunts and broads/T--- and bras, menage a trois, sex in expensive cars/ I still leave you on the pavement/ Condo paid for, no car payment/ At my arraignment, note for the plaintiff/ Your daughter's tied up in a Brooklyn basement/ Face it: not guilty/ That's how I stay filthy/ Richer than Richie, till you n---as come and get me."

Where to find it: Life After Death (1997)

Why: "You know me, I always find a more exclusive verse that I really love," Kanye said. "Biggie's got a sh--load of verses. I love, 'On the road to riches and diamond rings, real n---as do real things.' Remember that freestyle? [From "Road to Riches."] What else? 'B.I.G. P.O.P.P.A./ No info for the D.E.A./ Federal agents mad 'cause I'm flagrant/ Tap my cell and the phone in the basement.' But no, my favorite verse is from 'Hypnotize.' Think about how ill he was — and how young he was when he wrote that!"



Admirer: Denzel Washington

Pick: "Big Poppa," verse one
"Who rocks grooves and make moves with all the mommies/ The back of the club, sippin Moet, is where you'll find me/ The back of the club, mackin' hoes, my crew's behind me/ Mad question-askin', blunt passin', music blastin'/ But I just can't quit/ 'Cause one of these honeys Biggie gots ta creep with/ Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not?/ Why blow up my spot 'cause we both got hot?/ Now check it, I got more Mack than Craig, and in the bed/ Believe me, sweetie, I got enough to feed the needy/ No need to be greedy, I got mad friends with Benzes, C-notes by the layers, true f---in' players ..."

Where to find it: Ready to Die (1994)

Why: "He was just the smoothest," Washington recalled. "I actually remember seeing in a documentary [VH1's Behind the Music] they did on him, when he was just a kid on the street corner rapping about the people in the street. He was a genius, and we miss him."



Artist: Alicia Keys

Pick: "Me & My Bitch," last verse:
"She helped me plan out my robberies on my enemies/ Didn't hesitate to squeeze, to get my life out of danger/ One day, she put 911 on the pager/ Had to call back, whether it's minor or major/ No response, the phone just rung/ Grab my vest, grab my gun, to find out the problem/ When I pulled up, police was on the scene /Had to make the U-turn, make sure my sh-- was clean/ Drove down the block, stashed the burner in the bushes/ Stepped to police with the shoves and the pushes/ It didn't take long before the tears start/ I saw my bitch dead, with the gunshot to the heart/ And I know it was meant for me/ I guess the n---as felt they had to kill the closest one to me ..."

Where to find it: Ready to Die (1994)

Why: "I know that sounds crazy coming from me," Keys admitted, "but I love how he was talking about real feelings and real emotion. I like the way [early in the song] he was able to talk about how they got into fights and she would throw his clothes out the window. And still, he was always there for her: They had this love relationship that you would only understand when you are really with somebody. And how the verse took it all the way to the point when she paged him, he tried to call her back but no answer: The killers set her up, took her out, and now she's gone. 'You killed my best friend.' I love that song. Biggie is one of my all-time favorites. We still miss him. He was definitely the greatest."



Artist: 50 Cent

Pick: "Big Poppa," chorus:
"I love it when you call me big poppa/ Throw your hands in the air, if you'se a true player/ I love it when you call me big poppa/ To the honeys getting' money playin' n---az like dummies/ I love it when you call me big poppa/ If you got a gun up in your waist, please don't shoot up the place/ 'Cause I see some ladies tonight who should be havin' my baby, bay-bee."

Where to find it: Ready to Die (1994)

Why: "This chorus was incredible!" 50 said. "He always had great choruses that really draw you in."



Admirer: The Rock

Pick: "Hypnotize," verse three:
"I can fill ya wit' real millionaire sh--/ Escargot, my car go, one-60, swiftly/ Wreck it, buy a new one/ Your crew run run run, your crew run run/ I know you sick of this, name-brand n---a wit' flows/ Girls say he's sweet like licorice/ So get with this, n---a, it's easy ..."

Where to find it: Life After Death (1997)

Why : "I just liked his style and his flow," Rock said. "Especially at the time when he was coming up, I remember being out in California and I had just left the University of Miami. Everybody down South were big fans of Big, and when 'Hypnotize' came out, everybody was like 'Oh!' His style, his flow, his passion. What was always great about Big was that as big as he was, as tough as he came across when he wanted to, he still showed that vulnerability. To this day, that's a really special quality guys can show. It comes down to him having a good mama."



Admirer: Tyra Banks

Admirer: "One More Chance" remix, first verse
"First things first: I, Poppa, freak all the honeys/ Dummies, Playboy bunnies, those wantin' money/ Those [are] the ones I like, 'cause they don't get Nathan ... Heartthrob never, black and ugly as ever/ However, I stay Coogi down to the socks/ Rings and watch filled with rocks/ And my jam knocks in your Mitsubishi/ Girls pee pee when they see me/ Navajos creep me in they teepee/ As I lay down laws like Allen Carpet/ Stop it, if you think they gonna make a profit/ Don't see my ones, don't see my guns — get it/ Now tell ya friends Poppa hit it then split it/ In two, as I flow with the Junior M.A.F.I.A./ I don't know what the hell's stoppin' ya/ I'm clockin' ya, Versace shades watchin' ya ..."

Where to find it: Any Best of Big mixtape

Why: "Let me tell you what I used to chant on the treadmill, when I was so tired and needed inspiration to keep going: 'First things first: I, Poppa, freak all the honeys ...' " Banks said. "The whole thing would get me through to the end of the treadmill when I felt I couldn't do it anymore. In terms of music and MCs, first of all, it's the voice [that attracts me]. Before you hear a lyric, you hear the tone of the voice. [Big's] was so powerful, coming from such a strong place. And, of course, the lyrics. He was beautiful."



Artist: LL Cool J

Pick: "One More Chance" (original version), first verse
"You know the epilogue by James Todd Smith/ I get swift with the lyrical gift ... Here we go, here we go, but I'm not Domino/ I got the funk flow to make your drawers drop slow ... "

Where to find it: Ready to Die (1994)

Why: "He said my name: 'You know the epilogue by James Todd Smith, I get swift with the lyrical gift,' " LL said. "He had slicker lines, but c'mon man, he repped me. That's my favorite. I gotta go with that that one!"




from   http://www.mtv.com/bands/n/notorious_big/lyrics/    incase anyone wants the source...

[Doggystylin]

cool read thanx, and lol @ kanye picking that verse and in his "why" he just started rapping another verse lololol

[eS El Duque]

my fav verse gotta be the when i heard my first biggie song...Machine Gun Funk

So you wanna be hardcore
With your hat to the back, talkin bout the gats in your raps
But I can't feel that hardcore appeal
that you're screamin, baby I'm dreamin
This ain't Christopher Williams, still some
MC's got to feel one, caps I got to peel some
To let niggaz know... that if you fuck with Big-and-Heavy
I get up in that ass like a wedgie
Says who? Says me, the lyrical
Niggaz sayin, "Biggie off the street, it's a miracle"
Left the drugs alone, took the thugs along with me
Just for niggaz actin shifty
Sticks and stones break bones, but the gat'll kill you quicker
Especially when I'm drunk off the liquor
Smokin funk by the boxes, packin glocks is
natural to eat you niggaz like chocolates
The funk baby


I became a fan after that 

[Darksider]

yeah that was a good read

[Mac 10 †]

thanx, took a while to put together