Ready to Die

Ready to Die
Studio album by The Notorious BIG
Publication (s)	September 13, 1994
Label (s)	Bad Boy Records
Format (s)	CD
Genre (s)	Hip hop
Title (number)	17/19
running time	68:58 / 77:01
production	Sean Combs ( Executive Producer ) Easy Mo Bee DJ premier Lord finesse among others
Studio (s)	Hit Factory Studio
chronology - Ready to Die Life After Death (1997)
Single releases August 8, 1994 Juicy February 20, 1995 Big Poppa June 9, 1995 One more chance

Ready to Die (English for: Ready to die ) is the debut album of American hardcore rapper The Notorious BIG It was released on 13 September 1994 on the label Bad Boy Records . In the United States of America, the sound carrier was certified six times platinum for over six million copies sold.

History of origin

In 1992, Notorious BIG was signed to Uptown Records by Sean Combs , then known as "Puff Daddy". BIG began recording in 1993 and made a name for itself through guest appearances with other artists. The first songs for his album were very dark, the rap vocals of Notorious BIG were still very high. Until then, BIG had little experience in the recording process of an album. He initially used a notebook to write down final rhymes and verses. He also lacked sufficient song material. When he was about halfway through the album, Sean Combs was fired from his A&R position by the record company . BIG's career was also at stake. At the time, Notorious BIG was still involved in the drug trade. In 1994 Sean Combs invited him to New York and signed him on his own label Bad Boy Entertainment . The work could be continued under better conditions.

production

Sean Combs worked as executive producer on the album. The actual production was done by Hitmen Productions, an association of well-known producers such as Pete Rock , DJ Premier and Lord Finesse . The album contains numerous samples from funk , soul and other hip-hop artists. From the hip-hop area there are samples from well-known West Coast rappers such as parts of the dissolved NWA , Lords of the Underground , and Onyx on the album. Isaac Hayes Walk on By , the Isley Brothers and Kool & the Gang were used as soul samples . The intro consists of classics of black music. The famous theme song of the film Superfly by Curtis Mayfield , often referred to as the first rap single Rapper's Delight of Sugarhill Gang , the first hit of the duo Audio Two Top Billin and Tha Shiznit of Snoop Dogg , form the backbone of the intro.

Cover design

The album cover shows a seated child of African American descent. It is Keithroy Yearwood, who was 1 at the time. At the top of the picture is the notorious BIG and in the lower part of the illustration is the writing readytodie . The background is completely white.

Track list

#	title	time	Guest Posts	Producers	Samples
1	Intro	3:24		Sean Combs for The Hitmen	Superfly by Curtis Mayfield Rapper's Delight from Sugarhill Gang Top Billin ' from Audio Two Tha Shiznit by Snoop Dogg
2	Things Done Changed	3:57		Dominic Owens / Kevin Scott	Summer Breeze by The Main Ingredient California My Way from The Main Ingredient Lil Ghetto Boy by Dr. Dre
3	Gimme the loot	5:04		Easy Mo Bee	Coldblooded by James Brown Throw Ya Gunz by Onyx What They Hittin 'Foe? by Ice Cube Just to Get a Rep from Gang Starr Scenario (Remix) from A Tribe Called Quest
4th	Machine gun funk	4:16		Easy Mo Bee	Something Extra from Black Heat Up for the Down Stroke by Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns Chief Rocka from Lords of the Underground
5	Warning	3:40		Easy Mo Bee	Walk on By by Isaac Hayes
6th	Ready to Die	4:24		Easy Mo Bee	Singing in the Morning by The Ohio Players Impeach the President of The Honey Drippers Hospital Prelude of Love Theme by Willie Hutch Ain't No Half Steppin ' by Big Daddy Kane Two to the Head by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
7th	One more chance	4:43	Totally , Chucky Thompson	Sean Combs & Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen The Bluez Brothers	Hydra by Grover Washington junior Who's Making Love? by Lou Donaldson
8th	Fuck Me (Interlude)	1:31	Lil 'Kim	Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen	-
9	The What	3:57	Method Man	Easy Mo Bee	-
10	Juicy	5:03	Total	Sean Combs for The Hitmen Poke	Juicy Fruit from Mtume
11	Everyday Struggle	5:19		The Bluez Brothers	Either Way by Dave Grusin
12	Me & My Bitch	4:00	Sybil Pennix	Sean Combs & Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen The Bluez Brothers	Computer Love by Zapp
13	Big Poppa	4:13		Sean Combs & Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen	Between the Sheets by The Isley Brothers
14th	Respect	5:22	Diana King	Sean Combs for The Hitmen Poke	I Get Lifted by George McCrae
15th	Friend of Mine	3:28		Easy Mo Bee	Vicious from Black Mamba Seventh Heaven by Gwen Guthrie The Jam from Graham Central Station Spirit of the Boogie by Kool & the Gang
16	Unbelievable	3:43		DJ premier	Remind Me by Patrice Rushen Impeach the President of The Honey Drippers The What by The Notorious BIG Your Body's Callin ' by R. Kelly
17th	Suicidal Thoughts	2:54		Lord finesse	Lonely Fire by Miles Davis
18 (*)	Who Shot Ya?	5:19	Faith Evans	Sean Combs & Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen	I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over by David Porter
19 (*)	Just Playing (Dreams)	2:43		Rashad Smith	Blues and Pants by James Brown

(*) Tracks 18 and 19 are bonus songs on the 2004 re-release.

Singles

Three songs on the album were released as singles. The first single was created for the piece Juicy . It was released on August 8, 1994 in the United States of America. In 2002, hip-hop musician Eminem released the song one more time on his sampler More Music from 8 Mile .

In April 1995 the second single Big Poppa followed . The piece of music One More Chance was selected as the third single . In contrast to the album version, the refrain on the single is sung by Faith Evans . The musician Mary J. Blige is also involved in the song.

Success and importance

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Albums

Ready to Die   US 15th 10/01/1994 (61 weeks)

Singles

Juicy   UK 72 October 29, 1994 (2 weeks)   US 27 08/27/1994 (20 weeks) Big Poppa   UK 63 04/01/1995 (2 weeks)   US 6th 03/18/1995 (24 weeks) One more chance   UK 34 08/19/1995 (2 weeks)   US 2 06/24/1995 (20 weeks)

Professional reviews
Reviews
source	rating
laut.de
Rolling Stone
allmusic
RapReviews

Ready to Die debuted at number 15 in the US, stayed in the charts for 61 weeks and was six -times-platinum for more than six million copies sold . The album was the first great success of a hip-hop artist from the east coast of the United States. In Europe, commercial success was limited. Ten years after its original release, the album entered the French top 200 charts as a new edition. There took Ready to Die , the positions 140, 118, 147 and 153rd

Ready to Die is still considered a style-defining masterpiece of hardcore rap . In 2006 it was named one of the Top 100 Albums by Time Magazine . The Rolling Stone chose the album in 2012 at number 134 of its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time .

The album was rated five out of five possible points in the Milestones column of the online magazine laut.de. The reviewer Dani Fromm writes that Ready to Die is performing “a hitherto unprecedented balancing act between the brutal reality on the streets of the less fortunate neighborhoods of New York and the glittering, ostentatious, fun-loving, but also superficial world of show business." uncompromising, but still suitable for radio. Set in scene ready for film, but still thoroughly honest. Hard, but still catchy. For the hood and for the mass taste. "

Individual evidence

1. ^ Notorious BIG in the RIAA database
2. ↑ Report in XXL-Mag
3. ↑ Child on the cover
4. ↑ Album cover at amazon.de
5. ↑ The Notorious BIG Search on the-breaks.com
6. ↑ Singles in US charts
7. ↑ Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US
8. ↑ Rating: laut.de
9. ↑ Rating: Rolling Stone ( Memento from January 14, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
10. ↑ Rating: allmusic.com
11. ↑ Review: RapReviews.com
12. ↑ Ready to Die in US Charts
13. ↑ RIAA: 6 × platinum
14. ^ French chart placements by Ready to Die
15. ^ Laut.de: biography of the rapper The Notorious BIG
16. ↑ Time magazine: The All-TIME 100 Albums (English)
17. ↑ Rolling Stone: Ready to Die # 134
18. ↑ laut.de: Review of the album (5/5)