Half of this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees died before their time. In the case of Christopher George Latore Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls), he was gunned down in his car following an after-party for the Soul Train Music Awards in 1997. He was 24 years old.
Biggie is the seventh rap act inducted into the Hall of Fame, and he made it the first year he was eligible. The other rap inductees are Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A and Tupac Shakur.
Some fans have argued that rap doesn’t have a place in the Rock Hall, but clearly (and appropriately) that argument has been lost.
The Hall’s stated mission is “to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll.” Certainly, nobody can deny that hip-hop has played a major role in shaping rock music over the past 30 years.
Though he recorded only two albums before his death, Biggie is considered by many one of the greatest rappers of all time. Those albums sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide, a total that rises when you add in a trio of posthumous releases. He is named as an influence by just about every successful hip-hop star.
My knowledge of Biggie is woefully incomplete. Aside from today’s SOTD, I can’t name any of his songs but this one. (I know ‘Hypnotize’ because it’s a favorite of my younger daughter, and its presence here is appropriate because today is her birthday. Happy Birthday, Fiona!)
Maybe Biggie’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame will give me an excuse to give those first two albums a spin.
Hah, sicker than your average, Poppa twist cabbage off instinct
Niggas don’t think shit stink
Pink gators, my Detroit players
Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn (That’s right)
Dead right, if the head right, Biggie there e’ry night
Poppa been smooth since days of Underoos
Never lose, never choose to, bruise crews who
Do somethin’ to us, talk go through us (Come on, do it)
Girls walk to us, wanna do us, screw us
Who us? Yeah, Poppa and Puff (He, he)
Close like Starsky and Hutch, stick the clutch
Dare I squeeze three at your cherry M-3 (Take that, take that, take that, ha ha!)
Bang every MC easily, busily
Recently niggas frontin’, ain’t sayin’ nothin’ (Nothin’)
So I just speak my piece, keep my peace (Come on)
Cubans with the Jesus piece, with my peeps (Thank you)
Packin’, askin’, “Who want it?”
You got it, nigga, flaunt it
That Brooklyn bullshit, we on it
[Chorus: Pamela Long]
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see? (Uh-huh)
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me (Hypnotize)
And I just love your flashy ways (Uh-huh)
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid (Ha)
[Verse 2: The Notorious B.I.G.]
I put hoes in NY onto DKNY (Uh-huh)
Miami, D.C. prefer Versace (That’s right)
All Philly hoes go with Moschino (Come on)
Every cutie with a booty bought a Coogi
Now who’s the real dookie? Meaning, who’s really the shit?
Them niggas ride dicks, Frank White push the six
Or the Lexus, LX, four and a half
Bulletproof glass, tints if I want some ass
Gonna blast, squeeze first, ask questions last
That’s how most of these so-called gangsters pass
At last, a nigga rappin’ about blunts and broads
Tits and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars
I’ll still leave you on the pavement
Condo paid for, no car payment (Uh-uh)
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 (Not Guilty)
Richer than Richie, ’til you niggas come and get me (Come on)
[Chorus: Pamela Long]
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see? (Uh-huh)
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me (Hypnotize)
And I just love your flashy ways (Uh-huh)
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
[Verse 3: The Notorious B.I.G.]
I can fill you with real millionaire shit (I can fill ya)
Escargot, my car go, one sixty, swiftly (Come on)
Wreck it, buy a new one
Your crew run-run-run, your crew run-run
I know you sick of this, name brand nigga with
Flows, girls say he’s sweet like licorice
So, get with this nigga, it’s easy (Uh-huh)
Girlfriend, here’s a pen, call me round ten
Come through, have sex on rugs that’s Persian (That’s right)
Come up to your job, hit you while you workin’
For certain, Poppa freakin’, not speakin’
Leave that ass leakin’, like rapper demo
Tell them ho take they clothes off slowly (Slowly)
Hit ’em with the force like Obi (Obi)
Dick black like Toby (Toby)
Watch me roam like Romey (Romey)
Lucky they don’t owe me
Where the safe? Show me, homie (Say what, homie)
[Chorus: Pamela Long]
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see? (Uh-huh)
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me (Hypnotize)
And I just love your flashy ways (Uh-huh)
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see? (Uh-huh)
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me (Hypnotize)
And I just love your flashy ways (Uh-huh)
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me
And I just love your flashy ways
Guess that’s why they broke, and you’re so paid
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m okay with the inclusion of rap/ hip hop in the Hall, but I a. A bit surprised to see Biggie make it in his first year of eligibility. I’m sure his premature death contributed to and accelerated his induction, which is likely true of Tupac as well.
Meanwhile, I hear today’s song almost every time I go to Orange Theory, but now I can associate it with Fiona.😊 Happy Birthday Fi!
Happy Birthday Fiona and Happy Valentines Day ❤️❤️❤️