Wallace was born and raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His debut album Ready to Die (1994) made him a central figure in East Coast hip hop and increased New York City's visibility in the genre at a time when West Coast hip hop dominated the mainstream. The following year, he led Junior M.A.F.I.A.—a protégé group composed of his childhood friends—to chart success. In 1996, while recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the growing East Coast–West Coast hip hop feud. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His second album, Life After Death (1997), released two weeks later, rose to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. In 2000, it became one of the few hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond.
Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow"; dark, semi-autobiographical lyrics; and storytelling abilities, which focused on crime and hardship. Three more albums have been released since his death, and he has certified sales of over 17 million records in the United States, including 13.4 million albums.
Wallace was born at St. Mary's Hospital in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on May 21, 1972, the only child of Jamaican immigrant parents. His mother, Voletta Wallace, was a preschool teacher, while his father, Selwyn George Latore, was a welder and politician. His father left the family when Wallace was two years old, and his mother worked two jobs while raising him. Wallace grew up at 226 St. James Place in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill, near the border with Bedford-Stuyvesant. Wallace excelled at Queen of All Saints Middle School winning several awards as an English student. He was nicknamed "Big" because he was overweight by the age of 10. Wallace said he started dealing drugs when he was around the age of 12. His mother, often away at work, did not know of his drug dealing until he was an adult. He began rapping as a teenager, entertaining people on the streets, and performed with local groups the Old Gold Brothers and the Techniques. At his request, Wallace transferred from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, where future rappers DMX, Jay-Z, and Busta Rhymes were also attending. According to his mother, Wallace was still a good student but developed a "smart-ass" attitude at the new school. At age 17, Wallace dropped out of school and became more involved in crime. In 1989, he was arrested on weapons charges in Brooklyn and sentenced to five years' probation. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation. A year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine. He spent nine months in jail before making bail.
Wallace's lyrical topics and themes included mafioso tales ("Niggas Bleed"), his drug-dealing past ("10 Crack Commandments"), materialistic bragging ("Hypnotize"), as well as humor ("Just Playing (Dreams)"), and romance ("Me & My Bitch"). Rolling Stone named Wallace in 2004 as "one of the few young male songwriters in any pop style writing credible love songs".
Guerilla Black, in the book How to Rap, describes how Wallace was able to both "glorify the upper echelon" and "[make] you feel his struggle". According to Touré of The New York Times in 1994, Wallace's lyrics " autobiographical details about crime and violence with emotional honesty". Marriott of The New York Times (in 1997) believed his lyrics were not strictly autobiographical and wrote he "had a knack for exaggeration that increased sales". Wallace described his debut as "a big pie, with each slice indicating a different point in my life involving bitches and niggaz... from the beginning to the end".
Ready to Die is described by Rolling Stone as a contrast of "bleak" street visions and being "full of high-spirited fun, bringing the pleasure principle back to hip-hop". AllMusic write of "a sense of doom" in some of his songs and the NY Times note some being "laced with paranoia"; Wallace described himself as feeling "broke and depressed" when he made his debut. The final song on the album, "Suicidal Thoughts", featured Wallace contemplating suicide and concluded with him committing the act.
On Life After Death, Wallace's lyrics went "deeper". Krims explains how upbeat, dance-oriented tracks (which featured less heavily on his debut) alternate with "reality rap" songs on the record and suggests that he was "going pimp" through some of the lyrical topics of the former. XXL magazine wrote that Wallace "revamped his image" through the portrayal of himself between the albums, going from "midlevel hustler" on his debut to "drug lord".
AllMusic wrote that the success of Ready to Die is "mostly due to Wallace's skill as a storyteller"; in 1994, Rolling Stone described Wallace's ability in this technique as painting "a sonic picture so vibrant that you're transported right to the scene". On Life After Death, Wallace notably demonstrated this skill on "I Got a Story to Tell", creating a story as a rap for the first half of the song and then retelling the same story "for his boys" in conversation form.
Considered one of the best rappers of all time, Wallace was described by AllMusic as "the savior of East Coast hip-hop". The Source magazine named Wallace the greatest rapper of all time in its 150th issue in 2002. In 2003, when XXL magazine asked several hip hop artists to list their five favorite MCs, Wallace's name appeared on more rappers' lists than anyone else. In 2006, MTV ranked him at No. 3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, calling him possibly "the most skillful ever on the mic". Editors of About.com ranked him No. 3 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 3 on their list of the Top 50 Lyrical Leaders of all time. Rolling Stone has referred to him as the "greatest rapper that ever lived". In 2015, Billboard named Wallace as the greatest rapper of all time.
Since his death, Wallace's lyrics have been sampled and quoted by a variety of hip hop, R&B and pop artists including Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Fat Joe, Nelly, Ja Rule, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Game, Clinton Sparks, Michael Jackson and Usher. On August 28, 2005, at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Sean Combs (then using the rap alias "P. Diddy") and Snoop Dogg paid tribute to Wallace: an orchestra played while the vocals from "Juicy" and "Warning" played on the arena speakers. In September 2005, VH1 held its second annual "Hip Hop Honors", with a tribute to Wallace headlining the show.
Wallace had begun to promote a clothing line called Brooklyn Mint, which was to produce plus-sized clothing but fell dormant after he died. In 2004, his managers, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow, launched the clothing line, with help from Jay-Z, selling T-shirts with images of Wallace on them. A portion of the proceeds go to the Christopher Wallace Foundation and to Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. In 2005, Voletta Wallace hired branding and licensing agency Wicked Cow Entertainment to guide the estate's licensing efforts. Wallace-branded products on the market include action figures, blankets, and cell phone content.
The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation holds an annual black-tie dinner ("B.I.G. Night Out") to raise funds for children's school equipment and to honor Wallace's memory. For this particular event, because it is a children's schools' charity, "B.I.G." is also said to stand for "Books Instead of Guns".
There is a large portrait mural of Wallace as Mao Zedong on Fulton Street in Brooklyn a half-mile west from Wallace's old block. A fan petitioned to have the corner of Fulton Street and St. James Place, near Wallace's childhood home renamed in his honor, garnering support from local businesses and attracting more than 560 signatures.
A large portrait of Wallace features prominently in the Netflix series Luke Cage, due to the fact that he served as muse for the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of Marvel Comics character Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes.
Hypnotize
The Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ha, 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
Never lose, never choose to, bruise crews who
Do somethin' to us (come on), talk go through us (through us)
Girls walk to us, wanna do us, screw us
Who us? Yeah, Poppa and Puff (hehe)
Close like Starsky and Hutch, stick the clutch
Dare I squeeze three at your cherry M-3 (take that, take that)
Bang every MC easily, busily (take that, haha)
Recently, niggas frontin' ain't sayin' nothin' (nothin')
So I just speak my piece, keep my piece (come on, now)
Cubans with the Jesus piece, with my peeps (thank you, God)
Packin', askin', "Who want it?" (who want it?)
You got it, nigga, flaunt it
That Brooklyn bullshit, we on it
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 (uh)
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie (uh-huh), can't you see? (Uh)
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)
I put hoes in NY onto DKNY (uh-huh)
Miami, D.C. prefer Versace (that's right)
All Philly hoes know it's Moschino (c'mon)
Every cutie wit a booty bought a Coogi (ha)
Now who's the real dookie? Meanin', 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
Gon' blast, squeeze first, ask questions last (haha)
That's how most of these so-called gangsters pass (bye-bye)
At last, a nigga rappin' bout blunts and broads
Tits and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars
I still leave you on the pavement
Condo paid for (uh-huh), 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 (shh)
That's how I stay filthy (not guilty)
Richer than Richie, 'til you niggas come and get me (come on)
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 (uh)
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie (uh-huh), can't you see? (Uh)
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 (uh)
I can fill ya wit' 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 wit'
Flows, girls say he's sweet like licorice (uh-huh)
So get with this nigga, it's easy (uh-huh)
Girlfriend, here's a pen, call me 'round ten (ten)
Come through, have sex on rugs that's Persian (that's right)
Come up to your job, hit you while you workin' (uh)
For certain Poppa freakin', not speakin'
Leave that ass leakin', like rapper demos (ha)
Tell them hoes, take they clothes off slowly (slowly)
Hit 'em wit' 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 (say what?)
Homie (homie)
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 (uh)
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie (uh-huh), can't you see? (Uh)
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 (uh)
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 (uh)
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie (uh-huh), can't you see? (Uh)
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 (uh)
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
The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” is a braggadocious rap song characterized by its catchy chorus and vivid imagery of opulence and excess. The lyrics of the song suggest that Biggie is flaunting his wealth and success, as well as his sexual prowess. The rapper also references his past struggles and rise to fame. In the first verse, Biggie asserts his status as a smooth and confident performer who never loses or chooses to bruise anyone who gets in his way. He highlights the loyalty and closeness of his relationship with Puff Daddy, likening them to the iconic duo Starsky and Hutch.
The chorus of “Hypnotize” is one of the most memorable parts of the song, with its repeated use of the phrase “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.” The chorus reinforces Biggie’s status as a powerful figure in the rap world and suggests that his success comes from a mix of his lyrical skills and his flashy lifestyle. The choruses are also punctuated with the occasional “uh-huh” or “uh” that serve to enhance the rhythm of the song.
“Hypnotize” was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1997 after Biggie’s untimely death. The song’s upbeat tempo and catchy chorus helped to cement Biggie’s place in popular culture, and it remains one of his most well-known and beloved tracks. The song’s prominent use of the phrase “take that” was later adopted by Puff Daddy as the name of his record label, which he launched in 1997.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha, sicker than your average
Poppa twist cabbage off instinct
Niggas don't think shit stink
I am more talented than most, able to make amazing music without even thinking about it. Other rappers think they're hot stuff but they don't realize how bad they actually are.
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
I wear fancy pink shoes, my Detroit crew is always with me, and I have tough guys in Brooklyn wearing Timberlands. When a girl gives me what I want, I stay with her all night long.
Poppa been smooth since days of Underoos
Never lose, never choose to, bruise crews who
Do somethin' to us (come on), talk go through us (through us)
Girls walk to us, wanna do us, screw us
Who us? Yeah, Poppa and Puff (hehe)
I've always been cool since I was a kid. I never lose and I beat up anyone who tries to hurt me or my friends. We're so popular that girls can't resist us. Who's that? It's me and Puff.
Close like Starsky and Hutch, stick the clutch
Dare I squeeze three at your cherry M-3 (take that, take that)
Bang every MC easily, busily (take that, haha)
Recently, niggas frontin' ain't sayin' nothin' (nothin')
So I just speak my piece, keep my piece (come on, now)
Me and my friends are like cops from Starsky and Hutch, always ready for action. I might even shoot at your nice car with three bullets. I easily defeat other rappers who are pretending to be tough. Lately, some people have been trying to act like they're better than me, but I just keep doing my thing and staying prepared for anything.
Cubans with the Jesus piece, with my peeps (thank you, God)
Packin', askin', 'Who want it?' (who want it?)
You got it, nigga, flaunt it
That Brooklyn bullshit, we on it
I wear flashy jewelry, Cuban chains with a Jesus pendant, and I'm always with my friends. I carry a gun and ask who wants to challenge me. If you have it, show it off. We represent Brooklyn and we are tough.
I put hoes in NY onto DKNY (uh-huh)
Miami, D.C. prefer Versace (that's right)
All Philly hoes know it's Moschino (c'mon)
Every cutie wit a booty bought a Coogi (ha)
Now who's the real dookie? Meanin', who's really the shit?
I introduced New York women to the fashion brand DKNY. In Miami and Washington DC, Versace is more popular. In Philly, girls love Moschino. Every girl with a nice butt wears Coogi. So who's really the best?
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
Gon' blast, squeeze first, ask questions last (haha)
That's how most of these so-called gangsters pass (bye-bye)
Some other rappers are followers, but I always lead. I drive either a BMW 6 series or a Lexus LX 450, and I have bulletproof windows and tinted glass. If I want to have sex in my car, I'll do it. I'm ready to shoot if I need to, and that's how most fake gangsters get killed.
At last, a nigga rappin' bout blunts and broads
Tits and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars
I still leave you on the pavement
Condo paid for (uh-huh), 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 (shh)
That's how I stay filthy (not guilty)
Richer than Richie, 'til you niggas come and get me (come on)
Finally, a rapper who talks about smoking marijuana and having sex with women. I have threesomes with girls and have sex in fancy cars. I'm so rich that I don't need to worry about car payments, and I own a condo. I'm not guilty of kidnapping anyone's child and keeping her in my Brooklyn basement, which is why I stay rich. I'm richer than Richie Rich, but you still can't catch me.
I can fill ya wit' 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 wit'
Flows, girls say he's sweet like licorice (uh-huh)
So get with this nigga, it's easy (uh-huh)
Girlfriend, here's a pen, call me 'round ten (ten)
Come through, have sex on rugs that's Persian (that's right)
Come up to your job, hit you while you workin' (uh)
For certain Poppa freakin', not speakin'
Leave that ass leakin', like rapper demos (ha)
Tell them hoes, take they clothes off slowly (slowly)
Hit 'em wit' 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 (say what?)
Homie (homie)
I can teach you what it's like to be a real millionaire, eating fancy foods like escargot and driving really fast. If I crash my car, I'll just buy a new one. Your friends will run away when they see how cool I am. I'm so high-class that girls compare me to sweet candy. It's easy to get with me, just call me anytime after ten. We can have sex on expensive Persian rugs and even at your job while you're working. After I'm done, I leave you with a sore butt, like a rapper demo. I tell girls to take their clothes off slowly and I hit them with powerful thrusts. I'm big and black like a famous actor. I move around like an Italian in Rome. You're lucky I'm not robbing you, so where's your safe? My friend.
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 (uh)
People can't resist my music and the way I talk. I love showing off and being flashy, which is why I'm so rich and they aren't.
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie (uh-huh), can't you see? (Uh)
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)
Once again, people can't stop listening to me and they're hypnotized by my voice. They love how flashy I am, and that's why they're jealous of my success.
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 (uh)
I'm so popular that people keep asking to hear more of my music. They're hypnotized by the way I talk and they love how flashy I am. That's why they're broke and I'm rich.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Deric Micheal Angelettie, Sean Combs, Christopher Wallace, Andy Armer, Ron Badazz, Ronald Anthony Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RenatoJuniorAirsoft
Spider Man Into Spider-Verse. Nice
@qbshowkaraoke
B.I.G RIP
@l.0
Rip Big smoke.
@peki002
Biggie the GOAT
@noobie8279
Yo this is good song
@mmr1137
No sh*t
@phantxmnn
Rip bigge
@lachbombe
pop smoke rip
@saltyzap5685
Are you dumb?
@x-man4710
big poppsmoka