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.
Mo Money Mo Problems
The Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm coming
I'm coming out
I'm coming
Now, who's hot, who not?
Tell me who rock, who sell out in the stores?
You tell me who flopped, who copped the blue drop?
Who's mostly Dolce down to the tube sock?
The same old pimp, Ma$e
You know ain't nothin' change but my limp
Can't stop 'til I see my name on a blimp
Guarantee a million sales, call it love or luck
You don't believe in Harlem World, nigga, double up
We don't play around, it's a bet, lay it down
Niggas didn't know me '91, bet they know me now
I'm the young Harlem nigga with the Goldie sound
Can't no Ph.D. niggas hold me down
Cudda schooled me to the game, now I know my duty
Stay humble, stay low, blow like Hootie
True pimp niggas spend no dough on the booty
And then you yell, "There go Mase", there go your cutie
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across (yeah, yeah, a-ha)
The more problems we see
I'm the D to the A to the D-D-Y
Know you'd rather see me die than to see me fly
I call all the shots
Rip all the spots, rock all the rocks, cop all the drops
I know you thinkin' now, "When all the ballin' stops?"
Nigga never home, gotta call me on the yacht
10 years from now we'll still be on top
Yo, I thought I told you that we won't stop
Now what you gon' do with a crew that got money much longer than yours
And a team much stronger than yours?
Violate me, this'll be your day, we don't play
Mess around, be D.O.A. be on your way
'Cause it ain't enough time here
Ain't enough lime here for you to shine here
Deal with many women but treat dimes fair
And I'm bigger than the city lights down in Times Square
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across (uh)
The more problems we see (uh)
B-I-G P-O-P-P-A
No info for the DEA
Federal agents mad 'cause I'm flagrant
Tap my cell and the phone in the basement
My team supreme, stay clean
Triple beam lyrical dream, I be that
Cat you see at all events bent
Gats in holsters, girls on shoulders
Playboy, I told ya, mere mics to me
Bruise too much, I lose too much
Step on stage, the girls boo too much
I guess it's 'cause you run with lame dudes too much
Me lose my touch? Never that
If I did, ain't no problem to get the gat
Where the true players at? Throw your Rollies in the sky
Wave 'em side to side and keep your hands high
While I give your girl the eye, player, please
Lyrically, niggas see B.I.G be flossin'
Jig on the cover of Fortune, 5-double-O
Here's my phone number, your man ain't got to know
I got the dough, got the flow down pizat
Platinum plus like thizat
Dangerous on trizacks leave your ass flizat
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
What's going on? (Oh, what's going on?)
Somebody tell me (what's going on?)
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
I don't know what they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
The lyrics to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Mo Money Mo Problems" point to the challenges that come with success and wealth. The song narrates on the struggles faced by successful rappers, such as Biggie Smalls, as they navigate the complexities of becoming rich and famous. In the first verse, Biggie highlights the trap of materialism that comes with success. He questions who among his peers is still relevant and successful while acknowledging that much of what makes them famous is their image, essentially posing rhetorical questions on the state of fame.
The second verse speaks directly to Biggie's success and his own struggles with newfound wealth. He speaks confidently about his position in the industry, pointing out that he is on top and nobody else can touch him. He points out that the reason others may be jealous of him is that he has more money, women, and fame than they do.
The third verse reveals Biggie's darker side, hinting at the criminality and violence that surrounded him. He asserts his dominance over federal agents and continues to flaunt his success and power while skirting around the law. However, the final outro highlights the possibility that all this success could lead to an eventual downfall, with Biggie asking "what's going on?" and wondering what they want from him.
Overall, "Mo Money Mo Problems" shows the pitfalls of wealth and fame, highlighting the challenges that come with success and the emptiness of materialism.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm coming out
I'm making a comeback
Now, who's hot, who not?
Who's popular and who's not?
Tell me who rock, who sell out in the stores?
Who's successful in the music industry?
You tell me who flopped, who copped the blue drop?
Who failed and who bought an expensive car?
Whose jewels got rocks?
Who has expensive jewelry?
Who's mostly Dolce down to the tube sock?
Who wears a lot of designer clothing?
Can't stop 'til I see my name on a blimp
I won't stop until I become even more famous
Guarantee a million sales, call it love or luck
I'm confident I'll sell a million records
We don't play around, it's a bet, lay it down
We're serious about making money, let's make a bet
Niggas didn't know me '91, bet they know me now
People didn't know my name in 1991, but they definitely know me now
I'm the young Harlem nigga with the Goldie sound
I'm a successful rapper from Harlem with a unique sound
Can't no Ph.D. niggas hold me down
Smart people can't stop my success
Cudda schooled me to the game, now I know my duty
Someone taught me how to succeed in the music game
Stay humble, stay low, blow like Hootie
Stay humble and keep making great music
True pimp niggas spend no dough on the booty
Real players don't spend money on women
And then you yell, "There go Mase", there go your cutie
When people see me, they also notice the attractive women around me
I don't know what they want from me
I don't know what people expect from me
It's like the more money we come across
As we make more money
The more problems we see
We encounter more challenges and obstacles
I'm the D to the A to the D-D-Y
I'm Daddy, the one in charge
Know you'd rather see me die than to see me fly
You're envious of my success
I call all the shots
I'm in control
Rip all the spots, rock all the rocks, cop all the drops
I buy all the expensive things
Nigga never home, gotta call me on the yacht
I'm always on vacation
10 years from now we'll still be on top
We'll still be successful in 10 years
Yo, I thought I told you that we won't stop
I already said we're not going to quit
Now what you gon' do with a crew that got money much longer than yours
What will you do when you're competing against the wealthy people on my team?
And a team much stronger than yours?
My team is more powerful than yours
Violate me, this'll be your day, we don't play
If you cross me, you'll regret it
Mess around, be D.O.A. be on your way
Don't mess with me or you'll be dead
'Cause it ain't enough time here
There's not enough time to waste
Ain't enough lime here for you to shine here
Not everyone can be successful in this industry
Deal with many women but treat dimes fair
I have a lot of women, but I treat them well
And I'm bigger than the city lights down in Times Square
I'm a big deal
B-I-G P-O-P-P-A
I'm Big Poppa
No info for the DEA
I'm not telling the police anything
Federal agents mad 'cause I'm flagrant
The government is angry with me
Tap my cell and the phone in the basement
The police are listening to my phone calls
My team supreme, stay clean
My team is the best and we don't get in trouble
Triple beam lyrical dream, I be that
I'm an incredibly talented rapper
Cat you see at all events bent
I'm always at parties and I'm drunk
Gats in holsters, girls on shoulders
We have guns and women around us
Playboy, I told ya, mere mics to me
I'm a natural at rapping
Bruise too much, I lose too much
I get in fights and it hurts my success
Step on stage, the girls boo too much
Women are jealous of my success
I guess it's 'cause you run with lame dudes too much
You're not successful because you're hanging out with losers
Me lose my touch? Never that
I'll never lose my talent
If I did, ain't no problem to get the gat
I'll always have a gun
Where the true players at?
Where are the other successful people?
Throw your Rollies in the sky
Put your expensive watches in the air
Wave 'em side to side and keep your hands high
Move your watches back and forth while keeping your hands up
While I give your girl the eye, player, please
I'm looking at your girl, don't get jealous
Lyrically, niggas see B.I.G be flossin'
People recognize my great lyrics
Jig on the cover of Fortune, 5-double-O
I was on the cover of a magazine called Fortune
Here's my phone number, your man ain't got to know
Call me, but don't tell your boyfriend
I got the dough, got the flow down pizat
I have the money and the skills
Platinum plus like thizat
My music is very popular
Dangerous on trizacks leave your ass flizat
I'm successful and better than my competitors
What's going on? (Oh, what's going on?)
What's happening?
Somebody tell me (what's going on?)
Can someone explain what's happening?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher Wallace, Sean Combs, Mason Betha, Bernard Edwards, Steve Jordan, J Phillips, Nile Gregory Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gyguhuhi
on Big Poppa - 2005 Remaster
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