If I Said it I Meant It, Bite My Tongue for No One, Call Me Evil, or UNBELIEVABLE.

It doesn't feel like 12 years passed since Big was gunned down in Cali. His music flourishes, and personally, gets better with each listen. I was in Hunter College when news came out that he got shot. I was talking to some chick that was mad open off it, but I didn't feel that way. I fucked with his music and Ready to Die was and still is my shit, but I wasn't invested. Big L's death affected me on a much deeper level- I missed out on a post for that one. I'll make up for it next year. Back then I was on my KCR/Fat Beats/Foot Works shit. On that Fuck Hot 97 vibe- Checking shows at Nuyorican and really being part of the underground circuit. Company Flow, Natural Elements and so on. And Biggie was no longer that grimey dude, but on that flossing Rolies in the sky steez. And us "backpackers" were against that shit. Sell out or whatever you want to call it. Puff was the enemy. Though "Mo' Money" was that shit. Webster Hall what up.

As years passed it dawned on me how talented the dude was. I don't know of any other artist that told stories as clearly and visually as Big. He's just easy to listen to. And while that might sound like no big deal, that shit is HUGE. A major compliment in my opinion. He didn't use big words or elaborate word play, he just had great flow, cadence, presence, and mad character- that would probably be called swagger in the '09. I'm not one to do a top 5 or 10 MC list, but today Big would definitely be in there, while years ago I doubt he'd place. My ear wasn't mature yet.

I never saw him live. Had tickets to a show he was supposed to headline at SUNY Albany back in '94 but he got arrested for beating up some dude with a bat outside Nell's. Even if his fat ass was immobile and gasping for breath I still wish I could have witnessed it.



And we got some shit to celebrate his legacy. I was super psyched when I got my hands on it, and if you haven't peeped it yet, you should too. The Ready To Die O.G. Edition, featuring unreleased tracks, original recordings and demos. Some shit is the same but there are some real treats. The original "One More Chance" that was on the Clue tape back then- with the Debarge "All This Love" sample. That shit kills the album version. The original "Juicy" which Pete Rock produced. And one of the hardest joints ever, "Come On" featuring Sadat X. Which as we know was too hard to put on Ready to Die.

I Got 7 Mack-11s, about 8 38s, 9 Nines, 10 Mack-10s, the shits never end, you can't touch my riches, even if you had MC Hammer and the 357 bitches...

Ready To Die O.G. Edition