There have been some musicians in music history who have remained popular and relevant even years after their deaths. This week is the anniversary of the death of one of the most popular rap artists, and here is how it is being remembered.
Zap2It reports that pioneering rapper Chris “Biggie Smalls” Wallace was gunned down 14 years ago today on March 9, 1997. Fans all over the world are remembering Biggie today as he might be gone but his music has lived on through the hearts and minds of those he touched. Twitter is ablaze today with topics of Biggie trending and people sharing their favorite songs or memories of him. Fans are flocking to all of the social networking websites like Twitter to share their thoughts about the 14th anniversary of Biggie’s death, some even sharing their tattoos of memoriam.
Biggie was the first rapper I had ever listened to and he will always stand out to me as one of the best and most inspirational in the music business. One song that I really enjoyed that Biggie did was the remix of “Real Love,” which was a song originally performed by Mary J. Blige. Biggie remixed this song in 1997 and it was the song that really got me into his music, and it gained him huge notoriety. I will always remember “Real Love” remixed by Biggie because this was the time he came out with his pseudonym, The Notorious B.I.G. I loved Biggie in this song because he gave the song a new and fresh sound with his deep voice and abilities to flow through a song with ease. I loved this remix because it was nice to hear his spin on the song and it just made it have a more unique sound.
I will of course always remember Biggie for his collaboration with the band Total on “Can’t You See.” This song was really popular when I was younger and I remember hearing this song all the time on the radio and in my school. “Can’t You See” had a beat to it that just made you want to get up and dance and it also featured the smooth-flowing rhymes of Biggie. This is actually my favorite song by Biggie, although it was collaboration, because it showed how he could rap in any situation or with any band. I remember when I used to go to dance clubs and this song was always played at least once during the night; it is just great. I really loved how the song revolved around Biggie in the lyrics and I remember how passionate he sounded during the song.
I also enjoyed the “Ready to Die” album the most from Biggie because the lyrics were so dark and heavy, and it was really haunting. “Ready to Die” talked a lot about him seeing his life come to an end and that he was okay with that, which is just creepy because it was like he knew something bad was going to happen. Although I was young when this album came out, I remember sitting in my house with my cousin and he would put this record on and just relax. This album was really cool because it featured collaboration with Faith Evans on the song “Juicy/Unbelievable” and it was one of the best songs on the album. Biggie and Evans really were good together and they complemented each other vocally very well. I have fond memories of this album because, to this day, my cousin still puts it on as loud as he can when I go over to his house. “Ready to Die” was what made me really become a fan of Biggie because it showcased his unique voice with those deep and dark lyrics.
Liz Kelly Nelson, “Remembering Biggie Smalls (aka Big Poppa) 14 years after his death”, Zap2It
Biggie Smalls Official Website
