Every hip-hop fan on the planet can recite “It was all a dream, I used to read ‘Word Up!’ magazine.” It’s one of those iconic opening lines that has stuck with rap fans for decades. It succinctly puts you in the place of a young Biggie Smalls, grinding out of a tough position with aspirations to be a rap star. When you think of The Notorious B.I.G., you think of “Juicy” almost immediately.
On this day 32 years ago, he released the all-time coming-of-age record, where he gave us an intimate, detailed look at his rise to fame. The intro sees him reflect on the teachers who thought he wouldn’t amount to anything. Or the people who would call the police when he was on the street hustling, desperately trying to make money for his daughter. But The Notorious B.I.G. warmly takes the high road because, ultimately, it worked out anyway.
Then, the first verse sees him warmly reminisce on being a disciple of hip-hop. Watching New York legends show that you could make it off rapping inspired Biggie to make it himself. “Damn right I like the life I live/’Cause I went from negative to positive and it’s all [good],” he raps with his feet kicked up.
The Notorious B.I.G. Released The Iconic Single That Made Him a Superstar On This Day in 1994
“Juicy” ended up becoming the first single from his iconic album Ready to Die, his debut for Diddy and Bad Boy Records. However, the record wasn’t without controversy. According to Pete Rock, Diddy and co. stole the original idea for the beat from his house.
“I did the original version, didn’t get credit for it. They came to my house, heard the beat going on the drum machine, it’s the same story. You come downstairs at my crib, you hear music. He heard that s**t and the next thing you know it comes out,” Rock recalled of the Notorious B.I.G. classic. “They had me do a remix, but I tell people, and I will fight it to the end, that I did the original version of that. I’m not mad at anybody, I just want the correct credit.”
Decades later, “Juicy” has maintained its status as an undisputed classic in hip-hop. Rolling Stone cemented it among the 500 best songs of all time, regardless of genre. The Source listed it among the 100 greatest rap singles of all time only four years after its 1994 release.
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The post On This Day 32 Years Ago, The Notorious B.I.G. Made the Greatest Coming-Of-Age Hip-Hop Song of All Time appeared first on VICE.
