The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album Ready to Die turns 30 with a special 2-LP reissue featuring new limited edition cover art.
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On September 13, the album will be available on black vinyl from Rhino.com and biggiemerch.com. A color vinyl edition will also be released at select retailers. Earlier this year, Ready To Die was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.
In the essay that goes with the induction, author and journalist Justin Tinsley says, “In its true essence, the album is a response to American capitalism and just how deadly the pursuit of money could be and was for so many–in particular, young Black folks in America. ‘Ready To Die’ is a response to so many moments in American history before it.”
The economic crisis in ’70s New York, the crack explosion of the ’80s with its devastating impact, and policies like Reagonomics and ‘Stop-And-Frisk’ that hurt Black communities all influenced “Ready To Die.” ‘Rolling Stone’ called it the moment when hip-hop’s golden age shifted to the modern era, representing the peak of New York hip-hop and the best rapper ever at his prime.
The lead single “Juicy” from the album went gold upon release, hitting No. 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart and climbing to No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s now got over 1 billion streams and was named the best hip-hop song ever by the BBC. The second single, “Big Poppa,” was even bigger, topping the Rap and R&B charts, reaching No. 6 on the Hot 100, and racking up over 1 billion streams.
The album was certified platinum and got a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. The remix of “One More Chance” hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 after topping the Rap and R&B charts. This legendary record is now 6x platinum and is considered one of the best hip-hop albums ever, landing on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums of All Time and Rolling Stone’s The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.
