Album of the Day

Released on this day in 1994, The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album READY TO DIE is a landmark of East Coast gangsta rap. Biggie and producer Sean "Puffy" Combs had begun work on such songs as “Gimme the Loot,” “Things Done Changed” and the title track the preceding year for another label; by the time they returned to the studio to cut these versions, the rapper's confidence and flow had improved immeasurably. A look at the allure and danger of the thug life, the album tells its frequently grim tales with the cinematic detail and emotional perspective that could only come from a veteran of the streets. READY TO DIE has been cited by the likes of The Source, Rolling Stone and Time as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s; the remastered version adds bonus tracks “Who Shot Ya” and “Just Playing (Dreams)” to the original.