Nas has revealed The Notorious B.I.G. played an essential role in inspiring his second studio album, It Was Written. In an interview with GQ earlier following his first-ever headlining concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Esco reflected on his sophomore LP and his radical change in sound from Illmatic. Nas explained that he felt pressure to remain an “underground” artist following the acclaim of his seminal 1994 debut, but the mainstream success that Biggie enjoyed — thanks to radio hits like “Juicy” and “Big Poppa” — opened his eyes to the importance of crossing over, especially if one wants to lay claim to the Hip Hop crown. ...

“The greatest rapper of all time died on March 9.” Canibus immortalized Biggie’s death date on his infamous dis record of LL Cool J. It’s not the first time historical trivia has crossed paths with hip-hop. The Notorious B.I.G. died on March 9, 1997 — that’s 26 years ago on Thursday. Many lifelong rap fans know this date by heart, if for no other reason than because Canibus immortalized it on “2nd Round K.O.,” his classic dis record aimed at LL Cool J. Dis records are one of hip-hop’s great and unique traditions, and most classic dis records include at least one critical hit that keeps ringing long after the song cuts out. The most scathing insult on “2nd Round K.O.” is a response to LL Cool J’s claim on “4, 3, 2, 1” to be the “greatest of all time.” Defending the late Notorious B.I.G.’s honor, Canibus rapped, “The greatest rapper of all time died on March 9!” It’s hip-hop’s version of Lloyd Bentsen telling Dan Quayle, “You’re no Jack Kennedy.” For nearly a couple of decades now, the lyric has impressed itself upon my basic, instant-recall level of knowledge of human events, achieving a strange prominence alongside Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Canibus stopped b the MAth Hoffa podcast t provide the story behind that historical quote. ...

Usher is undoubtedly becoming the unofficial king of Las Vegas, thanks to his My Way Residency. Even with a career spanning 30 years, the singer has continued to find ways to honor the acts before him in his music by way of samples while finding inspiration in today’s newer acts. The musician doesn’t mind calling cap on the questioning of his talent, but giving other recording artists their flowers is as equally important to him. Late rap music icon The Notorious B.I.G. (real name Christopher Wallace), often referred to by the shortened name Biggie Smalls, is at the center of Usher’s latest praise session. ...

Super bowl aired a fresh new trailer for the movie Creed III featuring the late great Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready To Die" track on the soundtrack! Brothers turn enemies. Check out the final trailer for Creed III, an upcoming movie starring Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson, and Florian Munteanu. After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter who has nothing to lose. ...

Jordan Brand is commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with an exclusive Air Jordan dedicated to The Notorious B.I.G. The company is partnering with the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation for a special sneaker auction of Christopher Wallace x Air Jordan 13. Originally made in 2017 to celebrate what would’ve been the 45th birthday of the late Brooklyn emcee, Jordan’s namesake brand made the sneaker available this year to celebrate the Jordan Year (’23) and 50 years of hip-hop. ...

The spirit of Notorious B.I.G. was resurrected in the metaverse on Friday night, transporting thousands of attendees to a virtual recreation of 1990s Brooklyn, N.Y., for a performance that transcended space and time. As a native New Yorker and old-school hip-hop fan, my heart swelled when a hyper-realistic digital form of the late ...