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The Notorious B.I.G. Album: “Life After Death”
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Release Date:2005-10-04
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Type:Unknown
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Genre:Hip-Hop/Rap, East Coast Rap, Mainstream Rap
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Label:Bad Boy
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Explicit Lyrics:Yes
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UPC:786127301168
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Review - AMG :
It may have taken the Notorious B.I.G. a few years to follow up his milestone debut, Ready to Die (1994), with another album, but when he did return with Life After Death in 1997, he did so in a huge way. The ambitious album, intended as somewhat of a sequel to Ready to Die, picking up where its predecessor left off, sprawled across the span of two discs, each filled with music, 24 songs in all. You'd expect any album this sprawling to include some lackluster filler. That's not really the case with Life After Death, however. Like 2Pac's All Eyez on Me from a year before, an obvious influence, Biggie's album made extensive use of various producers -- DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Clark Kent, RZA, and more of New York's finest -- resulting in a diverse, eclectic array of songs. Plus, Biggie similarly brought in various guest rappers -- Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Bone Thugs, Too $hort, L.O.X., Mase -- a few vocalists -- R. Kelly, Angela Winbush, 112 -- and, of course, Puff Daddy, who is much more omnipresent here than on Ready to Die, where he mostly remained on the sidelines. It's perhaps Puffy himself to thank for this album's biggest hits: "Mo Money Mo Problems," "Hypnotize," "Sky's the Limit," three songs that definitely owe much to his pop touch. There's still plenty of the gangsta tales on Life After Death that won Biggie so much admiration on the streets, but it's the pop-laced songs that stand out as highlights. In hindsight, Biggie couldn't have ended his career with a more fitting album than Life After Death. Over the course of only two albums, he achieved every success imaginable, perhaps none greater than this unabashedly over-reaching success. Ready to Die is a milestone album, for sure, but it's nowhere near as extravagant or epic as Life After Death. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music GuideReview - Yahoo! Music - Frank Meyer :
Like all rap double albums, this could have been shaved down to one powerful release, instead of two weaker attempts. However, while it's a bit long, it still packs a wallop on tracks like "Hypnotize, "Somebody's Got To Die," "Kick In The Door," and the prophetic "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)." The first disc is stronger than the second, but overall it's a chilling slice of street poetry made all the more scary by his untimely murder.Review - Yahoo! Music - Frank Meyer :
Like all rap double albums, this could have been shaved down to one powerful release, instead of two weaker attempts. However, while it's a bit long, it still packs a wallop on tracks like "Hypnotize, "Somebody's Got To Die," "Kick In The Door," and the prophetic "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)." The first disc is stronger than the second, but overall it's a chilling slice of street poetry made all the more scary by his untimely murder.Review - :
It may have taken {$the Notorious B.I.G.} a few years to follow up his milestone debut, {^Ready to Die} (1994), with another album, but when he did return with {^Life After Death} in 1997, he did so in a huge way. The ambitious album, intended as somewhat of a sequel to {^Ready to Die}, picking up where its predecessor left off, sprawled across the span of two discs, each filled with music, 24 songs in all. You'd expect any album this sprawling to include some lackluster filler. That's not really the case with {^Life After Death}, however. Like {$2Pac}'s {^All Eyez on Me} from a year before, an obvious influence, {$Biggie}'s album made extensive use of various producers -- {$DJ Premier}, {$Easy Mo Bee}, {$Clark Kent}, {$RZA}, and more of New York's finest -- resulting in a diverse, eclectic array of songs. Plus, {$Biggie} similarly brought in various guest rappers -- {$Jay-Z}, {$Lil' Kim}, {$Bone Thugs}, {$Too $hort}, {$L.O.X.}, {$Mase} -- a few vocalists -- {$R. Kelly}, {$Angela Winbush}, {$112} -- and, of course, {$Puff Daddy}, who is much more omnipresent here than on {^Ready to Die}, where he mostly remained on the sidelines. It's perhaps {$Puffy} himself to thank for this album's biggest hits: {&"Mo Money Mo Problems,"} {&"Hypnotize,"} {&"Sky's the Limit,"} three songs that definitely owe much to his {\pop} touch. There's still plenty of the gangsta tales on {^Life After Death} that won {$Biggie} so much admiration on the streets, but it's the {\pop}-laced songs that stand out as highlights. In hindsight, {$Biggie} couldn't have ended his career with a more fitting album than {^Life After Death}. Over the course of only two albums, he achieved every success imaginable, perhaps none greater than this unabashedly over-reaching success. {^Ready to Die} is a milestone album, for sure, but it's nowhere near as extravagant or epic as {^Life After Death}. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
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