准备投胎 (1994)

Ready to Die is the debut studio album by the American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and distributed by Arista Records. The album features productions by Bad Boy founder Sean Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier and Lord Finesse, among others. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper's experiences as a young criminal, and was the only album he released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death in 1997. The album features a guest appearance from Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man.

Ready to Die peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and was subject to critical acclaim and soon a commercial success. Three singles were released: "Juicy", "Big Poppa", "One More Chance" and a promotional track of Biggie: "Warning". "Juicy", the lead single, peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles. "Big Poppa" was a hit on multiple charts, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and also being nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. The Notorious B.I.G.'s lyrics were generally praised by critics, particularly for his story-telling ability.

In April 2018, Ready to Die was certified six-times platinum in the US. It was significant for revitalizing the East Coast hip-hop scene, amid West Coast hip-hop's commercial dominance. It has been ranked by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2020, it was ranked 22nd on Rolling Stone's updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and was ranked 1st on their list of the greatest hip-hop albums. In 2024, it was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, and/or aesthetically significant".

Background and recording

The album was recorded in New York City (mainly at the Hit Factory) in two stages during 1993 and 1994. In 1992, Biggie was signed to the Uptown Records label by A&R Sean "Puffy" Combs. Biggie started recording his debut album in 1993 in New York, after making numerous guest appearances among his label-mates' singles around that time. The first tracks recorded include the darker, less radio-friendly content (including "Ready to Die", "Gimme the Loot" and "Things Done Changed"). In these sessions, XXL describe an "inexperienced, higher-pitched" Biggie sounding "hungry and paranoid".

When executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs was fired from Uptown, Biggie's career hung in limbo, as the album was only partially completed. After a brief period dealing drugs in North Carolina, Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new Bad Boy Records label possessing "a smoother, more confident vocal tone" and completed the album. In this stage, the more commercial-sounding tracks were recorded, including the singles. Between the two stages, XXL writes that Biggie moved from writing his lyrics in notebooks to freestyling them from memory.