Spring Break
'Notorious' delivers hits, rarities
4 out of 5 stars
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 1/22/09 Section: Focus
Part greatest hits set list, part tribute album and part rarities collection, the soundtrack to the "Notorious" biopic serves as a reminder to how great Biggie Smalls was - like you even needed a reminder.
It has been more than 10 years since the Brooklyn rapper, born Christopher Wallace, last recorded, due to his untimely 1997 murder at the age of 24; but the slew of classics he produced before his death just further demonstrates that he was arguably the best MC to ever grace a microphone.
"Notorious" kicks off fan-favorite "Notorious Thugs" from his posthumous masterpiece "Life After Death," and then hit after hit pours in. There's "Juicy," "Hypnotize," "Notorious B.I.G.," featuring Lil' Kim and Diddy and Party, and "Bulls---." So is "Notorious" just a glorified greatest hits disc? Almost, but not quite.
What sets this album apart from his pointless "Greatest Hits" (the man only had two real albums - which you probably own already - and two CDs of pieced together leftovers not really worth checking out) are the not so easily found tracks, as well as newer cuts from other artists.
First up is "Brooklyn Go Hard" by Jay-Z featuring Santogold, who just finished from going from no-name to superstar in a matter of months. The track, which is also scheduled to appear on Jay's forthcoming "The Blueprint 3," is an anthem for, obviously, Brooklyn, the place Biggie put on the map and Hova represents to this day. The Kanye West-produced song is a fitting tribute for their hometowns as well as a perfect fit for the album.
And despite being "retired," Jay still kills it. He raps, "I father, I Brooklyn Dodger them / I Jack, I rob, I sin / Ah man, I'm Jackie Robinson / 'Cept when I run base, I dodge the pen."
Next is Jadakiss' "Letter to B.I.G." featuring Biggie's ex-wife Faith Evans. While it won't be as big as Diddy and Evans' "I'll Be Missing You," it feels more real and emotional.
"Notorious" hits an interesting string of songs toward the end, starting with "The Notorious Theme," composed by Danny Elfman. Yes, the same Elfman who composed the soundtrack for Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." The final three songs that follow - "Microphone Murder," "Guaranteed Raw" and "Love No Ho" - are all previously unreleased demos featured on the mix tape that landed Biggie his record deal at Bad Boy. All three feature incredible lyricism and flow with a certain rawness that lends a lot of charm despite the seriousness of the rhymes.
In its entirety, "Notorious" is a fitting tribute and companion to the icon's recent biopic. Not every track is a winner, but as his "duet" with his son CJ Wallace (who also plays a young Wallace in the film) on "One More Chance / The Legacy (Remix)," the intentions are all in the right places.
It has been more than 10 years since the Brooklyn rapper, born Christopher Wallace, last recorded, due to his untimely 1997 murder at the age of 24; but the slew of classics he produced before his death just further demonstrates that he was arguably the best MC to ever grace a microphone.
"Notorious" kicks off fan-favorite "Notorious Thugs" from his posthumous masterpiece "Life After Death," and then hit after hit pours in. There's "Juicy," "Hypnotize," "Notorious B.I.G.," featuring Lil' Kim and Diddy and Party, and "Bulls---." So is "Notorious" just a glorified greatest hits disc? Almost, but not quite.
What sets this album apart from his pointless "Greatest Hits" (the man only had two real albums - which you probably own already - and two CDs of pieced together leftovers not really worth checking out) are the not so easily found tracks, as well as newer cuts from other artists.
First up is "Brooklyn Go Hard" by Jay-Z featuring Santogold, who just finished from going from no-name to superstar in a matter of months. The track, which is also scheduled to appear on Jay's forthcoming "The Blueprint 3," is an anthem for, obviously, Brooklyn, the place Biggie put on the map and Hova represents to this day. The Kanye West-produced song is a fitting tribute for their hometowns as well as a perfect fit for the album.
And despite being "retired," Jay still kills it. He raps, "I father, I Brooklyn Dodger them / I Jack, I rob, I sin / Ah man, I'm Jackie Robinson / 'Cept when I run base, I dodge the pen."
Next is Jadakiss' "Letter to B.I.G." featuring Biggie's ex-wife Faith Evans. While it won't be as big as Diddy and Evans' "I'll Be Missing You," it feels more real and emotional.
"Notorious" hits an interesting string of songs toward the end, starting with "The Notorious Theme," composed by Danny Elfman. Yes, the same Elfman who composed the soundtrack for Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." The final three songs that follow - "Microphone Murder," "Guaranteed Raw" and "Love No Ho" - are all previously unreleased demos featured on the mix tape that landed Biggie his record deal at Bad Boy. All three feature incredible lyricism and flow with a certain rawness that lends a lot of charm despite the seriousness of the rhymes.
In its entirety, "Notorious" is a fitting tribute and companion to the icon's recent biopic. Not every track is a winner, but as his "duet" with his son CJ Wallace (who also plays a young Wallace in the film) on "One More Chance / The Legacy (Remix)," the intentions are all in the right places.
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