Studio Album · No. 1
Ready to Die Songwriting Credits by The Notorious B.I.G.
Produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, Chucky Thompson, Bluez Brothers, Lord Finesse, Darnell Scott, Poke
Holds writing credit on 17 of 17 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 17 / 17 documented
Scored across the 17 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Notorious B.I.G. carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 17 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Ready to Die shows the sample-rap authorship pattern clearly: Biggie wrote every verse himself, so his stage name is the lone lyricist on all but 'The What,' where Method Man wrote his own guest verse. The composer credits run much wider, listing his legal name Christopher Wallace beside the producers and the original writers of each sampled record, which is why tracks like the Isley-sampling 'Big Poppa' or the Mtume-sampling 'Juicy' carry long lists of music writers.
Ready to Die is the debut studio album by The Notorious B.I.G., released in September 1994 on Bad Boy Records. Executive produced by label head Sean Combs, it pairs Biggie's dense, conversational storytelling with beats built from soul and funk samples by producers including Easy Mo Bee, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse. The album moves between hard street narratives like 'Gimme the Loot' and 'Things Done Changed' and crossover hits like 'Juicy' and 'Big Poppa,' and it helped restore East Coast rap to prominence during its rivalry with the West Coast. Biggie wrote all of his own lyrics, with 'The What' the only track adding an outside writer in Method Man. Certified multi-platinum, it is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever made.
Track Listing & Credits 17 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Intro
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsOsten HarveyCurtis MayfieldBernard EdwardsNile RodgersSylvia RobinsonNat RobinsonHenry JacksonMichael WrightCurtis BrownKirk RobinsonGuy O'BrienRaymond JonesGlenn Bolton | Sean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Things Done Changed
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceDominic OwenKevin ScottDarnell Scott | Darnell Scott | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Gimme the Loot
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveyBryan HigginsTrevor SmithTyrone TaylorChylow ParkerJames JacksonKamaal FareedMalik TaylorFred ScruggsKeith ElamChristopher MartinKirk JonesAli Muhammad | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Machine Gun Funk
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveyKeith ElamChristopher MartinKevin HansfordCharles WilliamsDupre KellyMarlon WilliamsAl-Teril Wardrick | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Warning
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveyHal DavidBurt Bacharach | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Ready to Die
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveySean CombsMarshall JonesLeroy BonnerClarence SatchellWalter MorrisonRalph MiddlebrooksBarbara MasonGregory Webster | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
One More Chance
#2
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsNorman GloverCarl ThompsonReginald EllisBunny DeBargeMark DeBargeEl DeBarge | Bluez BrothersChucky ThompsonSean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Fuck Me (Interlude)
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean Combs | Sean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
The What
|
The Notorious B.I.G.Method Man | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveyClifford Smith | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals)Method Man (Featured Vocals) |
| 10 |
Juicy
#27
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsJean OlivierJames Mtume | PokeSean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Everyday Struggle
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceNorman GloverReginald EllisDave GrusinHarvey Mason | Bluez Brothers | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Me & My Bitch
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsCarl ThompsonNorman GloverReginald EllisGary MorganFrank DonaldsLarry TroutmanRoger TroutmanShirley Murdock | Bluez BrothersChucky ThompsonSean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
Big Poppa
#6
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsCarl ThompsonRonald IsleyChris JasperO'Kelly IsleyMarvin IsleyRudolph IsleyErnest Isley | Chucky ThompsonSean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
Respect
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceSean CombsJean OlivierHarry CaseyRichard FinchDiana King | PokeSean "Puffy" Combs | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals)Diana King (Additional Vocals) |
| 15 |
Friend of Mine
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceOsten HarveyRonald BellRichard WestfieldDonald BoyceGeorge BrownRobert BellDennis ThomasClaydes SmithTaylor DeanBlack MamboMichael DebenedictusRobert MickensOtha NashMeekaaeel MuhammedEarl ToonBrodie Williams | Easy Mo Bee | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 16 |
Unbelievable
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceChristopher MartinRobert Kelly | DJ Premier | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |
| 17 |
Suicidal Thoughts
|
The Notorious B.I.G. | Christopher WallaceRobert Hall | Lord Finesse | The Notorious B.I.G. (Lead Vocals) |