Life After Death

Life After Death (Originally titled "Life After Death...'Till Death Do Us Part") is the Grammy Nominated second album by East Coast rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (also known as Biggie Smalls) and was released posthumously on March 25, 1997 (see 1997 in music). A double album that acts as a sequel of sorts to Ready to Die (1994), Life After Death received a great deal of critical praise, if not quite on the same level as his debut. B.I.G.'s brief career was cut short by his murder on March 9, 1997 just before the release of Life After Death.

The album featured B.I.G.’s mafioso crime kingpin character living a Scarface/Casino-esque lifestyle (as opposed to Ready to Die, in which Biggie rapped about life as a young street hustler) while making numerous references to theatrical crime thrillers. Featuring collaborations with 112, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, R. Kelly, The Lox, Faith Evans, Too Short, DMC, Carl Thomas, Ma$e & Puff Daddy, among others, the album cemented Biggie's legacy as one of hip hop's most respected and successful Emcees, and is remembered as a classic of Mafioso rap. It was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2000 and is 1 of 7 hip-hop albums that has this status. The Album was nominated for 3 Grammy's in 1998 including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for "Hypnotize" and Best Rap Performance for a Duo or Group for "Mo Money, Mo Problems".

The Edited Version of this CD is only one disc and only has the songs: "Hypnotize", "Notorious Thugs", "I Love the Dough", "B.I.G. Interlude", "Miss U", "Mo Money Mo Problems", "Playa Hater", "Another", "Sky's the Limit", "Nasty Boy", "Going Back to Cali", "You're Nobody (Til' Somebody Kills You)", and "Fucking You Tonight" (re-titled as "Lovin' You Tonight").

Background
One year prior to the album's release, The Notorious B.I.G. had married Faith Evans, become East Coast's icon in the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry and made guest appearances on albums by Jay-Z and Luke amongst others. Two weeks prior to the album's release, The Notorious B.I.G. was shot and killed.

Impact and influence
Though released in the wake of B.I.G.'s fatal shooting, Life After Death signaled a stylistic change in gangsta rap as it crossed over to the commercial mainstream. After the release of Life After Death, Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records continued to bring pop and gangsta rap closer together: the references to violence and drug dealing remained, as did the entire "gangsta" rhetoric, but the overall production style changed from the previously darker sound to a cleaner, sample-heavy, more upbeat sound that was directly fashioned for the mainstream pop charts, as seen in the single "Mo Money Mo Problems". The Notorious B.I.G. is often credited with initiating this transition, as he was among the first mainstream rappers to produce albums with a calculated attempt to include both gritty and realistic gangsta narratives as well as more radio-friendly productions. Much of the album is produced by Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Carlos "July Six" Broady, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, and Nashiem Myrick. However, other notable hip-hop producers such as DJ Premier and RZA contributed beats to the album as well.

Various artists were specifically influenced by several songs on Life After Death. Evidence's "Down in New York City" is essentially "Going Back to Cali" from the perspective of a West Coast artist. Jay-Z borrows four bars from "The World Is Filled..." in his song "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," as well as the chorus from his song "Squeeze 1st" from "Hypnotize" and a line in "The Ruler's Back" from "Kick in the Door." Ice Cube borrows the chorus from his song "Child Support" from "Kick in the Door."

Beef references
It should be noted that many songs on both discs contain subtle references to B.I.G.'s rivals. "Kick in the Door" is directed at Nas, Raekwon, Jeru the Damaja, Ghostface Killah and even the track's producer DJ Premier according to speculative listeners. In the song "Notorious Thugs" B.I.G. refers to 2Pac in the line "so called beef with you-know-who." While Bone Thugs make disses towards Three 6 Mafia, Twista and Do or Die. It is also speculated by many listeners that the song "Long Kiss Goodnight" is a diss track towards 2Pac although the members of Junior M.A.F.I.A. have denied this. "My Downfall" also contains lyrics allegedly aimed towards 2Pac. Many believed that "What's Beef" also contains lyrics likely aimed towards 2Pac and Suge Knight. It is worth noting however, that Biggie said in an interview that he never recorded any diss song against 2Pac because he did not want to heighten East Coast-West Coast tensions.

Reception
It's considered to be one of the greatest rap albums in hip hop history, and has also been a major influence on many rap artists.

( * ) designates lists which are unordered.

Disc two
Songwriter(s) information taken from CD case.

Album singles
"Fuck You Tonight" is found on the A-Side of "Mo Money Mo Problems".

Credits

 * Barry White - Hair Stylist
 * Kit Walker - Sampled Keyboards
 * The Notorious B.I.G. - Vocals (background), Producer, Liner Notes
 * Karen Anderson - Vocals (background)
 * Easy Mo Bee - Producer
 * Michael Ciro - Guitar
 * Sean "Puffy" Combs - Producer, Mixing
 * DJ Premier - Producer
 * Ben Garrison - Engineer
 * Rich July - Engineer
 * Marvin Scandrick - Vocals, Vocals (background) (112)
 * Quinnes Parker - Vocals, Vocals (background) (112)
 * Daron Jones - Producer, Vocals, Vocals (background) (112)


 * Michael Keith - Vocals, Vocals (background) (112)
 * Clark Kent - Producer
 * Paul Logus - Mixing
 * Manny Marroquin - Engineer
 * Tony Maserati - Mixing
 * Axel Niehaus - Engineer
 * Michael Patterson - Engineer, Mixing
 * Herb Powers - Mastering
 * RZA - Producer
 * Eddie Sancho - Mixing
 * Richard Travali - Mixing
 * Doug Wilson - Engineer
 * DJ Enuf - Producer
 * Faith Evans - Vocals (background)
 * Carl Thomas - Vocals
 * Pierre Retrayt - Producer
 * Rasheed Goodlowe - Engineer
 * Nasheim Myrick - Producer
 * Michael Lavine - Photography
 * Camilo Argumedes - Engineer
 * Deric Angelettie - Producer
 * Stevie J. - Producer
 * Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander - Engineer, Mixing
 * Carlos Broady - Organ (Hammond), Producer
 * Lane Craven - Engineer, Mixing
 * Krayzie Bone - Vocals
 * Deborah "Portia" Neeley Rolle - Vocals (background)
 * Jiv Pos - Producer
 * Stephen Dent - Engineer
 * Lynn Montrose - Engineer
 * Steve Jones - Engineer
 * Bizzy Bone - Vocals
 * John Meredith - Engineer
 * Layzie Bone - Vocals
 * Diana Pedraza - Engineer
 * Mike Pitts - Assistant Producer
 * Kay Gee - Producer
 * Groovey Lew - Stylist
 * Ron Grant - Guest Appearance
 * Keanna Henson - Vocals (background)
 * Justin Cortinas- Producer

Labels
Bad Boy Records/Arista Records

Chronology

 * Life After Death (1997)


 * Born Again (1999)