The 500 - #476 - Notorious B.I.G. - Life after Death

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan (amended). 

• 1 or 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 476

Album Title: Life after Death
Artist: The Notorious B.I.G.
Released: March, 1997
My age at release: 31 
How familiar am I with it: Not at all
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Hypnotize
Great Lyric:
"I'm Big Dangerous, you're just a little vicious
As I leave my competition, respirator style
Climb the ladder to success, escalator style
Hold y'all breath, I told y'all, death
Controls y'all, Big don't fold y'all, uhh
I spit phrases that'll thrill you
You're nobody til somebody kills you"

Prior to listening to this record, I thought I only knew only one song by The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls, Biggie). It was the song Big Poppa which I remember from my early 90's, pre-Teacher's College/Bartending days. 

However, it was a Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Will Farrell satirizing Robert Goulet that galvanized it in my psyche. In the parody commercial, Goulet (Farrell) is promoting a new album, The Coconut Banger's Ball, in an obvious attempt to stay relevant. The album includes renditions of The Thong Song by Sisquo, Who Let the Dogs Out! by The Baja Men and, of course, Big Poppa by Biggie. 

As he puts it....

"...what you get is one full hour of rip roarin’ rap music. Not by some dubious ruffians without the chops, but by a professionally trained voice man. No musical accompaniment. It’s just me out there."

Consequently, I can't hear the name Biggie without this moment coming to mind and the irrisitable urge to shout "Goo-Lay!" Talk about your non sequitar.

When I started my first play-through of Life After Death. I realized immediately that I did know another song: Hypnotize. The chorus is ubiquitous in film and television. In fact, it has almost become a "go-to-musical-cue" to establish a 90's setting for the viewer - much the way that California Dreaming perfectly sets a movie in the 60's.

I do have an education connection to Biggie. About 15 years ago I started sharing the Roch Carrier The Hockey Sweater as a Read A loud with my Grade 7/8 students.

• It's a great short story.
• It's pure Canadianity - a quote from it was on the back of our $5.00 bill for years.
• It allowed me to use my Quebecois man speaking English accent...just like in the National Film Board animated short.  
• I could connect it to cross-curricular activities in History, Art, Literacy & Phys. Ed.

However, most well received was an open-ended activity hinged on the Maple Leaf/Canadien rivalry at the heart of Carrier's story.

Students worked in groups and were invited to explore another famous rivalry of their choosing. 

Some students stuck with sports rivalries (Red Sox/Yankees or Lakers/Celtics) while a few went the buisness route (Coke/Pepsi or Apple/Windows). Many of my boys, some of whom were tough to engage in literacy, research & presentation activities, focused on the East Coast (Biggie)/West Coast (Tupac Shakur) feud. At the time, I know many of them were suprised that...

(a) I would let them do this... 

and

(b) I was sincerely interested in what they could uncover & present. 

It's true. Prior to investigating this record, most of my 90's hip-hop knowledge was taught to me by my former students.

I am currently updating that activity for next year (when I return to a Grade 7 classroom). I am going to build a Google Based Choice Board or Multi Media Tech Set to allow students to explore lots of rivalries and then select one that they can share with the class any way they choose. When I get it done ... I'll put the link to see it right (HERE).

Things I learned...

• This record was released posthumously - Biggie was gunned down two weeks earlier. Consequently, the title is tragically ironic.
• The gunman has never been caught - which has led to wild speculation and a cottage industry of conspiracy theories that rival those surrounding the death of his rival 2Pac.
• Once again, I liked this record far more than I would have initially thought.