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Back to Biggie's 15-Year Death Anniversary

Tito Lopez

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

Biggie's music is timeless. I think it's important to acknowledge that not only did he leave a permanent impression on hip-hop, but on music, period. And for a "rapper," that's not an easy task. For me personally, I've always had an attachment to the Notorious one. He was, and still is, my mother's favorite rapper. As a child, I would hear his music constantly on repeat in my house. [My mom] would always tell me that he was the Marvin Gaye of rap music, meaning that his voice was smooth enough to listen to for pure entertainment, but his subject matter would always make you think.

I think one of the most standout factors in Biggie's music was the honest! Beyond his most well known lines -- "heartthrob never, black and ugly as ever" -- some things were pure self-deprecation -- "I know my mother wish she had a f---ing abortion." Almost self-loathing at times. Those things at the time were totally uncommon in hip-hop. So it would be fair to say that Biggie was groundbreaking in that aspect.