To this day, two of hip-hop’s most polarizing figures are Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie Smalls) and Tupac (or 2Pac—depending upon the publication) Shakur. Giants in an already giant industry, their feud would spill into an East Coast versus West Coast Battle that would eventually claim the lives of both emcees. For those who have been living under a rock for the past twenty years, the beef between the two started in late 1994 when Tupac was entering Quad Recording Studios. He was then shot 5 times by still unknown assailants. Biggie, who was recording at the same studio, was blamed in the media by Shakur, especially after Biggie released the song “Who Shot Ya” off of his upcoming album (ironically titled Ready to Die). ‘Pac took the song as a not so subtle admission by B.I.G. to having a hand in the perceived set-up at Quad Studios. Tupac would then escalate the beef through taunts delivered through interviews in both print and video media. There were claims of adultery between ‘Pac and Biggie’s estranged wife Faith Evans. Then, there was what some consider the most scathing dis record “Hit Em Up” in which Pac lyrically bludgeoned the rapper born Christopher Wallace. It is worth noting that Biggie never responded to Tupac on wax. It was his desire to squash the beef at which he found himself the center of. There was even a meeting that Biggie spoke of on his VH1 “Behind the Music” in which each rapper, along with their entourages, encountered each other backstage at an awards show. Biggie reportedly asked 2Pac, “Yo man! What are you doing?” to which ‘Pac replied, “Man I’m just trying to sell some records.”
On the night of September 7, 1996, shortly after leaving a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tupac, and Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight were in a car that was riddled with bullets while at a traffic light. It was barely 6 months later, on March 9, 1997 when Notorious B.I.G. would be shot in Los Angeles California—also while stopped at a traffic light. While ‘Pac fought for his life in a Las Vegas hospital over the next six days, Biggie was unfortunately pronounced dead within a couple of hours of his shooting.
Both deaths were a great loss in the hip-hop community. Both Biggie and Pac were rising stars in an increasingly popular art form. When one considers their ages—24 and 25 respectively, it just makes one wonder, what could have been. In the years immediately following their deaths, hip-hop took a decidedly less aggressive, less violent tone as a whole. Whereas the early and mid 90s were ripe with what would later be termed “gangsta rap”, the latter part of the 90s had a lot of hip hop that was either party oriented or socially conscious. Some of the biggest albums of the late 90s included Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style”, Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”, Mase’s “Harlem World” Outkast’s “Aquemini” and Extinction Level Even from Busta Rhymes. Even Tupac’s former Death Row label mate, Dr. Dre had toned down his more gangster musings for a more clean-cut image with the launch of his label Aftermath. Sure there were still songs peppered with violent imagery such as the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” by DMX and “Shook Ones” by Mobb Deep, but largely, these songs were being replaced by songs that praised material excess, sex, and having a good time or conversely, songs that intended to make one think about the intrinsic value (or lack thereof) of the aforementioned lifestyle. Even labels such as No Limit had begun to eschew their rowdy street anthems with more party oriented singles such as “Make ‘Em Say Ugh” and reflective songs such as “I Miss My Homies”.
If one takes a look at the top rap songs for the years 1997, 1998, and 1999, you would be hard-pressed to find any ultraviolent tracks that could be classified as “gangsta rap”. As mentioned before, a few songs with more violent material slipped through the cracks, but that was more the exception to the norm as opposed to the norm.
1997 Billboard Top Rap Songs
1998 Billboard Top Rap Songs
1999 Billboard Top Rap Songs
