James Mtume, Co-Creator of Notorious B.I.G. Sample, Dead at 75
"Juicy Fruit" formed the backbone for "Juicy."
1994
'Ready to Die': Essential Deep Cuts
Four of our favorites from around Biggie's legendary debut.
The Remix That Offered Biggie a Breakthrough
He appeared on a remix of Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear."
April 1994: Warren G and Nate Dogg "Regulate" the Charts
A hip-hop hybrid and a yacht rock sample give the genre one of its biggest hits.
August 1994: Notorious B.I.G. Debuts with "Juicy"
The legend Notorious B.I.G. arrived fully formed on August 9, 1994, with the release of his debut single, "Juicy." The song hit the hip-hop nation like a bomb, reverberating out of summer cruising car stereos and storefront bodegas across America.
Produced by Poke of the Trackmasters and Sean Combs, the song's smooth, laid-back groove comes courtesy of a substantial sample of Mtume's 1983 hit, "Juicy Fruit." The idea for using the R&B classic for a hip-hop track was inspired by iconic producer Pete Rock, who claims that Combs stole it for "Juicy."