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}} ''Ready to Die'' is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G.; it was released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records. The label's first release, the album features production by Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier and Lord Finesse, among others. Recording for the album took place during 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of B.I.G.'s experiences as a young criminal. ''Ready to Die'' is his only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered just days prior to the release of his second album, ''Life After Death'' (1997). ''Ready to Die'' was released to critical acclaim and became a commercial success, achieving gold certification. In 1995, after the release, the album became a certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),〔Billboard Magazine Vol. 107, No. 45, Page 27 (November 11, 1995) http://books.google.com/books?id=Dw0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT28&lpg=PT28&dq=ready+to+die+soundscan+sales+2+million&source=bl&ots=dGXFgHQzQd&sig=fMzaz8HrO7CXP_zxvVbxoNOOSNQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=s8oXVLyEGs-yyATxvYKwBQ&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=ready%20to%20die%20soundscan%20sales%202%20million&f=false〕 and the album has reached a certified quadruple platinum with sales. It was significant for revitalizing the east coast hip hop scene, amid West Coast hip hop's commercial dominance.〔Steve Huey. (The Notorious B.I.G. > Biography ). Allmusic. Accessed March 17, 2007〕 The album's second single, "Big Poppa", was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. ''Ready to Die'' has been regarded by many music critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. In 2003, it was ranked number 133 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, making it the third highest hip hop album on the list after ''It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back'' and ''Raising Hell''. In 2006, ''Time'' included it on their list of the 100 greatest albums of all time.〔Josh Tyrangiel (November 13, 2006). (The All-TIME 100 Albums ). ''Time''. Accessed May 13, 2008.〕 == Background and recording == The album was recorded in New York City (mainly in The Hit Factory recording studio) in two stages between 1993 and 1994. In 1994, Biggie was only 21 going through 22-years old, when he recorded the album. In 1993, Biggie was signed to the Uptown Records label by A&R Sean "Puffy" Combs. Biggie started recording his debut album in New York, after making a numerous guest appearances on among his label-mates' singles during the previous year. The first tracks recorded include the album's darker, less radio-friendly content (including "Ready to Die," "Gimme the Loot" and "Things Done Changed"). In these sessions, ''XXL'' magazine describe an "inexperienced, higher-pitched" Biggie sounding "hungry and paranoid".〔 When executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs was fired from Uptown, Biggie's career hung in limbo, as the album was only partially completed. After a brief period dealing drugs in North Carolina, Biggie returned to the studio the following year on Combs' new Bad Boy Records label possessing "a smoother, more confident vocal tone" and completed the album. In this stage, the more commercial-sounding tracks of the album were recorded, including the album's singles. Between the two stages, ''XXL'' writes that Biggie moved from writing his lyrics in notebooks to freestyling them from memory.〔Andrea Duncan (March 9, 2006). ("The Making of Ready to Die: Family Business" ). ''XXL''. Accessed March 18, 2008.〕 The album was released with a cover depicting an infant resembling the artist, though sporting an afro, which pertains to the album's concept of the artist's life from birth to his death. It has been listed as among the best album covers in hip hop.〔Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Chairman Mao, Gabriel Alvarez & Brent Rollins. ''ego trip's Book of Rap Lists'', New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999, p. 167. ISBN 978-0-312-24298-5〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ready to Die」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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