Top 10 Notorious B.I.G. Songs

This is purely my list.  Purely my preference.  There were bigger hits.  There were better crafted songs.  Many people can look at this list and think, "what is he thinking?  Where is ___________?"  All that is true.  This, to me, is the list I'd make just because I enjoy listening to the songs.

10-HYPNOTIZE

I reluctantly place that on the list.  I know it is a crossover hit.  But when I make my Biggie compilation CDs it makes the cut just because it is catchy.  Not so much the hook as the actual jumpy lyrics and beat.  Sad that it pushed the "Ten Crack Commandments" off this list, but I'm just being real.

9-YOU'RE NOBODY (TIL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU)

His last song on his last album.  I just love the mood of the song and the wordplay.

8-BIG POPPA

Another one of his hits and one of the few "hits" that I like.  I never go to this right off the bat, but after listening to all my other favorite Biggie tracks this one has that chill feel to it.

7-LONG KISS GOODNIGHT

Probably on no one's list of his greatest songs, but I love RZA's beat and the fact that the song is seemingly aimed at Tupac.  While I had no real side in the Great Rap War, it was nice to see Biggie actually stretch out in a track like that.  Note that this was released after Tupac was murdered.

6-THINGS DONE CHANGED

To the uninitiated, this was the perfect song to jump off his debut album.

5-GIMME THE LOOT

When the only rapper that can hang with you on a track is you ... that's pretty good.

4-NOTORIOUS THUGS

This would rank higher but for two things.  One, the three songs ahead of it are just so good.  Two, the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony verses.  They don't suck, but I tend to find myself listening to the intro, Biggie's verse and then either skipping to the next song or going back to the beginning and listening again.  Maybe I get through Bizzy Bone's verse but rarely do I get all the way to Layzie's.  The fact that this song is like that and yet it sits at #4 tells you the strength of the intro and Biggie's verse.

3-WARNING

I said this the other day:  This is one of those tracks you can listen to in the car, sing those lyrics word-for-word like you own it and not care if people stare at you from other cars.  Plus, I'm one of those crazies who enjoys thinking back to songs that could only be made in the Golden Era of Hip Hop when we had pagers.

2-JUICY

This may be his greatest achievement.  Like I said, this is my preference and this is better than most songs anyone has ever made, it still sits at #2.  The track is everything.  Great storytelling of how his life blew up due to hip-hop.  Not just flashing all the cool stuff he has, but admitting that this is some wild shit!  Anyone who has had to struggle understands how it feels to finally achieve success and get some money in their pocket.

1-PARTY AND BULLSHIT

I'm honest when I say this: I was all over this track when it came out on the Who's The Man soundtrack.  Beside's House Of Pain's title track, "Party" was always getting played when I popped in that disc.  He was called "BIG" on the track listing and I had no clue who he was.  All I knew was I was excited for whenever his album was coming out.

Big Brother 16 Houseguest Rankings (Sep 4)

Tonight is the always thrilling Double Eviction episode of Big Brother.  It seems as if Nicole will be shown the door ... again.  But who will be the other person joining her in the jury house?  We'll find out tonight.  More importantly, what is the power ranking for the

7-NICOLE

Nicole is counting down the hours to her Big Brother houseguest experience.  I've never been big on the whole "second chance" twists at all since ... well ... it isn't fair.  I know that it is usually part of the game but it rarely is worth it.  Nicole was already an outsider when she was first evicted and now she's a lone wolf in the land of Detonators/Bomb Squaders.  Goodbye Nicole.

GAME:  Nicole's game has been decent.  She's been willing to go after the people running the house, she just has had zero support in getting those people out.  And like most of the time on Big Brother, you can strike but you better not miss.

6-CHRISTINE

It is obvious that Christine is viewed as the most expendable Detonator/Bomb Squader.  They don't trust her, none of the guys have any sort of concrete deal with her and she has shown an ability to go against their wishes.  Her winning the HOH tonight (either time) would make things interesting because she most likely will go after one of the guys.  But it is 5 against 1 in this and she can't win but one of the HOHs tonight.

GAME:  Not great.  She's not likable, she's annoying and she's been outed as a liar and a big mouth.  When you are part of a big alliance, you are usually on the first to go list.  She seemed to be playing the Andy (BB 15 winner) gameplan of playing both sides but loyal to one but that only works when people don't find out you are a rat this soon.  By the way, seeing her husband's clip a few episodes ago made me dislike her even more.

5-FRANKIE

Frankie is in that wildcard spot.  He is good enough to win this game but he's also a major target right now.  His alliance members are weary of him, but he's good enough at winning competitions that getting him out sooner than later should be a priority.  He's also great at talking his way out of trouble.  Right now, he and Christine are in the same boat, but if it came down to it they'd most likely save Frankie over Christine.

GAME:  He's played a pretty good game.  As mentioned, he's been impressive in competitions and in social game.  He has had some very big gaffes, however, that could cost him jury votes even if he gets to the end.  He may also be figuring out that America doesn't like him as much as he thought.

4-CALEB

Caleb is sitting good right now.  He was the only "Bomb Squad" member that believed in the alliance (the rest formed the Detonators) and has shown the ability to have a pretty good social game.  He can be swayed, but has shown the ability the make up his own mind ... even if someone helped make it for him.  Caleb is a valuable member to the alliance right now, but they may want him out of there before the Final Three.  If he gets there, he can win an endurance challenge over any of the remaining houseguests.

GAME:  Caleb has been this year's trans-formative houseguest.  He was a stalker early on who thought he was bigger than he really was in the house.  He still thinks that way, but he's shown much more to him than a muscle-bound country boy who falls in love with every purty gal.  Not only has he kept his alliance intact, but he has actually been the voice of reason at times.  Paired up against nearly everyone in the Final Two, he has a great shot to win.

3-CODY

I really want to like Cody, but he shows no backbone.  He wants to make these big moves but never does.  It may have been for his best interest to not make those moves, but it does say a lot that he talks a big game and does little else with it.  Cody is sitting good because he does have the ultimate Final Two deal with Derrick.  However, Derrick would be smart to cut him loose before it gets there.  To the other HGs, Cody could seemingly have a better resume.

GAME:  Cody can win competitions and wants to make a big splash,  but just can't pull the trigger on one (though he thinks evicting Donny was a big deal).  His flirty social game won't help him much in the jury house since only Christine will be affected by it.  He is looked at as a good dude to the guys in the house, and no one really hates him.  He could wiggle his way into a win.

2-VICTORIA

There is NO WAY Victoria wins this game.  She's done nothing.  Barring some idiot savant thing where she's been diving this entire time and turns into a real competitor, she's just along for the ride.  Victoria is in the same role GinaMarie was in last year ... everyone knows that they will beat her in the Final.  She is no real threat and she's survived to the point where everyone else should take strikes against each other.  She'll get carried just by here inability to win a competition and the lack of anyone taking her seriously.

GAME:   She's done nothing.  Even the competitions she has won, she really didn't win.  Her biggest game move?  Becoming Derrick's version of Dan's Danielle in BB 14.  He can control her vote so, at this point, can do what he wants as long as he can keep her off the block.

1-DERRICK

He deserves to win this game just on his ability to be in the thick of everything yet has zero blood on his hands.  He's essentially got deals with everyone and is very rarely quick to make a decision and instead breaks down what he should do.  He's played a very strategic game, decent social but his lack of competition wins really could hinder him in the jury.  Especially when you figure that no one realizes how strong a game he's been playing.

GAME:  Flawless so far.  His problem is that at some point someone is going to realize that Derrick has run this house since the beginning and find a way to get him out.