“Unbelievable” by The Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie’s “Unbelievable” can be said to be both braggadocious and autobiographical in nature. That is to say on one hand Biggie is bragging about his lyrical skill, bravado and success. And on the other he is detailing certain aspects of his lifestyle, such as his affinity for weed and women. Or another interesting way of looking at it is that all of the aforementioned are connected. Simply put, Biggie’s life is about dropping dope rhymes, busting shots at opps, picking up “chicken heads” and enjoying “weed”.
Facts about “Unbelievable”
Amongst the tracks which “Unbelievable” samples are:
- “Impeach the President” (1973) by The Honey Drippers
- “Your Body’s Calling’” (1994) by R. Kelly
- A 1973 instrumental called “Kitty with the Bent Frame” released by Quincy Jones
This track was produced by legendary hip-hop musician DJ Premiere. In fact Preemo did so at a reduced price at the behest of The Notorious B.I.G., whom he was already friendly with. Moreover it was actually Biggie who advised him to sample “Impeach the President” and “Your Body’s Calling’” into the track.
Biggie also composed the rap itself alongside DJ Premiere. And according to Premiere, Notorious did so without actually writing down any words.
This track is featured on Biggie’s iconic debut album, which is entitled “Ready to Die”. In fact “Unbelievable” was the last song actually recorded for the album. And it was released with the rest of “Ready to Die”, via the efforts of Bad Boy Records in partnership with Arista Records, on the date of September 13th, 1994.
In 2013, a biography of The Notorious B.I.G.’s life by Cheo H. Coker was also entitled “Unbelievable”.
There is a line in this song in which Biggie reportedly takes a jab at Kwamé, who himself was a popular rapper back in the early 1990s.
Was “Unbelievable” a single?
No. The following are the only official singles to be released from this track’s album (“Ready to Die”):
