The Notorious B.I.G exploded onto the hip-hop scene in 1994 with the hip-hop anthem "juicy" after blazing remixes for Craig Mack and Mary J. Blige. His now classic debut Ready To Die, the sophomore double CD Life After Death, and 1999's Born Again combine for over 10 million career album sales. Biggie's magnetic persona, signature flow, and imaginative delivery secured Bad Boy Entertainment's place at hip hop's forefront. His tragic deathin 1997 devastated the music world and spawned numerous imitators. Enduring beyond charts and trends, Christopher Wallace is irreplacable and unforgetable. With Duets: The Final Chapter, his legacy as an icon of the art form and the culture lives on.

Long before the days of platinum and gold success, a rapper’s worth was in the DJ’s placement within his mix. Ultimately, it would be the growing popularity and increased necessity of The Mixtapes created by DJ’s that would serve as the lifeline to Hip Hop, as it grew into the most celebrated art form.