The Notorious B.I.G.

Style markers
- Beats 2 & 4 syncopated rhyme pair

Style marker

Beats 2 & 4 syncopated rhyme pair

Biggie's signature swagger comes partly from placing his rhymes on unexpected beats.

Juicy (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Time

to

get

paid,

blow

up

like

the

World

Trade

Big Poppa (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

&

Chop

pin'

O's

smok

in'

la

in

Op

tim

os

Gimme the Loot (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Moth

er

fuck

in'

right,

my

pock

ets

look

in'

kind

a

tight

Things Done Changed (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Eith

er

you're

sling

in'

crack

rock

or

you

got

a

wick

ed

jump

shot

The What (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

play

in'

the

vill

ain,

pre

pare

for

this

rap

kill

in'

Machine Gun Funk (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

In

the

land

crui

ser

Jeep

with

the

MAC

10

by

the

seats

One More Chance (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Is

my

mind

play

in'

tricks

like

Scar

face

in

Bush

wick

Unbelievable (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Bull

ets

heat

seek

in',

cas

ual

ties

need

treat

in'

Respect (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

I'm

see

in'

my

death,

and

I

ain't

ev

en

took

my

first

step

Ready to Die (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

I

rob

and

steal

be

cause

that

mon

ey

got

that

whip

ap

peal

Warning (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

All

pur

pose

war,

got

the

Rott

weil

ers

by

the

door

Somebody's Gotta Die (1997)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Stash

in

the

hoop

tie,

my

al

ib

i

an

y

cut

ie

Sky's the Limit (1997)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Go

in

this

n---

a

pock

et,

rob

him

while

his

friends

watch

in'

These examples show one specific subtype of his characteristic cross-rhythms: when he puts two rhymes in one bar, he often puts the first rhyme on beat 2, and the second rhyme halfway through beat 4.

He did it most often on his first album. I don't know any prior rappers who used this flow.

Something to add?

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