''Life After Death'' is the second and final

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by American rapper

the Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

, released on March 25, 1997, on Bad Boy Records and

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

. A

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

, it was released sixteen days after his murder. It features collaborations with guest artists such as

112 112 may refer to: *112 (number), the natural number following 111 and preceding 113 *112 (band), an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia **112 (album), ''112'' (album), album from the band of the same name *112 (emergency telephone number), t ...

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...

, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony,

Too $hort Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...

, Angela Winbush, D.M.C. of

Run-D.M.C. Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...

, the Lox, and

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks * PUF ...

. ''Life After Death'' exhibits the Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the

mafioso rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

subgenre. The album is a sequel to his first album, '' Ready to Die'', and picks up where the last song, "Suicidal Thoughts", ends. ''Life After Death'' sold 690,000 copies in its first week, peaking at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200. It received widespread critical acclaim upon release and was nominated for Best Rap Album,

Best Rap Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously, a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. In 2003, this award was split into separate awa ...

for its first single " Hypnotize", and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for its second single " Mo Money Mo Problems" at the

40th Annual Grammy Awards The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Rock icon Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and R. Kelly were the ...

. The album is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2020, it was ranked at No. 179 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Background

Two and a half years before the album's release, the Notorious B.I.G., who had married Faith Evans, became East Coast's icon in the East CoastWest Coast rivalry and featured on albums by

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

and

amongst others. The album had numerous planned release dates, but Biggie was involved in a car accident in September 1996 that delayed the finalizing of the album. It was pushed back to 1997. As he explained on

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...

's Rap City, Biggie aimed to reach a wider audience with ''Life After Death'', collaborating with a wider variety of artists than on his debut. In addition to Bad Boy labelmates Mase, the LOX and

, and label owner

, guests include

, Angela Winbush, Too Short, Lil Kim, & Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. A record with Bay Area rapper E-40 was not included on the final track listing. : Production was handled by DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Havoc,

RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name the RZA ( ), is an American rapper, actor, filmmaker, and record producer. He is the ''de facto'' leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most albums ...

Stevie J Steven Aaron Jordan (born November 2, 1971) Note: Live HHS link goes to error page, but copy-pasting the URL works. is an American DJ, record producer, and television personality. One of the most successful record producers of the mid-to-late 19 ...

and other members of Bad Boy's in-house team, the Hitmen. Q-Tip submitted a beat, which Biggie enjoyed; however, the album had already been completed and turned into Bad Boy.Full Clip: Q-Tip Runs Down His Music Catalogue Ft. Tribe, De La Soul, Nas, Biggie, The Roots, Dilla & More!
'' Vibe''. Accessed on February 16, 2022. The beat was later used for

A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip

's song "The Love", from their 1998 album ''

The Love Movement ''The Love Movement'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and their last album released during group member Phife Dawg's lifetime. Released on September 29, 1998, by Jive Records, it is a concept album, explor ...

''. Biggie traveled to the West Coast in February 1997 to promote the album, and shoot the video for the lead single, "Hypnotize." Two weeks before its release, on March 9, he was shot four times in a drive-by shooting and later pronounced dead at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over 2 ...

in Los Angeles.

Critical reception

''Life After Death'' received widespread acclaim from critics upon release. Jon Pareles of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' described the album as "flaunting affluence with a leisurely swagger, midtempo grooves and calmly arrogant raps". Anthony DeCurtis of ''

'' magazine called it a "conscious continuation of '' Ready to Die''", and stated "''Life After Death'' captures crime's undeniable glamour but doesn't stint on the fear, desperation and irretrievable loss that the streets inevitably exact". Cheo Hodari Coker from the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' wrote that "''Life After Death'' reflects both the dark and the heartfelt sides of the rapper's

Gemini Gemini may refer to: Space * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac ** Gemini in Chinese astronomy * Project Gemini, the second U.S. crewed spaceflight program * Gemini Observatory, consisting of telescopes in the Northern ...

personality. It's not only a complex testament to who he was in his private life, but also a demonstration of his amazing rhyming ability. In key moments, B.I.G. does a marvelous job of surfing between accessible music fare tailored for the radio, and more challenging material that will be savored by hard-core rap fans who have long admired B.I.G.'s microphone skills. Rarely has a rapper attempted to please so many different audiences and done it so brilliantly". In a five-mic review for '' The Source'', Michael A. Gonzales felt that it would "undoubtedly become a classic to any true hip-hop fan". Although David Browne of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' was unfavorable of the album's long length, and some of its violent and materialistic content, he commended Notorious B.I.G.'s "bicoastal respect" by working with other hip-hop styles and artists from other regions of the United States.

Retrospect

Since its release, ''Life After Death'' has received retrospective acclaim from critics. Rob Sheffield, writing in ''

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' (2004), called it "a filler-free two-disc rush of musical bravado" and commented that the Notorious B.I.G.'s voice and lyrics were "deeper" than before.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Jason Birchmeier wrote, "It may have taken the Notorious B.I.G. a few years to follow up his milestone debut, ''Ready to Die'', with another album, but when he did return with ''Life After Death'', he did so in a huge way. The ambitious album, intended as somewhat of a sequel to ''Ready to Die'', picked up where its predecessor left off." Birchmeier further said, "Over the course of only two albums, he achieved every success imaginable, perhaps none greater than this unabashedly over-reaching success." Evan McGarvey of ''

Stylus A stylus (plural styli or styluses) is a writing utensil or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example, in pottery. It can also be a computer accessory that is used to assist in navigating or providing more precision w ...

'' magazine wrote in his review, "''Life After Death'' is a grand exercise in personal mythology, narrative sweep, and truly diverse, universal pop excellence. As a double album it is the very definition of cinematic; it essentially perfected the concept and standard in hip-hop ... Sequenced as an unpacking of sorts, the album's progression from song to song is an essay itself."McGarvey, Evan (September 11, 2007)
"Notorious B.I.G. – ''Life After Death'' – The Diamond"
. ''

''. Retrieved November 8, 2009. In 2013, ''VIBE'' named ''Life After Death'' the greatest Hip-Hop/R&B album since 1993.

Accolades

*(*) signifies unordered lists

Commercial performance

''Life After Death'' was released to a significant amount of critical praise and commercial success. The album sold 690,000 copies in its first week. In 2000, the album was certified

Diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA), denoting shipment of 10 million copies (the threshold for double albums) and it has been credited as one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. It also made the largest jump to number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart in history, jumping from number 176 to number one in one week. Also, it spent four weeks at number one on the

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

chart and topped the Billboard Year-End chart as a ''Billboard'' 200 for 1997. It spent its four consecutive weeks at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 from the weeks of April 12 to May 3, 1997, later being bombarded from the top entry by singer

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

's third studio album, ''

Share My World ''Share My World'' is the third studio album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released by MCA on Earth Day, April 22, 1997. The album became Blige's first to open at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. Moreover, it is her ...

'', which released on April 22.

Legacy and influence

Although released in the wake of B.I.G.'s fatal shooting, ''Life After Death'' signaled a stylistic change in

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

as it crossed to the commercial mainstream. After ''Life After Death'',

's Bad Boy Records continued to bring pop and gangsta rap closer together: the references to violence and drug dealing remained, as did the "gangsta" rhetoric, but the previously dark production changed to a cleaner,

sample Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...

-heavy, more upbeat sound that was fashioned for the pop charts, as seen in the single " Mo Money Mo Problems". The Notorious B.I.G. is often credited with initiating this transition, as he was among the first mainstream rappers to produce albums with a calculated attempt to include both gritty and realistic gangsta narratives as well as radio-friendly productions. : The majority of the album was produced by Steven "Stevie J" Jordan, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Carlos "July Six" Broady,

Ron Lawrence Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...

, and Nashiem Myrick. However, notable hip-hop producers such as Easy Mo Bee, Havoc from

Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City. The duo consisted of rappers Prodigy and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hopEdwards, Paul, 2009, ''How to Rap: The Art & Scien ...

, DJ Premier and

from

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...

contributed beats. Various artists were specifically influenced by songs on ''Life After Death''.

Evidence Evidence for a proposition is what supports this proposition. It is usually understood as an indication that the supported proposition is true. What role evidence plays and how it is conceived varies from field to field. In epistemology, evidenc ...

's "Down in New York City" is essentially "Going Back to Cali" from the perspective of a

West Coast hip hop West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast region of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the ea ...

artist.

borrows four bars from "The World Is Filled..." in his song "

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released as the first single from his 2000 album '' The Dynasty: Roc La Familia''. It was produced by the Neptunes and features a chorus sung by Neptunes member Pharrell Wi ...

", as well as the chorus from his song "Squeeze first" from " Hypnotize", a line in "The Ruler's Back" from "Kick in the Door" and "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)" on "

D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" is a song written by American rapper Jay-Z. It was produced by No I.D. The song was released as a digital download on June 23, 2009, and as the first single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, '' The Blueprint 3''. The s ...

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...

borrows the chorus from "Kick in the Door" for his song "Child Support". As with B.I.G.'s "I Love the Dough"

Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

's 2010 song " Everything to Me" samples "I Love You More" by

René & Angela René & Angela were an American R&B duo consisting of musical artists and producers René Moore and Angela Winbush. They formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1986. They are most remembered for their 1985 song "I'll Be Good". Career They recorded ...

. The official remix includes a verse from B.I.G. that originally appeared on "I Love the Dough".

SWV SWV (Sisters with Voices) is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B g ...

sampled "Ten Crack Commandments" on the opening track "Someone" featuring B.I.G.'s former protege and friend

. The French rapper Rohff named his album "La Vie Avant La Mort" (Life Before Death) (2001) as a tribute to B.I.G, Joey Badass interpolated the lines 'Kick in the Door' on "Super Predator" from ''

All-Amerikkkan Badass ''All-Amerikkkan Badass'' (stylized as ''ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$'') is the second studio album by American rapper Joey Badass. It was released on April 7, 2017, through Pro Era Records and Cinematic Music Group. The album features guest appearances ...

'' (2017).

Track listing

Credits adapted from ''Life After Death'' liner notes.Notorious B.I.G. – ''Life After Death'': first Press. CD
/ref> Disc one notes * – co-producer * "Life After Death Intro" contains

of "Suicidal Thoughts" by the Notorious B.I.G., and "

This Masquerade "This Masquerade" is a song written by American singer and musician Leon Russell. It was originally recorded in 1972 by Russell for his album '' Carney'' and as a B-side for the album's hit single " Tight Rope". The song was then covered on Helen ...

" by George Benson. * "Somebody's Gotta Die" contains a sample of "In the Rain" by

the Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs " In the Rain" and "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", both of which were Top 10 Pop hits, as well as their late ...

. * "Hypnotize" contains a sample of "Rise" by Herb Alpert, and an

interpolation In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a type of estimation, a method of constructing (finding) new data points based on the range of a discrete set of known data points. In engineering and science, one often has a n ...

of " La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh. * "Kick in the Door" contains a sample of " I Put a Spell on You" by

Screamin' Jay Hawkins Jalacy J. "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins (July 18, 1929 – February 12, 2000) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, film producer, and boxer. Famed chiefly for his powerful, operatic vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of s ...

, "Unbelievable" by the Notorious B.I.G., interpolations of "Get Money" by

Junior M.A.F.I.A. Junior M.A.F.I.A. was an American hip hop group from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City. The backronym M.A.F.I.A. stands for Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes. They were formed and mentored by New York rapper The Notorious B.I.G ...

, "Wash Yo Ass" by

Martin Lawrence Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American comedian and actor. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playin ...

, and "Robby, the Cook, and 60 Gallons of Booze" by Louis & Bebe Barron. * "I Love the Dough" contains a sample and an interpolation of "I Love You More" by

, and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

. * "What's Beef?" contains a sample of "I'm Glad You're Mine" by

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Take Me to the River", ...

and "Close to You" by Richard Evans. * "B.I.G. Interlude" contains a sample of "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" by

Schooly D Jesse Bonds Weaver Jr. (born June 22, 1962), better known by the stage name Schoolly D (sometimes spelled Schooly D), is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Career Schoolly D teamed up with DJ Code Money in the mid-1980s. His ...

. * "Mo Money Mo Problems" contains a sample of "

I'm Coming Out "I'm Coming Out" is a song recorded by American singer Diana Ross. It was written and produced by Chic (band), Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and released on August 22, 1980, as the second Single (music), single from Ross' self-t ...

" by

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

. * "Niggas Bleed" contains a sample of "Hey, Who Really Cares" by

the Whispers The Whispers is an American group from Los Angeles, California, who have scored hit records since the late 1960s. They are best known for their two number one R&B singles, " And the Beat Goes On" in 1980 and "Rock Steady" in 1987. The Whispers ...

. * "I Got a Story to Tell" contains a sample of "I'm Glad You're Mine" by Al Green. Disc two notes * "Notorious Thugs" contains a sample of "More Than Love" by

Ohio Players Ohio Players is an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire (Ohio Players song), Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of t ...

. * "Miss U" contains an interpolation of "Missing You" by Diana Ross. * "Another" contains a sample and interpolation of "Another Man" by Barbara Mason. * "Going Back to Cali" contains a sample of "More Bounce to the Ounce" by Zapp. * "Ten Crack Commandments" contains samples of "Vallarta" by

Les McCann Leslie Coleman McCann (born September 23, 1935) is an American jazz pianist and vocalist.Feather, Leonard, and Ira Gitler (2007), ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 448. Oxford University Press. Early life Les McCann was born in ...

, and "Shut 'Em Down" by Public Enemy. * "Playa Hater" contains a sample and interpolation of "Hey Love" by the Delfonics. * "Nasty Boy" contains a sample of "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid. * "Sky's the Limit" contains a sample of "My Flame" by Bobby Caldwell. * "The World Is Filled..." contains a sample of "Space Talk" by

Asha Puthli Asha Puthli is a singer-songwriter, producer, and actress born on February 4, 1945 and raised in Bombay, India. She has recorded solo albums for EMI, CBS/Sony, and RCA. Her recordings cover blues, pop, rock, soul, funk, disco, and techno a ...

, and "The What" by the Notorious B.I.G. * "My Downfall" contains a sample of "For the Good Times" by

and an interpolation of " You're All I Need to Get By" by

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

and Tammi Terrell. * "Long Kiss Goodnight" contains a sample of "The Letter" by Al Green.

Personnel

Performers

Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

– writer, rap performer, additional production *

Sean "Puffy" Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

– featured rap performer *

– featured rap performer * Too Short – featured rap performer * Mase – featured rap performer *

Bizzy Bone Bryon Anthony McCane II (born September 12, 1976),Whitburn, Joel (2008) ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2006'', Record Research, , p. 97 better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper, singer and the youngest member o ...

– featured rap performer * Krayzie Bone – featured rap performer *

Layzie Bone Steven Howse (born September 23, 1974), known professionally as Layzie Bone, is a rapper known primarily for being a member of the group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. He has also gone by the names L-Burna and The #1 Assassin. He is the younger brother ...

– featured rap performer * Jadakiss – featured rap performer * Styles P – featured rap performer *

Sheek Louch Sean Divine Jacobs (born September 30, 1976), better known as Sheek Louch, is an American rapper best known as a member of The Lox, The LOX and founder of D-Block Records, along with Styles P and Jadakiss. Personal life and career At around ...

– featured rap performer *

– featured vocals *

– featured vocals * DMC – featured vocals * Angela Winbush – featured vocals *

Kelly Price Kelly Cherelle Price (born April 4, 1973) is an American R&B and gospel singer. She started her singing career in 1992. Price originally garnered attention by singing backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including her ''Billboa ...

– vocals * Pamela Long – additional vocals * Carl Thomas – additional vocals * Faith Evans – background vocals * Karen Anderson – background vocals * Keanna Henson – background vocals * Deborah Neeley Rolle – background vocals * Ron Grant – background vocals * Michael Ciro – guitar * Butch Ingram – writer/publisher

Production

* Sean "Puffy" Combs – producer, mixing * Carlos "6 July" Broady – producer, hammond organ * Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie – producer *

– producer * Nashiem Myrick – producer *

– producer * Easy Mo Bee – producer * DJ Premier – producer *

Clark Kent Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publish ...

– producer *

– producer * Havoc – producer * Buckwild – producer * Kay Gee – editor, producer * Chucky Thompson – producer *

DJ Enuff Ephrem Lopez (born January 25, 1969), known professionally as DJ Enuff is a DJ and radio personality from the United States. He mixes on-air for New York's Hip Hop radio station HOT 97 on weekdays from 4pm to 6pm. He is best known for being The N ...

– producer * Daron Jones – producer * Paragon – producer * Jiv Pos – producer * Mike Pitts – assistant producer, editor *

Michael Patterson Michael Patterson may refer to: *Michael Patterson (animator), American director and animator, creator of MC Skat Kat *Michael Patterson (English footballer) (1905 – after 1931) *Michael Patterson (Australian footballer) (1941–2002), AFL player ...

– engineer, mixing * Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander – engineer, mixing * Lane Craven – engineer, mixing *

Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is an American mixing engineer.Daley, Dan (May 2005).Manny Marroquin. ''Sound on Sound''. Retrieved February 10, 2007 He has received ten Grammy awards for his professional audio work. Life and career M ...

– engineer * Camilo Argumedes – engineer * Stephen Dent – engineer * Ben Garrison – engineer * Rasheed Goodlowe – engineer * Steve Jones – engineer * Rich July – engineer * John Meredith – engineer * Lynn Montrose – engineer * Axel Niehaus – engineer * Diana Pedraza – engineer * Doug Wilson – engineer * Tony Maserati – mixing * Paul Logus – mixing * Eddie Sancho – mixing * Richard Travali – mixing * Herb Powers – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

*
''Life After Death''
' at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

The Making of ''Life After Death''
at '' XXL''
Playing God: ''Life After Death''
at ''

'' {{Authority control The Notorious B.I.G. albums 1997 albums Albums published posthumously Arista Records albums Bad Boy Records albums Albums produced by KayGee Albums produced by Buckwild Albums produced by Sean Combs Albums produced by Stevie J Albums produced by Clark Kent (producer) Albums produced by DJ Premier Albums produced by Easy Mo Bee Albums produced by Havoc (musician) Albums produced by RZA Mafioso rap albums 1990s concept albums Sequel albums