Notorious B.I.G.

Of the many skilled lyricists among his early-1990s East Coast contemporaries (Nas, Jeru, Black Moon), Biggie Smalls, AKA the Notorious B.I.G., was the only one who lived up to the predictions of a comeback for the East Coast hardcore sound. With the help of Bad Boy producer Sean "Puffy" Combs and R&B collaborators like Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, and Total, Biggie snatched public attention away from the G-funk sound of the West Coast. By the time his single "One More Chance" debuted at #5 on the Billboard pop charts, his popularity and industry politics contributed to a public feud between Biggie and West Coast counterpart 2Pac. The untimely deaths of both artists sealed their status as legends.