Big Poppa
Encyclopedia
"Big Poppa" is the Grammy
nominated and Billboard Award
winning second single off The Notorious B.I.G.
's Ready to Die
released in 1994 and the single was released in 1995. The song was his first Top 10 hit, peaking at number 6 in the US. It features a sample of the song "Between the Sheets
" written by Ronald Isley
, O'Kelly Isley, R.B. Isley, E.J. Isley, and C. Jasper, and originally performed by The Isley Brothers
.
The song was one of many songs of the era to continue to break down cultural boundaries in music, finding many fans among the youth market. It became a staple at parties and one of the most popular and identifiable songs of the era. It was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song of the Year at the 1996 Grammy Awards. It also went on to win at the Billboard Awards. On the clean version, the second quarter of the chorus replaces the line "To the honeys gettin' money, playin' nigga
z like dummies" with "To the honeys gettin' money playin' fellaz
like dummies."
It is one of Biggie's most popular singles based on its platinum certification by RIAA on May 23, 1995.
There is an official remix released in 1995 featuring Jermaine Dupri called ,"Big Poppa (So So Def Remix)" which has similar lyrics (Dupri replacing Puff Daddy) except Biggie has a new 3rd verse. This remix appeared as a single.
song "Dolly My Baby," released in 1993. The song makes a reference to original Bad Boy artist Craig Mack
who helped him make his lyrical debut ("now check it, I got more Mack than Craig in the bed...").
The song was used in the 2001 film Hardball multiple times and used in the 2009 biographical movie Notorious. Also the song was mentioned in 2008 film, Madea Goes To Jail, as well as being used for the party scene in 2007's Superbad.
The song was used by The LOX
's "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" as a tribute to B.I.G. who was killed in 1997 as the closing track from Money, Power & Respect
.
Gwen Stefani sampled the beat in her song "Luxurious". The song was released in her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby (2004)
B-Side
covered the song as a track on their remix album for their then single Shut Me Up.
The famous Bosnian artist, General Two made cover for the song translating the lyrics into Bosnian. He named the song Velki Babo, which gained huge popularity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated and Billboard Award
Billboard Music Award
The Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
winning second single off The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
's Ready to Die
Ready to Die
Ready to Die is the debut album of American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released September 13, 1994 on Bad Boy Records. The first release on the label, it features production by record producer and Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse,...
released in 1994 and the single was released in 1995. The song was his first Top 10 hit, peaking at number 6 in the US. It features a sample of the song "Between the Sheets
Between the Sheets (song)
"Between the Sheets" is a quiet storm funk song released by American R&B/soul/funk band The Isley Brothers in 1983 off their album of the same name on the T-Neck imprint.-History:...
" written by Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley
Ronald Isley is an American singer and is known as the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.-Career:...
, O'Kelly Isley, R.B. Isley, E.J. Isley, and C. Jasper, and originally performed by The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
.
The song was one of many songs of the era to continue to break down cultural boundaries in music, finding many fans among the youth market. It became a staple at parties and one of the most popular and identifiable songs of the era. It was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song of the Year at the 1996 Grammy Awards. It also went on to win at the Billboard Awards. On the clean version, the second quarter of the chorus replaces the line "To the honeys gettin' money, playin' nigga
Nigga
Nigga is a term used in African American Vernacular English that began as an eye dialect form of the word nigger .- Use in language :In practice, its use and meaning are...
z like dummies" with "To the honeys gettin' money playin' fellaz
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
like dummies."
It is one of Biggie's most popular singles based on its platinum certification by RIAA on May 23, 1995.
There is an official remix released in 1995 featuring Jermaine Dupri called ,"Big Poppa (So So Def Remix)" which has similar lyrics (Dupri replacing Puff Daddy) except Biggie has a new 3rd verse. This remix appeared as a single.
Background and content
The title is based on one of The Notorious B.I.G.'s many nicknames. The line "I love when you call me Big Poppa" is sampled from his verse from the Super CatSuper Cat
Super Cat is a deejay most popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement. Super Cat was born in Jamaica and was nicknamed Wild Apache. His nickname, the "Wild Apache" was given to him by his mentor Early B...
song "Dolly My Baby," released in 1993. The song makes a reference to original Bad Boy artist Craig Mack
Craig Mack
Craig Mack is an American Grammy nominated rapper, who gained fame on Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment record label in the 1990s. Although his first single was released under the name MC EZ in 1988, he is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear", which was released under his real name...
who helped him make his lyrical debut ("now check it, I got more Mack than Craig in the bed...").
The song was used in the 2001 film Hardball multiple times and used in the 2009 biographical movie Notorious. Also the song was mentioned in 2008 film, Madea Goes To Jail, as well as being used for the party scene in 2007's Superbad.
The song was used by The LOX
The LOX
The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records-Early career:...
's "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" as a tribute to B.I.G. who was killed in 1997 as the closing track from Money, Power & Respect
Money, Power & Respect
Money, Power & Respect is the debut album by hip hop group The LOX. It was released on January 13, 1998 through Bad Boy Records and featured production from The Hitmen, Dame Grease and Swizz Beatz...
.
Gwen Stefani sampled the beat in her song "Luxurious". The song was released in her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby (2004)
12 inch
A-Side- "Big Poppa" was a (Club Mix) (4:13)
- "Warning" was a (Club Mix) (3:41)
- "Big Poppa" (Instrumental) (4:13)
B-Side
- "Big Poppa" (Radio Edit) (4:12)
- "Warning" (Radio Edit) (2:57)
- "Warning" (Instrumental) (3:41)
- "Who Shot Ya?"
Maxi single
- "Big Poppa" (radio edit)
- "Big Poppa" (remix radio edit)
- "Who Shot Ya?" (radio edit)
- "Big Poppa" (remix instrumental)
- "Big Poppa" (club mix)
- "Big Poppa" (remix club mix)
- "Who Shot Ya?" (club mix)
- "Warning" (club mix)
Peak positions
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
30 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
42 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 47 |
Covers
Mindless Self IndulgenceMindless Self Indulgence
Mindless Self Indulgence is an American musical group formed in New York in 1997. Their music has a mixed style including rap, punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno and industrial...
covered the song as a track on their remix album for their then single Shut Me Up.
The famous Bosnian artist, General Two made cover for the song translating the lyrics into Bosnian. He named the song Velki Babo, which gained huge popularity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.