Biggie

I've seen this album on a couple of blogs with all of them claiming that this is the original version of "Ready To Die". Now on the surface it's fairly similar to the album we all know frontwards and backwards, but there are some alternate lyrics and beats that in my opinion sound like scratch tracks. By scratch tracks I mean the producer was in the studio and putting the song together by laying different vocal takes over the track and these scratch tracks are what people are calling the "original" versions when in fact they are probably just the versions that never made the final cut. It's most notable when you hear varying vocals that aren't leveled correctly and sound like they are more of place holders and the like.

I could be wrong as I'm not some 90's rap scholar by any measure.

The best moments come during:

"Machine Gun Funk" Premiere version
Alternate "Ready To Die" beat
Alternate verse on "The What" w/ Method Man
Alternate "Juicy" Pete Rock original beat
"Suicidal Thoughts"
"Come On" w/ Sadat X

Listening to Biggie in his prime again makes it very apparent how much better he was than his contemporaries. Does that mean you name drop him in every 16 you spit? (The Game I'm looking in your direction) No, it doesn't, but his talent is undeniable.

Grab it:

Notorious B.I.G "Ready To Die" Alternate Version