He also went on to mention that his lyrics are 'firmly rooted in reality, but play like scene from a movie'.
Touré, writing for The New York Times, referred to The Notorious B.I.G., proclaiming that he stood out from other rappers because 'his lyrics mix autobiographical details about crime and violence with emotional honesty, telling how he felt while making a living as a drug dealer'. The album is also noted for its dark tone and sinister sense of depression. In the original Rolling Stone review, Cheo H Coker declared that he 'maintains a consistent level of tension by juxtaposing emotional highs and lows'. 'Things Done Changed' was also one of the few hip hop songs in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. 'Juicy' was released as the lead single on August 8, 1994. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles. It shipped 500,000 copies in the United States and the RIAA certified it Gold on November 16, 1994. Produced by Combs, it features a prominent sample of 'Juicy Fruit' as performed by James Mtume. AllMusic's Steve Huey stated that, along with the other singles, it was an 'upbeat, commercial moment', calling it a 'rags-to-riches chronicle'. Andrew Kameka, of, stated that the song was one of his 'greatest and most-revealing songs' and went on to say it was a 'Part-autobiography, part-declaration-of-success. Rock explained this in an interview with Wax Poetics: It document the star's transition from Brooklyn knucklehead to magazine cover story.' Producer Pete Rock, who was commissioned to remix the track, alleged that Puffy stole the idea for the original song's beat after hearing it from him during a visit. Ready to Die received critical acclaim from music critics. Coker stated ' Ready to Die is the strongest solo rap debut since Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted.
From the breathtakingly visual moments of his birth to his Cobainesque end in 'Suicidal Thoughts,' B.I.G. It's difficult to get him out of your head once you sample what he has to offer'.