NOTORIOUS BIG Notorious B.I.G., who won rap artist and rap single of the year, clutches his awards at the podium during the annual Billboard Music Awards in New York.

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On March 1, Netflix released the documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell, based on the life and death of iconic Brooklyn emcee The Notorious B.I.G.

The film captures the man born Christopher Wallace as he rose to Hip-Hop superstardom through never-before-seen home video footage and untold stories from the people closest to him.

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Culture Feature

Jay-Z's 7 Best Albums

On his 51st birthday, we take a look at Jay-Z's best albums.

By Debby Wong / Shutterstock

Shawn Carter, AKA Jay-Z, was born December 4, 1969.

He was raised in Marcy Houses, a housing project in Brooklyn, NY. He discovered a passion for music at a young age but became heavily involved in the streets as a crack cocaine dealer.

Jay's involvement with the drug trade would end after a near-fatal brush with death. This encounter motivated him to go legit and pursue music.

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Music Lists

The Best Bad Boy Songs From the '90s

The trendsetting label's most "Notorious" bangers

The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy

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Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the release of Harlem rapper Mase's debut album, Harlem World. The album would go on to sell over 4 million records and earn a Grammy nomination for Best Rap album. Mase's debut would become another successful outing for Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' label, Bad Boy Records.

Founded in 1993, Bad Boy Records would usher in a sound that would reshape the landscape of Hip-Hop and R&B. Comb's imprint took high-end fashion and popular hits from yesteryear and brought them to the streets. The label would launch the careers of now-legendary artists like The Notorious B.I.G., 112, and Faith Evans, and Combs would become one of the most influential men in Hip-Hop history.

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