Juicy

## Single by The Notorious B.I.G.

"**Juicy**" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released as the lead single and tenth track from his debut album, *Ready to Die* (1994). It contains a sample of the 1983 song "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, though is directly sampled from the song's "Fruity Instrumental" mix. It is regarded as the greatest hip-hop song of all time according to BBC Music polls, where Sowmya Krishnamurthy noted of its "universality" and "uplifting message of perseverance." *Rolling Stone* ranked it 8th place in their "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time," writing, "balances urban realism and playalistic excess."

## Background

According to Pete Rock, Sean "Puffy" Combs stole the beat from him. He told *Wax Poetics* in 2004, "I did the original version, didn't get credit for it. They came to my house, heard the beat going on the drum machine, it's the same story. You come downstairs at my crib, you hear music. He heard that s--t and the next thing you know it comes out. They had me do a remix, but I tell people, and I will fight it to the end, that I did the original version of that. I'm not mad at anybody, I just want the correct credit." Poke of Trackmasters denied this incident to *Complex* in 2012, saying, "I don't know where Pete Rock came from [saying he did the original version]. Maybe Puff tried to get Pete to do it and maybe it didn't come out the way he meant it. That could have happened prior to it coming for us to do. But that's really what it was."

## Music video

The official music video, directed by Puffy, depicts Biggie delivering lyrics in various places that show his upbringing. At one point it references to his former girlfriend Jan Jackson, where she said, "There's a part in the 'Juicy” video where he's talking on the phone and his friend is doing push-ups. I met him right at that phone. We grew up a block apart in Bed-Stuy, but we never met until January of 1990." It also featured his mother Voletta Wallace holding a March 1992 issue of *The Source*.

## Track listing

### 12-inch

**A-side**

1. "Juicy" (Dirty Mix) (5:05)
2. "Unbelievable" (3:45) (produced by DJ Premier)
3. "Juicy" (Remix) (4:42) (produced by Pete Rock)

**B-side**

1. "Juicy" (Instrumental) (5:05)
2. "Unbelievable" (instrumental) (3:45)
3. "Juicy" (remix instrumental) (4:43)

## Official versions

* "Juicy" (album version)
* "Juicy" (instrumental) – 5:05
* "Juicy" (dirty mix) – 5:05
* "Juicy" (remix) – 3:42
* "Juicy" (remix instrumental) – 4:43

## Gallery

* 2005 Remaster
* 2007 Remaster
* MTV Spring Break (1995)

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: The Notorious B.I.G.]

("Fuck all you hoes!" Get a grip, motherfucker!)

Yeah, this album is dedicated

To all the teachers that told me I'd never amount to nothin'

To all the people that lived above the buildings that I was hustlin' in front of

Called the police on me when I was just tryin' to make some money to feed my daughter (it's all good)

And all the n\*\*\*as in the struggle

You know what I'm sayin'? It's all good, baby baby

[Verse 1: The Notorious B.I.G.]

It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine

Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine

Hangin' pictures on my wall

Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl

I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped

Smokin' weed in Bambú, sippin' on Private Stock

Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack

With the hat to match

Remember Rappin' Duke? Duh-ha, duh-ha

You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far

Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight

Time to get paid, blow up like the World Trade

Born sinner, the opposite of a winner

Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner

Peace to Ron G, Brucie B, Kid Capri

Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starski

I'm blowin' up like you thought I would

Call the crib, same number, same hood, it's all good

And if you don't know, now you know, n\*\*\*a

[Chorus: *Total*, **Puff Daddy**]

*You know very well* (**Yeah**)

*Who you are* (**Money, hoes and clothes**)

*Don't let 'em hold you down* (**Bankrolls, yeah, haha**)

*Reach for the stars* (**It's all good**)

*You had a goal* (**C'mon**)

*But not that many* (**It's all good**)

*'Cause you're the only one*

*I'll give you good and plenty* (**Check it**)

[Verse 2: The Notorious B.I.G.]

I made the change from a common thief

To up close and personal with Robin Leach

And I'm far from cheap, I smoke skunk with my peeps all day

Spread love, it's the Brooklyn way

The Moët and Alizé keep me pissy, girls used to diss me

Now they write letters 'cause they miss me

I never thought it could happen, this rapping stuff

I was too used to packing gats and stuff

Now honeys play me close like butter play toast

From the Mississippi down to the East Coast

Condos in Queens, indo for weeks

Sold out seats to hear Biggie Smalls speak

Living life without fear

Puttin' five karats in my baby girl ear

Lunches, brunches, interviews by the pool

Considered a fool 'cause I dropped out of high school

Stereotypes of a black male misunderstood

And it's still all good

And if you don't know, now you know, n\*\*\*a

[Chorus: *Total*, **Puff Daddy**]

*You know very well* (**C'mon**)

*Who you are* (**Bankrolls**)

*Don't let 'em hold you down* (**Clothes**)

*Reach for the stars* (**Mansions**)

*You had a goal*

*But not that many (**It's all good**)*
*'Cause you're the only one*

*I'll give you good and plenty* (**'94**)

[Verse 3: The Notorious B.I.G.]

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis

When I was dead broke, man, I couldn't picture this

50-inch screen, money-green leather sofa

Got two rides, a limousine with a chauffeur

Phone bill about two G's flat

No need to worry, my accountant handles that

And my whole crew is loungin'

Celebrating every day, no more public housin'

Thinkin' back on my one-room shack

Now my mom pimps an Ac' with minks on her back

And she loves to show me off of course

Smiles every time my face is up in The Source

We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us

No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us

Birthdays was the worst days

Now we sip Champagne when we thirsty

Uh, damn right I like the life I live

'Cause I went from negative to positive and it's all (It's all good, n\*\*\*a)

And if you don't know, now you know, n\*\*\*a

[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G., *Total*, **Puff Daddy**]

*You know very well* (**Money**)

*Who you are* (**Hoes and clothes**)

*Don't let 'em hold you down* (**Bankrolls**)

And if you don't know, now you know, n\*\*\*a

*Reach for the stars* (**That's right**)

*You had a goal* (**It's all good**)

*But not that many* (**All good**)

*'Cause you're the only one* (**East coast, represent**)

*I'll give you good and plenty* (**C'mon**)

And if you don't know, now you know, n\*\*\*a

[Post-Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G., **Puff Daddy**]

Representin' B-Town in the house (**Biggie Smalls**)

Junior Mafia, mad flavor (**Bad Boy**)

Uh, uh, yeah, aight (**I see you, Cooch**)

[Chorus: Total]

You know very well

Who you are

Don't let 'em hold you down

Reach for the stars

You had a goal

But not that many

'Cause you're the only one

I'll give you good and plenty

[Outro: Puff Daddy, *Total*]

Biggie Smalls, it's all good, n\*\*\*a

Junior Mafia, it's all good, n\*\*\*a

Bad Boy, it's all good, n\*\*\*a

It's all good

That's right, '94

And on and on, and on and on

*You know very well*

It's all good

*Who you are*

Yeah

*Don't let 'em hold you down*

*Reach for the stars*

## References

1. ↑ Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (October 8, 2019). "Why Has The Notorious B.I.G.'s Debut Juicy Topped BBC Music's Poll...". *BBC*.
2. ↑ "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". *Rolling Stone*. June 2, 2017.
3. ↑ "Pete Rock Says He Was Jerked Over "Juicy"". *HipHopDX*. September 23, 2008.
4. ↑ Ahmed, Insanul (July 19, 2012). "Trackmasters Tell All: The Stories Behind Their Classic Records (Part 1)". *Complex*.
5. ↑ Cook, Dara (2004). "Never Let Me Down". *XXL*.
6. ↑ Malone, Chris (August 30, 2021). "The Notorious B.I.G. Included a Small Part of His Romantic History in the Background of His 'Juicy' Video". *Showbiz Cheat Sheet*.

Template:The Notorious B.I.G. songs