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Notorious B.I.G’s 1997 Pepsi Freestyle Has Been Immortalized
Prior to his death in 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. laid down a few bars during a Hot 97 freestyle with DJ Enuff, keeping his raps centered on Pepsi cola. “Big slam, quick slam, tin can, whatever, whether too cold or too hot, you got to keep Pepsi in the freezer,” raps Biggie, his signature flow in full effect. “I keep a 3 liter for my crew / My girl like them diet joints too/ for when she watch her weight, crack the top I can’t wait / Other sodas taste the worst — I don’t even converse.”
Des Willie/Redferns/Getty Images
With his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame imminent, Pepsi has decided to immortalize the rapper’s freestyle, bringing it to life with a crisp and nostalgic animated video. Together with former Biggie collaborators Enuff and Cey Adam (who worked on Big’s art direction), Pepsi helped remaster the track for the occasion. “Welcoming Notorious B.I.G. into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a remastered release of his one-of-a-kind Pepsi freestyle from 1997,” reads the caption on the YouTube video. “Animations by Antnamation.”
In all honesty, it’s rare that product placement sounds this hard. While it’s likely that longtime Biggie fans have already heard this one, it’s still exciting to see Pepsi step up and highlight the legendary rapper in a major way. Check out the clip below, which features no shortage of imagery from Biggie’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood, seeped in old-school hip-hop flavor. Rest in peace to a legend.
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Hall writes songs about the unspoken emotions people feel, conflict, hope, longing, and survival. That authenticity gives the track weight beyond the lush instrumentation. More than just a great sound. Feeling great. Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures’ personal and expansive song is born of emotional honesty and a richly layered production, reminding us that belief, not budgets, powers some of the biggest records.
Connect with Kenton Hall and The Necessary Measures on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube
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The Real Mack The Knife honors memory and spirit with soulful release “Rio Grande de Loíza”
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The song “Rio Grande de Loíza” has an old, alive vibe from the beginning. River water, moonlight, desire, and cultural memory shape a song that seems to rise from the ground. The Real Mack The Knife uses the river as a living, symbolic being, unlike the original work.
Julia de Burgos gives the piece incredible depth. She sees the river as a witness, a mother, a wound, a mirror, and a prayer throughout the song’s emotional landscape. The literary and spiritual connection gives the track a haunting beauty beyond music.
Connect with The Real Mack The Knife on Spotify || Instagram || Facebook || Youtube
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