The Notorious B.I.G.

Style markers
- Beats 2 & 4 syncopated rhyme pair

Style marker

Beats 2 & 4 syncopated rhyme pair

Biggie's signature swagger comes partly from the way he uses cross-rhythms. These "grouping dissonances" make his rhymes fall in unpredictable places.

Juicy (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Time

to

get

paid,

blow

up

like

the

World

Trade

Big Poppa (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

&

Chop

pin'

O's

smok

in'

la

in

Op

tim

os

Gimme the Loot (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Moth

er

fuck

in'

right,

my

pock

ets

look

in'

kind

a

tight

Things Done Changed (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Eith

er

you're

sling

in'

crack

rock

or

you

got

a

wick

ed

jump

shot

The What (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

play

in'

the

vill

ain,

pre

pare

for

the

strap

kill

in'

Machine Gun Funk (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

In

the

land

crui

ser

Jeep

with

the

MAC

10

by

the

seats

One More Chance (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

4

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Is

my

mind

play

in'

tricks

like

Scar

face

in

Bush

wick

Unbelievable (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Bull

ets

heat

seek

in',

cas

ual

ties

need

treat

in'

Respect (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

I'm

see

in'

my

death,

and

I

ain't

ev

en

took

my

first

step

Ready to Die (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

I

rob

and

steal

be

cause

that

mon

ey

got

that

whip

ap

peal

Warning (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

All

pur

pose

war,

got

the

Rott

weil

ers

by

the

door

Somebody's Gotta Die (1997)

The Notorious B.I.G.

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Stash

in

the

hoop

tie,

my

al

ib

i

an

y

cut

ie

Sky's the Limit (1997)

The Notorious B.I.G.

&

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

1

Go

in

this

n---

a

pock

et,

rob

him

while

his

friends

watch

in'

These examples are one subtype of his syncopation strategy: when he puts two rhymes in one bar, he often places the first rhyme on beat 2, and the second rhyme on the "and" of beat 4.

He did it a lot more often on his first album than on his second. I don't know any prior rappers who used this flow.

Something to add?

Email songpatterns@gmail.com with any additions or corrections.