March 10, 2019

DJ Smooth Denali "Biggie Smalls Is The Illest" (Mixtape)


Biggie Smalls Is The Illest is not only a lyric, nor just the title of this mix; it's a damn fact! Every time I hear a tribute mix to the late Notorious B.I.G., I think to myself "damn, he was just 24 when he passed!" What a f#cking shame! There's no filler in his catalog, no fluff; not a ton of demo versions for tracks left on the cutting room floor... but, the same part of me that mourns his death, celebrates his life because he truly was the illest. I'm thankful that he released "Life After Death," because the range he showed on that album told me all I needed to know about what he was truly capable of in music. Sure, Ready To Die is my favorite of the two projects, but Life After Death was a glimpse at a future we never got to see through B.I.G.'s eyes. DJ Smooth Denali adds his unique spin on a tribute to the late great with some blends, album cuts, unheard versions, remixes, and original samples from B.I.G.'s short - but classic - catalog! R.I.P., Biggie Smalls. Listen to it below...