Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

DammitIreallyreallyreallyfuckingloveBiggie's"EverydayStruggle"! I actually think "Struggle" (from his debut, '94's Ready to Die) might be my favorite Notorious B.I.G. track, ever. From its opening sample (from a Bob James record?) to its ridiculously loud, jacked-up snare beat, this is gritty, genuine hip-hop perfection. Every single element of this track is real, and works - even Puffy's "right"s, muttered in the background (back 'n the day, he actually knew so little as to be inobtrusive). Produced by Norman & Digga/Bluez Brothers (who dey?), and buried 11 tracks into Ready to Die, "Struggle" has always had all the earmarks of a hidden classic to my ears. Lyrically, it's the flipside of "Big Poppa," a lament about what the character's life has become:

"I don't wanna live no mo'
Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door
I'm living every day like a hustle
Another drug to juggle
Another day another struggle."

BIG sound so raw, so real, so vulnerable on this track - and I think that was one of his greatest victories, why he was such a success; there was always something in his voice which was relatable. He may be rapping about the drug game here, but you can't help but feel that he understands your struggle, too. Even when it was all champagne-and-caviar for the man, he never seemed to lose touch with his roots. His fans never forgot that. Hmm, perhaps it's time for a Rough Guide to the Notorious B.I.G....