Although you may find a few people who may disagree, the general consensus is that the Notorious BIG was the greatest hip hop artist who ever lived. What he brought to the game of hip hop was just more then a new style or delivery but an infectious voice and poetic imagery that had never been imagined in hip hop. In hip hop some rappers can freestyle while others were known for being able to go to the studio and create hits. The Notorious BIG was one of the only rappers in history, that was able to do both at an extremely high level.

To be number one not only do you have to be consistent but you have to bring something different to the table that no others have either done before or you have to do it better then it has ever been done. So what did the Notorious BIG bring to hip hop. The one thing the Notorious BIG was able to do that no other was capable of, was his ability to adapt. For the most part hip hop artists tend to find a producer (person who creates the music) who makes music that is specifically for them. This producer's whole job is to make music that fits the artist's style and compliments their voice. Although the Notorious BIG was known to have relied on P. Diddy for the bulk of his music he was one of the first hip hop artist to venture out of his comfort zone and allow other producers to give him music that realistically should not have fit his style. At this point in time in hip hop (much like it still is today) each region had its own style of music and rap delivery. As soon as a song started you would know the region, producer and artist before the first word was even delivered. The thing that the Notorious BIG was able to do was go to each of these regions and not only use the music but also adapt his delivery to match the artists of that particular region.

It didn't matter if it was and R&B hip hop track or a rap hip hop track, the Notorious BIG was able to adapt and make the song a hit purely off of his input alone. If it was collaboration the other artists were forgotten as the Notorious BIG stole the show. His use of imagery and puns were unheard of at the time and truly changed the way other hip hop artist started to approach the game. The Notorious BIG isn't regarded as the greatest hip hop artist who ever lived because of the money or the hit records he constantly made but for the impact he made on the entire hip hop industry. There may be artists, who come along after him and they may even have more success then he did but the impact he had on the hip hop industry will never be matched, much less surpassed.