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"Ten Crack Commandments" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. on disc two of his final studio album, Life After Death. It was written by B.I.G. (credited under his legal name, Christopher Wallace) along with producer DJ Premier.
| "Ten Crack Commandments" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Notorious B.I.G. | |
| from the album Life After Death | |
| Released | March 25, 1997 |
| Recorded | 1996–1997 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:24 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | DJ Premier |
Background
editThe song is a step-by-step guide to achieving success as a drug-dealer. Biggie, purportedly, was inspired by an article penned by Khary Kimani Turner (under the pseudonym KT) in the hip hop magazine The Source. The July 1994 article, entitled "On the Rocks: From 1984 to 1994, Ten Years of Crack", included a sidebar, "A Crack Dealer's Ten Crack Commandments" that outlines ten critical rules to help dealers survive and thrive in the drug business.[1]
The crack epidemic of the early 1980s and the early 1990s was the flood of crack cocaine usage in urban communities across the United States. Beginning around the same time as hip hop music became the sound of these same urban areas, the manifestations of the crack epidemic became a key theme in hip hop music.
The relationship between drugs and hip hop music can be mapped onto the politics of drug use in urban communities during the epidemic. A lack of economic opportunity forced urbanites to turn to selling drugs and other illicit forms of employment to make ends meet and provide for their families. The war on drugs sought to quell the incredible impact that drugs had on the United States and the increase in violent crime nationwide.
These two factors encouraged both The Source and rappers to discuss drug-dealing in the way that promoted physical and fiscal security without discouraging dealers to stop selling drugs.
Composition
edit"Ten Crack Commandments" does not follow the typical constructs of a hip hop or pop song. It contains no chorus and abandons the typical 16-bar construction of a rap verse. Instead, the song presents the lyrics in a list and offers a short, witty explanation of each. Bracketing this list are an intro and outro that outline Biggie's credentials for sharing the list and explore what might happen if the listener does not abide by these rules.[2]
The song also includes samples from "Shut 'Em Down" by Public Enemy, Countdown by Keith Murray, and "Vallarta" by Les McCann, and interpolates the structure of the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Crack Commandments
edit- Never let anyone know how much money you have.
- Never let anyone know your next move.
- Never trust anyone.
- Never use what you sell. ("Know you've heard this one before, never get high on your own supply")
- Never sell where you live.
- Never take credit.
- Keep your family and business completely separated.
- Never keep any crack on you.
- If you aren't being arrested, stay away from police.
- Consignment is not for novices
Legacy
edit"Ten Crack Commandments" is widely considered to be one of Biggie's greatest works. Billboard ranked the song number nine on their list of the 25 greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs,[3] The Guardian ranked the song number five on their list of the 20 greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs,[4] and Rolling Stone ranked the song number four on their list of the 50 greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs.[5] On their list of the 25 best songs about selling drugs, Complex rated the song number one.[6]
In March 2017, Faith Evans released the single "The Ten Wife Commandments" as the fourth single from her duet album with the rapper The King & I. Lin-Manuel Miranda paid homage with the song "Ten Duel Commandments" in his hit musical Hamilton. The Swedish underground hip hop group The Keffat Liv paid homage with the song "10 Barn Commandments" from their album Vassego o skölj.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Edwards, Phil (May 9, 2014). "Read the Source article that the Notorious B.I.G. copied for Ten Crack Commandments". Trivia Happy. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
- ^ The Notorious B.I.G. – Ten Crack Commandments, retrieved 2020-04-06
- ^ Josephs, Brian (March 9, 2020). "The Notorious B.I.G.'s 25 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (March 5, 2021). "The Notorious BIG: his 20 greatest tracks – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Notorious B.I.G. Songs". Rolling Stone. March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ "The 25 Best Songs About Selling Drugs". Complex. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
Sources
edit- "Notorious B.I.G's 'Ten Crack Commandments' Inspired by Magazine Feature". BlackBook. February 23, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- "Faith Evans & The Notorious B.I.G. Provide the Blueprint for Marriage on 'Ten Wife Commandments': Listen". Billboard. March 23, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- Strauss, Matthew (October 18, 2016). "Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda Turn Biggie's "Ten Crack Commandments" Into New Pro-Hillary Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 4, 2013.