The Notorious B.I.G. will forever be one of the most iconic rappers in hip hop history and who deserves much respect because of it. Though he's no longer here, Biggie's music and legacy continues to live on.

Born Christopher George Latore Wallace on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York; Biggie Smalls would change the way that hip hop sounded forever. To this very day, he's still respected for having the smoothest, most effortless, classic flow in rap music. Many artists today aspire to be just as great as him.

From JAY-Z, Lil Kim, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Jadakiss, even "Hamilton" creator/star Lin-Manuel Miranda; these acts have always looked up to Big's music to make theirs just as dope. Plus, you can't talk about people who respect and love the late rapper without mentioning Big's former friend and Bad Boy partner Diddy. The now-mogul never misses a chance to shout out his deceased homie.

Before he left the earth, Biggie blessed us with Ready To Die, which dropped in 1994, and Life After Death, which was released just a few days after his death in 1997. Big's final album would officially become certified diamond in 2000. This milestone made Life After Death one of the few rap albums in history to reach such a musical landmark.

Not only is The Notorious B.I.G.'s flow in his music respected, but so are his lyrics. The way he would tell vivid stories was perfection. We can continue to learn many life lessons from Big's words. Since we know that the Brooklyn MC left us way too soon, lets take a look at 10 of his lyrics that can empower us to life our lives to the very fullest below.

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