102 Unforgettable Notorious B.I.G. Quotes on Living In The Moment

The Notorious B.I.G. or often called Biggie Smalls was one of the most influential rappers in modern times. For years and up until the time of his death, he took on the world and never stopped sharing his story and message through his powerful lyrics.

He brought the goods and kept things real at a time when social media was non-existent. His flow and storytelling kept the masses not only entertained, but inspired many to push themselves out of poverty and into a safe and secure life.

Essentially, the impact he’s made to African Americans can’t be understated. A man who left an enduring mark on those previously ignored and today, his quotes continue to inspire the next generation of artists.

We hope you’re empowered by these as much as we are.

1. To all the teachers that told me I’d never amount to nothing.

Notorious Big

2. I’m living every day like a hustle.

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3. The mo’ money you make, the mo’ problems you get.

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4. Never lose, never choose to.

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5. If you feel like it’s something you don’t have to do, you really have to question it.

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6. As I leave my competition respirator style, climb the ladder to success escalator style.

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7. If you hear something about somebody, don’t be so quick to be like, I don’t like him. Try to find out what’s going on.

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8. It’s all good baby, baby.

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9. Damn right I like the life I live, because I went from negative to positive.

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10. The hustlers on the corner were my role models.

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11. Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.

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12. Take a better stand. Put money in my mom’s hand. Get my daughter this college plan, so she don’t need no man.

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13. You gotta mature, you know.

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14. I can’t never stop nobody, can’t knock nobody hustle.

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15. I’m trying to get other niggas off the streets.

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16. To all the ladies in the place with style and grace. Allow me to lace these lyrical douches in your bushes. Who rock grooves and make moves with all the mamis?

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17. My real life helped me sell a lot of records.

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18. Live the phrase sky’s the limit.

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19. Considered a fool ’cause I dropped out of high school. Stereotypes of a black male misunderstood.

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20. If the game shakes me or breaks me, I hope it makes me a better man.

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21. I hold grudges, but I can’t hate nobody; that’s not my nature.

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22. If you don’t love yourself, I’ll make you see your own heart.

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23. Get my daughter this college grant so she don’t need no man

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24. You’re mad cause my style you’re admiring. Don’t be mad,ups is hiring.

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25. Sticks and stones may break bones, but the Gat will kill you quicker.

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26. Another day, another struggle.

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27. I grew up in some suburb, I’d come out with a song about potholes in my lawn.

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28. Sicker than your average.

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29. What happens on that corner happens on every corner.

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30. I don’t chase them, I replace them.

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31. 96 is the year of love. We all need to pull together.

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32. I can’t even say Puff and me are like brothers, ’cause we closer than that.

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33. Learn to treat life to the best, put stress to rest.

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34. Who wants to be a shadow for the rest of their life?

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35. We can’t change the world unless we change ourselves.

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36. Every true hustler knows that you cannot hustle forever. You will go to jail eventually.

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37. Whatever you’re going to do, just do it for a reason. You know what I’m saying. Don’t be a fool and just sit back and do it because somebody else is doing it.

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38. I’m a nice guy, but the fear keeps everybody on their toes. People sometimes mistake sweetness for weakness.

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39. Back in third grade, they used to say, ‘Take whatever talent you have and think of something you can do with it.’ I liked to draw, but what could I do with it? Maybe I could be an art dealer – nah, can’t see myself doing that. Maybe I could do commercial arts?

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40. The second time I went to jail, I was like, ‘okay, this is not the move.’

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41. Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis. When I was dead broke man I couldn’t picture this.

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42. You never want anyone to know everything about you. It makes you too easy to classify.

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43. I don’t chase ’em, I replace ’em.

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44. I wanted to get in the game and get the big house and the cars, and with the pool. I wanted to do all that.

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45. I would never wish death on nobody, ’cause there ain’t no coming back from that.

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46. And if you don’t know, now you know.

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47. You’re nobody ’til somebody kills you.

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48. I can’t even see me wasting my time or my talent to disrespect another black man.

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49. I wonder if I died, would tears come to her eyes? Forgive me for my disrespect, forgive me for my lies.

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50. While your guns raisin’, mine is blazin’.

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51. Please don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.

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52. With big folks, either people think you look mean or it’s more of a jolly Santa Claus, ‘Oh, he’s just a pudgy little teddy bear pillow.’

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53. I don’t wanna live no more, sometimes I hear death knockin’ at my front door.

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54. I’m not a security-type person: I don’t want to have bodyguards around me. I’m not into all that.

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55. s I open my eyes and realizing I changed. Not the same deranged child stuck up in the game.

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56. We aint’ trying to fail in this game. We trying to succeed.

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57. I cleaned up my act, and I made this rap thing work for me. I thought people would respect me for that. But instead, it’s, ‘Oh, he’s sold all these records, and now he thinks he’s all that.’

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58. Even when I was wrong, I got my point across.

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59. I’m living everyday like a hustle, another drug to juggle.

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60. I can’t rhyme about being broke no more, I ain’t broke, I can’t rhyme about hustling in the streets no more cause I don’t hustle no more, you know, so it’s the life after. All that’s over with now, I ain’t hungry no more. Now it’s a new beginning, this the life after the death.

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61. Birthdays was the worst days. Now we sip champagne when we thirstay.

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62. Excellence is my presence, never tense, never hesitant.

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63. I don’t want to live no more, sometimes I hear death knocking’ at my front door.

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64. Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it, and live the phrase ‘sky’s the limit.’

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65. Never let them know your next move.

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66. I’m basically different things to different people. If it’s a guy, I’m-a probably have my guard up because it’s a street rule that when men come around that I don’t know, I just immediately throw shade on them. But I don’t associate with fellas all that much; if it’s a girl – a beautiful girl – I be nice.

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67. Climb the ladder to success escalator style.

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68. If Faith had twins, she’d probably have two Pacs, Get it, Tu-Pac’s?

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69. Life is a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.

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70. Keep trying. Persistence and consistency is the best thing. As long as you keeping it real, and you keep trying, keep banging that wall and it will fall.

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71. Pac get busy. People can’t take nothing from him. On the lyrics, he get busy, straight up.

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72. And everything you get, ya gotta work hard for it.

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73. You got to mature, you know.

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74. I found something I was good at, I’m just trying to flip it, keep it going. I ain’t trying to slack at all.

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75. Basically, I wake up at nine o’clock in the morning, go to different record stores, go to the studio, think up different ideas for songs. Just workin’.

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76. Yes it’s me, the B.I.G / Competition ripper ever since 13.

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77. It’s like the more money we come across / the more problems we see.

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78. If you got a little something you know how to do, progress at it, keep trying, you know God knows what could happen.

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79. Catch me if you can like the gingerbread man.

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80. Drink some coffee. Put on some gangsta rap and handle it.

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81. Never let no one know how much dough you hold.

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82. I can’t even see me wasting my time or my talent to disrespect another black man.

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83. You know very well who you are, don’t let em hold you down, reach for the stars.

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84. I’m definitely a writer. I don’t even know how to freestyle.

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85. I never thought it could happen, this rappin’ stuff.

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86. I gotta stay on a positive vibe. All my peoples gotta stay on a positive vibe, you know? The negativity just brings failure.

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87. I’m blowing up like you thought I would/Call the crib, same number, same hood, it’s all good.

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88. Never get high on your own supply.

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89. I never wish death on nobody, cause there ain’t coming back from that.

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90. All I know is gold and platinum, and I want to be platinum.

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91. I love it when you call me Big Poppa.

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92. Lyrically, I’m supposed to represent.

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93. How real can your music be if you wake up in the morning hearing birds and crickets? I never hear birds when I wake up. Just a lot of construction work, the smell of Chinese takeout, children screaming, and everybody knocking a different track from ‘Ready to Die’ as they pass down the street.

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94. If you can make it through the night, there’s a brighter day.

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95. You never thought that hip hop would take it this far.

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96. I grew up a screw up, got introduced to the game, got a ounce and blew up.

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97. I’m making music for the people. If y’all love the music, y’all gonna buy the music.

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98. I don’t chase em I replace em and if I’m caressing em I;m undressing em.

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99. I never wish death on nobody, cause there ain’t coming back from that.

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100. The streets is a short stop. Either you’re slinging crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot.

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101. I got a lawyer to watch my lawyer.

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102. I’ve been in the game for years, it made me an animal. It’s rules to this, I wrote me a manual. A step by step booklet for you to get, your game on track, not your wig pushed back.

Notorious Big