I never felt like “Ready To Die” was just a collection of songs, like I do for so many new albums. The track order is very much planned (explicitly so, from birth to suicide). For me, that makes for a great listening experience. Like you, I listen to it from start to finish – I’m never tempted to change to another album or skip a song.

It also strikes me as a brutally honest piece of art. “Ready to Die” is tantamount to Biggie’s self-introduction to his listeners, similar to what you mention about his establishing his “hunger … motivations,” etc. But, there is no overthinking involved. It hasn’t been diluted by introspection. It is a definitive statement from a young, black man, uncut and unapologetic. When you listen, it hits you (especially me, as a young, white man, 180 degrees from his life experience), and the impact is immediate.

Big did best what hip-hop was born from – repositioning the marginal black voice as the center of attention.

Like I mentioned, I’ll try to listen to “Life After Death” soon and make a comparison. Great topic, blog-poster (Skillz?).