The Notorious B.I.G. delivered his debut album, Ready to Die, in September 1994. Its lead single, “Juicy,” went gold, and the follow-up smash, “Big Poppa,” achieved platinum sales and went Top Ten on the pop and R&B charts. Biggie's third single, “One More Chance”, tied Michael Jackson's “Scream” for the highest debut ever on the pop charts.
By the time the dust settled, Ready to Die had sold over four million copies and turned the Notorious B.I.G. into a hip-hop sensation – the first major star the East Coast had produced since the rise of Dr. Dre's West Coast G-funk.