Which Record Label Signed The Notorious B.I.G.? Complete Label History

Which Record Label Signed The Notorious B.I.G.? Complete Label History

By Marcus Bennett

March 9, 2025 at 06:18 PM

The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, was primarily signed to Bad Boy Records, founded by Sean "Puffy" Combs (now known as Diddy). He signed with the label in 1993, marking a pivotal moment in hip-hop history.

When Biggie first signed to Bad Boy Records, the label was still in its infancy, having just been established that same year. Bad Boy Records operated as a subsidiary of Arista Records, which provided larger-scale distribution for Biggie's music.

Under Bad Boy Records, Biggie released two studio albums during his lifetime: - "Ready to Die" (1994) - "Life After Death" (1997, released shortly after his death)

Before signing to Bad Boy, Biggie was briefly associated with Uptown Records, where he first met Sean Combs. When Combs left Uptown to form Bad Boy Records, he brought Biggie with him as one of his first signed artists.

I should note that while Bad Boy Records was Biggie's primary label, his music was distributed through different channels: - Bad Boy Records (primary label) - Arista Records (distribution) - Big Beat Records (additional distribution partner)

Throughout his entire mainstream career, Biggie remained loyal to Bad Boy Records until his untimely death in 1997. His relationship with the label continued posthumously, with several albums released after his passing, including "Born Again" (1999) and "Duets: The Final Chapter" (2005).

The partnership between Biggie and Bad Boy Records proved to be one of the most successful in hip-hop history, helping establish both the artist and the label as major forces in the music industry.

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