Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)
"Hypnotize" is a single by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. featuring vocals by Pamela Long,[A] released as the first single from his album Life After Death on March 4, 1997. The last song released before his death in a drive-by shooting a week later, it was the fifth song by a credited artist to hit number one posthumously, and the first since "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon in 1980.[5] Rolling Stone ranked the song as number 30 on their list of the "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".[1]
"Hypnotize"
March 4, 1997
1996
- 3:49 (album version)
- 3:59 (CD single)
- Christopher Wallace
- Sean Combs
- Deric Angelettie
- Ron Lawrence
- Andy Armer
- Randy Alpert
Reception[edit]
The song was a hit on U.S. radio before being issued as a single. On its release, "Hypnotize" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number two, right behind labelmate and co-writer and co-producer Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs ("Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"). When "Hypnotize" reached number one two weeks later, it made The Notorious B.I.G. the fifth artist in Hot 100 history to have a posthumous chart-topper (see List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones). It also gave back-to-back number-one hits to Combs' Bad Boy Records label. Nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards, it lost to "Men in Black" by Will Smith. The single reached number 10 in the UK, B.I.G.'s first top 10 hit in that country. Kris Ex of Pitchfork wrote "Big was a master of flow, sounding unforced and unlabored over a bevy of pristine, hi-fidelity maximalist beats that seemed to always bow to his intent."[10]
50 Cent told NME that the song was the one he would want played at his funeral: "I'd just want everyone to have as much of a party as possible."[11]
Billboard and The Guardian both ranked the song number two on their lists of the greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs,[12][13] and Rolling Stone ranked the song number seven on their list of the 50 greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs.[14]