I remember the first time I listened to Christopher Wallace, also known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or Biggie. It was in the 2001 movie Hardball. The song was 'Big Poppa.' His deep, heavy voice was oddly clumsy, though still maintaining a steady melody. He sounded big. He sounded intimidating. He also sounded sweet, like honey. The raps just rolled off his tongue. He quickly became my favorite rapper, past or present.
I also remember the first time I learned that he and I shared the same birthday, exactly 20 years apart. His: May 21, 1972. Mine: May 21, 1992. As someone who loves birthdays and puts a lot of weight on the once-a-year celebrations, this was a very important discovery for me. The familiarity and kinship I felt with a deceased rapper from Brooklyn was in the fiber of my being, us being birthday twins and all. This year is especially special, because I'm turning 24, the age Wallace was when he was murdered.
So, for those not fortunate to share a birthday with one of the greatest rappers of all time, here is a introductory playlist that will allow you to fall in love with the beats, raps, and overall vibe of Biggie.

'Unbelievable' as written by Christopher E Martin, Christopher Wallace and Robert S Kelly..

Biggie Smalls is the illest
What?
Biggie Smalls is the illest
Biggie Smalls, Biggie Smalls is the illest
Biggie Smalls is the illest
Live from Bedford-Stuyvesant, the livest one
Representing BK to the fullest
Gats I pull it, bastards ducking when Big be bucking
Chickenheads be clucking in my bathroom fucking
It ain't nothing, they know Big be handling
With the MAC in the Ac' door paneling
Bandaging MC's, oxygen they can't breathe
Mad tricks up the sleeve, wear boxers so my dick can breathe
Breeze through in the Q-45 by my side, lyrical high
And those that rushes my clutches get put on crutches
Get smoked like Dutches from the master
Hate to blast you, but I have to, you see I smoke a lot
Your life is played out like Kwame, and them fucking polka dots
Who rock the spot? Biggie
You know how the weed go, unbelievable
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
B-I-G, G-I-E, AKA, B.I.G
Get it? Biggie
Also known as the bon appetit
Rappers can't sleep need sleeping Big keep creeping
Bullets heat-seeking, casualties need treating
Dumb rappers need teaching
Lesson A, don't fuck with B-I, that's that
Oh I, thought he was wack. Oh come come now
Why y'all so dumb now, hunt me or be hunted
I got three hundred and fifty-seven ways
To simmer sauté, I'm the winner all day
Lights get dimmer down Biggie's hallway
My forte causes Caucasians to say
He sounds demented, car weed scented
If I said it, I meant it
Bite my tongue for no-one
Call me evil, or unbelievable
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
Buckshots out the sun roof of Lexus coupes
Leave no witnesses, what you think this is?
Ain't no amateurs here, I damage and tear
MC's fear me, they too near not to hear me
Clearly, I'm the triple beam dream
One thousand grams of uncut to the gut
It seems fucked up, the way I touched up the grill
Trying to play gorilla, when you ain't no killer
The gat's by your liver, your upper lip quiver
Get ready to die, tell God I said hi
And throw down some ice, for the nicest MC
Niggas know the steelo, unbelievable
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest
It's unbelievable
Biggie Smalls is the illest