Who Signed The Notorious B.I.G.? Biggie's Record Label History
The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls, was primarily signed to Bad Boy Records, founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs (then known as Puff Daddy). Biggie signed with Bad Boy Records in 1993, marking the beginning of a partnership that would help define hip-hop in the 1990s.
Before signing with Bad Boy, Biggie was making waves in the Brooklyn hip-hop scene through mixtapes and street performances. After hearing one of these mixtapes, Puff Daddy was immediately impressed and signed Biggie to his newly formed label.
While Bad Boy Records was Biggie's primary label, his music was distributed through Arista Records, which had a distribution deal with Bad Boy. This arrangement helped give The Notorious B.I.G.'s music wider reach and commercial success.
Under Bad Boy Records, Biggie released two studio albums during his lifetime:
• Ready to Die (1994) • Life After Death (1997, released posthumously but recorded while signed to Bad Boy)
The partnership between Biggie and Bad Boy Records proved incredibly successful, with both albums achieving massive commercial success and critical acclaim. "Ready to Die" went quadruple platinum, while "Life After Death" achieved diamond certification, selling over 10 million copies in the United States alone.
Bad Boy Records remained Biggie's only major label home throughout his career, and he stayed loyal to the label until his untimely death in 1997. Even after his passing, Bad Boy Records continued to release his posthumous works, including "Born Again" (1999) and "Duets: The Final Chapter" (2005).
Today, Biggie's catalog remains under the Bad Boy Records umbrella, now distributed through Epic Records, ensuring his musical legacy continues through one of hip-hop's most iconic labels.
