The Library of Congress has selected The Notorious B.I.G.’s classic debut album, Ready To Die, to join the Nation Recording Registry.
On Tuesday, April 16, Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, announced that Ready To Die, the debut album featuring popular songs such as “One More Chance,” “Juicy,” and “Who Shot Ya,” will be inducted into the prestigious club of 25 new entries. Additionally, the classic “La-Di-Da-Di” by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick will also be joining the club.
“The Library of Congress is proud to preserve the sounds of American history and our diverse culture through the National Recording Registry,” said Hayden in a statement. “We have selected audio treasures worthy of preservation with our partners this year, including a wide range of music from the past 100 years, as well as comedy. We were thrilled to receive a record number of public nominations, and we welcome the public’s input on what we should preserve next.”
The national library’s sound collection has almost 4 million items. To qualify, songs and albums considered significant must be at least ten years old.
Released in 1994, Ready to Die by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200. It received widespread critical acclaim and was a commercial success. According to RIAA, the album is certified 6x platinum.
Biggie won several awards for the album, including a Source Award and Soul Train Music Award.