A little over two weeks after Notorious B.I.G. was slain in May 1997, his sophomore studio album Life After Death hit shelves. The project, consisting of 25 songs, was considered a double album, as it was split into two separate discs.
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Upon release, the LP sold a whopping 690,000 copies in its first week and stayed atop the Billboard 200 chart for four straight weeks. In January 2000, the album achieved RIAA diamond status in record time, exemplifying the immediate impact B.I.G.’s LP had in the time following his death. To celebrate this, as well as the recent 26th anniversary of his death, WMX is putting together an eight-part visual podcast about the album’s creation, release, and aftermath.
On Wednesday (April 19), the trailer for Life After Death was released. Serving as the inaugural season for Iconic Records: Album That Defined a Generation, a series that will continue with different albums in the future, the pod will be hosted by respected hip-hop commentator Angie Martinez.
Throughout the eight episodes, interviews with rappers like Rick Ross, Pusha T, Fat Joe, Havoc, Too Short, as well as other DJs, producers, fashion designers, and interns who were close to B.I.G. at the time of his death and album release will be featured. All the interviews in the show were done over a five-night span, and a total of 25 interviewees will speak throughout the season.
“(Life After Death) is by far the best double album ever created — ever,” Pusha T said in a clip from the trailer.
Iconic Records Season 1 – Life After Death episode 1 comes out on April 29 at 8 p.m. ET on Roku channel 1137 (WMX Hip-Hop), and each subsequent episode releases every Saturday afterward. Additionally, episode 1 will also be added to YouTube on May 1 at noon ET, with the podcast audio landing on every other podcast platform at the same time. Subsequent episodes will be put on these platforms every following Monday. Check out the trailer below.
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