“Juicy” is Biggie’s mythologized version of his autobiography. It starts with a dedication to his schoolteachers, but instead of thanking them, the rapper throws out a big “F— you” for saying he’d never amount to anything. Then he launches into his life story, starting with the line, “It was all a dream,” and ending with “It’s all good.” “Juicy” follows Biggie’s career trajectory from having nothing but a can of sardines to eat for dinner to “lunches, brunches” and putting 5-carat earrings in his daughter’s ear. “We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us/ No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us,” he raps, so smoothly that it sounds like a conversation. Biggie talks about money and drugs, but “Juicy” contains no braggadocio, no empty boasts. This is a straight-up, honest song by a man amazed by his own wealth and fame.
(Browse the All-TIME 100 Songs and more than 100 other pop culture lists on TIME’s Populist iPad app)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVl-XcBRMHk]