Jay Z was initially hesitant to have Biggie on the record because he didn't want to come off like a sidekick, but after Jay Z heard the verses Biggie laid down for it already, he couldn't help himself. The track took two months to record as the two went back and forth.
When I first heard this song I realized how I love hip hop. The beat is banging, the word play is great, and the rappers are two of the greatest of all time.
Feeling "meh" about Magna Carta? Jam out to this collabo from back when Jay Z* wasn't rhymin' lay z. [pours one out for Biggie] *edited to reflect Hov's new hyphen hatred