For this Room to Breathe project I researched The Notorious B.I.G.’s style and flow to incorporate them into 2 sonnets. I did this by analyzing each of his songs from his album “Ready to Die” and their lyrics to pick out any repeated words, references and schemes. I found that he uses tricolons often in his music and references other artists from his childhood and from the present 1994 hip-hop scene. Also, he likes to pay homage to where he is from and includes words like “Skelly” which is a street game where you must flick a bottle cap through a drawn course in the street.
Next I had to learn how to write a sonnet. I began my research by learning what a sonnet was and eventually learning about the different kinds and the purpose of a Sonnet. Although since I was using the Sonnet platform even though my content was unorthodox to it’s nature, this is seen as something called “Writing back to the Kingdom”. Finally with a couple of rough quatrains to get into the habit of writing sonnets, I began to write back to the Kingdom.
Biggie Sonnet #1: (Elizebeathan)
In the AM I’m bout to cop a brick,
The Ave I pass just as I Grab a Slab.
Yo grab the TEC, and don’t forget the clip,
You got the crack, the MAC, get on the trak.
I feel like King New York; It don’t feel good,
I leave the hood and head for shaolin Isle,
I reminisce, Go back I never would,
If so, I’ll never see my daughter’s smile.
We’re Here! I steer, but then goes pop my ear!
Oh Sh*t! They tryna split?! There goes my clip!
Shots mad like skel’, but we ain’t shootin beer!
Then came my crips, equipped to make em limp!
I think that’s it for toting gats and crack,
Enough with gangs and beams, I’m bout to rap!
Biggie Sonnet #2: (Petrarchan)
May Twenty-first I’m bout to burst Head-first!
Who knew my destiny was rap and booze?
A teen that’s making scenes and scared to snooze,
I’m now the best because I was the worst.
Thirteen I’m slangin green to dopes who thirst,
But soon I moved to crack and ran with jews.
Sixteen I’m toting tools and left no clues,
Come to the wake with stains all on my shirt
One Day My Friend and I go see the pen,
Was there to stay but then he took the ten.
I’m out no doubt I spit just like a spout,
It ain’t enough, so I go call up puff
So Now I’m Mackin, Never Lackin love,
I went from Streets, to diamonds head to feet,
I’m in my dream, Supreme, in all that cream!