Ready To Die — Notorious B.I.G.

Ready to Die follows the Notorious B.I.G. through ambition, violence, humor and fear, with his unhurried delivery holding the shifting scenes together. “Juicy” imagines success through specific memories, while “Gimme the Loot” uses contrasting voices to stage a robbery.

The production moves between rougher loops and smoother soul settings. That range makes the despair of “Suicidal Thoughts” feel especially stark at the end, after the confidence and jokes have fallen away.