Programme notes
The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize (Official Music Video) [4K]
Summary
Released in 1997, built on a sample of Herb Alpert's "Rise" and produced in the glossy, sample-forward style that defined Bad Boy at its commercial peak. The video is all speedboats, helicopters and slow motion — luxury presented without irony.
The rapping is unhurried and conversational, riding well behind the beat, which is a large part of why it still sounds relaxed rather than dated.
Why it matters
It arrived days before his murder, and the album it introduced was released weeks after, which fixed both permanently in the story of that year. Beyond the circumstances, it is a high point of a specific New York approach — recognisable samples, expensive production, and a rapper whose timing is the instrument.