Before it was a victory-lap anthem, it was a groove from 1983. The Juicy sample at the heart of The Notorious B.I.G.’s breakout single comes from Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit,” and the way Bad Boy flipped it still sets a template for how hip-hop turns R&B memory into a new classic.

Here is the full story: what was sampled, who made what, who got credit, and the disputes and legal fights that still orbit both records.

What Is the Juicy Sample?

“Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Total is a 1994 Bad Boy track from Ready to Die, produced by Poke and Puff Daddy. Its main sample is a direct sample of multiple elements from Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit (Fruity Instrumental Mix),” released on Epic in 1983.

The sample starts at the top of “Juicy” and runs throughout. In plain terms, this is not a flavor sprinkled on top. The Mtume groove carries the beat.

Who Made the Original “Juicy Fruit”?

James Mtume wrote and produced “Juicy Fruit.” It was the lead single from the third Mtume album, also titled Juicy Fruit, on Epic. Tawatha Agee sang lead vocals. The record held No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart for eight weeks in 1983.

The drums came from a drum machine, a detail that matters: that clean, programmed pocket is part of why the groove flipped so easily into a hip-hop beat.

How Did Poke and Puffy Flip “Juicy Fruit”?

“Juicy” was produced by Poke of Trackmasters (Jean-Claude Olivier) and Sean “Puffy” Combs. The Ready to Die liner notes credit Poke and Puffy as producers.

Poke laid out the thinking to Complex in 2012: “Puff said, ‘Yo ‘Juicy Fruit’ is a hot record to jack.’” Poke went home, built the track, came back to the studio, and Biggie rhymed over it.

The flip itself is simple and smart. The track keeps the Mtume groove and replaces the hook with a new chorus sung by Total, the Bad Boy girl group.

The station’s take: this is the Bad Boy blueprint in one record. Take a beloved early-’80s R&B groove, give it a fresh singalong chorus, and put a street-to-success story over the top.

Does Mtume Get Credit on “Juicy”?

Yes. The songwriting credits on “Juicy” are Christopher Wallace, Sean Combs, Jean-Claude Olivier and James Mtume. Our read: when a sample carries the whole beat, a writer’s credit fits.

What Else Is Sampled in “Juicy”?

Beyond the instrumental mix, “Juicy” also draws vocals from the original “Juicy Fruit” and from Rappin’ Duke’s “Rappin’ Duke.”

In the first verse, Biggie name-checks Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack, Brucie B, Lovebug Starski and the Rappin’ Duke. He also raps, “Remember Rappin’ Duke, da-ha, da-ha?” That is a nod to Shawn Brown’s novelty record.

Did Pete Rock Make the Original “Juicy” Beat?

This is the producer-credit dispute that never fully dies. In a 2004 Wax Poetics interview, Pete Rock said, “I did the original version, didn’t get credit for it.”

Poke addressed it in a 2012 Complex interview. He said he did not know where Pete Rock got that, and that it could have happened before the beat reached Trackmasters.

The credited producers on “Juicy” are still Poke and Puffy. The station’s take: it’s a he-said, he-said, and without more documentation we’re not crowning anyone.

Was “Juicy” a Hit in 1994?

“Juicy” was released in August 1994 as the first single from Ready to Die. Billboard calls it “initially just a modest success,” peaking at No. 27 on the Hot 100 in November 1994.

Ready to Die arrived on Sept. 13, 1994, on Bad Boy and Arista, and was certified 4x platinum by 1999.

There’s an irony here. Biggie did not like the radio-friendly hook when Puffy chose it as the lead single. Yet the hook and the groove are what people remember. The legend grew well after that modest chart run, and we’d argue that’s what makes it a true classic.

What Is the Mtume v. Sony Lawsuit?

In late 2018, James Mtume sued Sony Music in Manhattan federal court. He sought to reclaim the rights to the “Juicy Fruit” single and two albums, and he demanded an accounting of royalties.

The suit invoked Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act, which lets authors reclaim rights after 35 years. Mtume had sent a termination notice in July 2015. Sony responded on July 21, 2017, arguing the recordings were works made for hire.

Be clear on what this case is. It concerns who owns the “Juicy Fruit” master recordings and what royalties Mtume is owed. It is not a lawsuit over Biggie’s use of the sample.

Who Else Sampled “Juicy Fruit”?

Biggie was far from the only one. Well over a hundred songs have sampled the original, including:

  • Stetsasonic, “Talkin’ All That Jazz” (1988, drums)
  • Warren G, “This D.J.” (1994, vocals/lyrics)
  • Warren G, “Do You See” (1994)
  • R. Kelly, “Freak Tonight” (1996, drums)
  • Jennifer Lopez, “Loving You” (2002, drums)
  • Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim, “Let It Go” (2007, drums)

The chain keeps going. “Juicy” itself has been sampled hundreds of times, including on Katy Perry feat. Nicki Minaj’s “Swish Swish” (2017).

Why the Juicy Sample Still Matters

James Mtume died Jan. 9, 2022, in South Orange, New Jersey. His groove still opens one of the most quoted records in hip-hop.

That’s the lesson of the Juicy sample. A great flip doesn’t erase the original. It sends listeners back to it. Know the source, credit the creators, and keep the lineage straight.

Sources

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