#12: “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G.

Notorious B.I.G.’s Juicy, released in 1994, featured the now-infamous lyric, “Time to get paid, blow up like the World Trade,” referencing the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. At the time, the line was a metaphor for his meteoric rise to fame.

However, after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the lyric took on a far more somber connotation, leading to the song being pulled from airplay on many stations. Despite the controversy, Juicy remains one of hip-hop’s most celebrated tracks, revered for its autobiographical storytelling.