Ten Crack Commandments

"Ten Crack Commandments"
Song by The Notorious B.I.G.
from the album Life After Death
ReleasedMarch 25, 1997
Recorded1996–1997
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriters
ProducerDJ Premier

"Ten Crack Commandments" is a song by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. on disc two of his final studio album, Life After Death. It was written by B.I.G. (credited under his legal name, Christopher Wallace) along with producer DJ Premier.

Background

The song is a step-by-step guide to achieving success as a drug-dealer. Biggie, purportedly, was inspired by an article penned by Khary Kimani Turner (under the pseudonym KT) in the hip hop magazine The Source. The July 1994 article, entitled "On the Rocks: From 1984 to 1994, Ten Years of Crack", included a sidebar, "A Crack Dealer's Ten Crack Commandments" that outlines ten critical rules to help dealers survive and thrive in the drug business.

The crack epidemic of the early 1980s and the early 1990s was the flood of crack cocaine usage in urban communities across the United States. Beginning around the same time as hip hop music became the sound of these same urban areas, the manifestations of the crack epidemic became a key theme in hip hop music.

Lawsuit

Chuck D., co-founder of Public Enemy sued the Notorious B.I.G. estate and DJ Premier for sampling his voice and song "Shut 'Em Down" as he didn't want to be part of a song supporting drug use. The lawsuit was settled in November of 1998.

Composition

"Ten Crack Commandments" does not follow the typical constructs of a hip hop or pop song. It contains no chorus and abandons the typical 16-bar construction of a rap verse. Instead, the song presents the lyrics in a list and offers a short, witty explanation of each.

The Ten Crack Commandments

  1. Never let anyone know how much money you have.
  2. Never let anyone know your next move.
  3. Never trust anyone.
  4. Never use what you sell. ("Know you've heard this before, never get high on your own supply")
  5. Never sell where you live.
  6. Never give credit.
  7. Keep your family and business completely separated.
  8. Never keep any weight on you.
  9. If you aren't being arrested, stay away from police.
  10. Consignment is not for novices.

Legacy

Billboard ranked the song number nine on their list of the 25 greatest Notorious B.I.G. songs. Lin-Manuel Miranda paid homage with the song "Ten Duel Commandments" in the musical Hamilton.

Certifications

Certifications for "Ten Crack Commandments"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)
Sales since 2004 		Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Edwards, Phil (May 9, 2014). "Read the Source article that the Notorious B.I.G. copied for Ten Crack Commandments". Trivia Happy. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  2. ↑ Malone, Chris (January 17, 2023). "The Drama Behind the Chuck D Sample in The Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ten Crack Commandments'".
  3. ↑ Josephs, Brian (March 9, 2020). "The Notorious B.I.G.'s 25 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (September 25, 2015). "The Hip-Hop Lessons of Hamilton". The Atlantic. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
  5. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Notorious BIG – Ten Crack Commandments". Radioscope. Retrieved April 30, 2025. Type Ten Crack Commandments in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  6. ↑ "British single certifications – Notorious BIG – Ten Crack Commandments". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 1, 2026. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Ten Crack Commandments Notorious BIG in the "Search:" field.

Sources