Peak
1
Weeks
33
Score
8,199
Chart Year
1997
A music video was made to accompany the song, directed by American director Hype Williams and shot in Chicago. Portions of the video were filmed in the Helmut Jahn designed moving walkway tunnel that connects Concourses B and C in Terminal 1 at the O'Hare International Airport. The hill and motorcycle scene was shot at Sauer Family Prairie Kame Preserve in Elburn, Illinois. The music video was added to BET and MTV on the week ending on May 11, 1997.
This song is a tribute to Notorious B.I.G., a rapper and good friend of P. Diddy (known as Puff Daddy at the time) who was shot to death on March 9, 1997 at age 24. The incident happened in the early morning after an industry party in Los Angeles when B.I.G. was riding in the passenger seat of an SUV. A gunman opened fire from a vehicle that pulled alongside, firing four shots that hit the rapper. No arrest was made in the case. Notorious B.I.G. was signed to Diddy's Bad Boy label, and after the shooting, another Bad Boy artist, the Lox, recorded a tribute song called "We'll Always Love Big Poppa." This prompted Diddy to record his own song for his fallen friend as a way of getting closure. "When I made the record, I was finally able to talk to him," Diddy said. "That's all it was, a conversation." "I'll Be Missing You" samples "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, one of Diddy's favorite songs. He didn't sort out the legal issues until after the song was released. Sting, who wrote the Police song, was granted a writers credit, resulting in substantial royalties. Sting appreciated the sentiment in Diddy using "Every Breath You Take" to honor his fallen friend. The Police frontman even performed the song with Diddy and his crew at the MTV Video Music Awards, where he sang the chorus. It's rumored that Sting makes about $2,000 a day from the sample, which he didn't deny when asked on The Breakfast Club in 2018. Diddy chimed in with an April 2023 tweet saying the figure was really $5,000, but he tweeted a couple of days later to clarify he was being "facetious" and having a little fun with his fans. Faith Evans, wife of Notorious B.I.G., sings on this along with the R&B group 112. They all recorded for P. Diddy's Bad Boy record label. This won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. No Way Out also won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. This didn't go over well with Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard, who came on stage during the ceremony while Shawn Colvin was accepting an award to complain. Said Bastard: "Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is for the children." Combs was sued and settled with Albert Brumley and Sons, a gospel and country music publishing company that owned the rights to a 1929 song called "I'll Fly Away," which contained the line "Some glad morning when this life is over," which Evans sings in the chorus. Report this ad It was later revealed that P. Diddy's lyrics were written by the rapper Sauce Money (Todd Gaither), who had previously worked with Jay-Z on the song "Show and Prove." Diddy didn't write lyrics - he laced the track and let other rappers lock the flow. Gaither drew inspiration from his mother, who had recently passed away. This song sold over 3 million copies in America, the second-biggest seller of 1997 in that country. It was a distant second to another tribute song: Elton John's "Candle In The Wind '97," which was re-written in honor of Princess Diana and went on to sell over 11 million copies in America. On July 1, 2007, Diddy performed "I'll Be Missing You" at the Concert for Diana held at Wembley Stadium in London. This performance was downloaded so many times that it returned the song to the UK chart, this time making #32. In America, this was the #1 song for most of the summer of 1997, claiming the top spot on June 14 and spending 11 weeks there ("Candle In The Wind '97" stayed for 14 weeks, starting October 11). The song topped the charts in numerous countries across the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand UK and the US. It is the biggest selling rap single in the UK with over 1.4 million copies sold. Hype Williams shot the music video in Chicago, including several scenes in a passenger walkway tunnel at O'Hare International Airport. Williams also directed the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa." Rap songs often overuse the word "bitch," but this touching tribute kept Meredith Brooks' song of that title out of the top spot for four weeks. BTS covered the song during their BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge debut on July 27, 2021. The K-Pop septet delivered a rocked-up version accompanied by a full band with additional guitars and drums.
Seems like yesterday we used to rock the show I lace the track you lock the flow So far from hanging on the block of dough Notorious they got to know that Life ain't always what it seem to be Words can't express what you mean to me And though you're gone We still a team Through your family I'll fulfill your dreams In the future can't wait to see If you'll open up the gates for me Reminisce sometime The night they took my friend Try to black it out but it plays again When it's weird feelin' it's really hard to conceal Can't imagine all the pain I feel Give everything to hear half your breath I know you still livin' your life after death Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray I'll be missing you Thinking of the day When you went away What a life to take What a bond to break I'll be missing you It's kind of hard wit you not around Know you in heaven smilin' down Watchin' us while we pray for you Everyday we pray for you Till the day we meet again In my heart is where I'll keep you friend Memories give me the strength I need to proceed Strength I need to believe My thoughts big I just can't define Wish I could turn back the hands of time Bust in the 6 Shop for new clothes and kicks You and me taking flicks Making hits stages they receive you on Still can't believe you're gone Give anything to hear half your breath I know you still livin' your life after death Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray I'll be missing you Thinking of the day When you went away What a life to take What a bond to break I'll be missing you Somebody tell me why On that morning When this life is over I know I'll see your face Every night I pray Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every night I pray Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every night I pray Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray I'll be missing you Thinking of the day When you went away What a life to take What a bond to break I'll be missing you Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray I'll be missing you Thinking of the day When you went away What a life to take What a bond to break I'll be missing you Every step I take Every move I make Every single day Every time I pray I'll be missing you Thinking of the day When you went away
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 14, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 2 | Jun 21, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 3 | Jun 28, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 4 | Jul 5, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 5 | Jul 12, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 6 | Jul 19, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 7 | Jul 26, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 8 | Aug 2, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 9 | Aug 9, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | Aug 16, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 11 | Aug 23, 1997 | 1 | 125 |
| 12 | Aug 30, 1997 | 2 | 124 |
| 13 | Sep 6, 1997 | 3 | 123 |
| 14 | Sep 13, 1997 | 7 | 119 |
| 15 | Sep 20, 1997 | 6 | 120 |
| 16 | Sep 27, 1997 | 7 | 119 |
| 17 | Oct 4, 1997 | 9 | 117 |
| 18 | Oct 11, 1997 | 11 | 115 |
| 19 | Oct 18, 1997 | 14 | 112 |
| 20 | Oct 25, 1997 | 16 | 110 |