As much as hip-hop is marked by constant innovation, it's heavily reliant on borrowing, from samples to styles, the culture is entrenched in reinvention. So, too, are certain rappers' lyrics, which are regurgitated by other MCs. And no street scribe's words have been bitten more frequently than The Notorious B.I.G.'s.

B.I.G.-biting doesn't discriminate. Artists from all walks of life and levels of success have done it: MCs from Lil Wayne, Jay Z and 50 Cent to Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa and Beanie Sigel have mimicked Biggie's verbal blueprint in their own rhymes.

In honor of the 20 years since The Notorious B.I.G.'s passing, XXL put together a list of the 100 most-bitten Biggie lyrics of all time. Some lines are exact replicas deliberately paying homage, and some are slick tweaks and subtle acknowledgements of a job well done. But one thing they all share is the ability to keep Biggie Smalls' memory and legacy alive. Click the image below to read the original article Bite from XXL magazine's March 2012 issue.

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Check out more on The Notorious B.I.G.’s life and legacy at XXL‘s special 20th anniversary tribute hub below.

See Photos of The Notorious B.I.G. Over the Years

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