The young Christopher Wallace honed his superhuman mic skills by keeping his ear to the New York streets. The dexterous rhymes of Rakim and deep-voiced baritone of Big Daddy Kane were both important precursors to Biggie's sturdy-yet-nimble flow. And while the rapper came to be known for his beefs with West Coast artists, Californians like N.W.A. helped write the gangsta-rap playbook that he drew from so studiously.