Lil' Cease is among the artists that have contributed time and lyrics to "Born Again," the new posthumous album from the late rapper Notorious B.I.G., due out next month.

Cease, who was Biggie's longtime friend and bandmate in the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., thinks that the "Born Again" LP is an important tribute to the slain rapper, who many believe was just coming into his prime when he died following a drive-by shooting in March 1997 (see [article id="1425838"]"Notorious B.I.G. Gunned Down In Los Angeles"[/article]).

"I don't think nobody can fill [B.I.G.'s] shoes," Cease told the MTV Radio Network of Biggie's legacy. "To fill the shoes you got to think like that man, move like that man, have the same crew that man had, you got to have the same thing that that man had, personality, everything."

"Big only had what he had," he added. "'Cause you only get them type of people once in a blue moon and you know, they say good things be gone soon. So

that's how that goes down. He was a real special person. I just think people weren't really ready for that yet."

Lil' Cease appears on two songs on "Born Again;" a duet between him and B.I.G. and a track with the entire reunited Junior M.A.F.I.A.

"The Born Again" album arrives in stores on December 7 while "Notorious," a track featuring backing vocals from Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim should surface this week as the next single.