SANTA MONICA, California -- While struggling to write the

first single for her new album, Rah Digga got a vision from the big guy

upstairs -- big as in B.I.G.

"It was the part of the album where it was like, 'OK, I need this

killer party record,' " Digga recalled recently. "I didn't really know

what to do with the hook at that point, and then -- bam! --

he just descended like a guardian angel. It was like, 'Oh! "Party and

Bullsh--." That's the hook!' And there it was, and the song's been

doing quite well for me. I'm actually at the best place I've been my

entire career, so thank you, B.I.G."

Digga's "Party and Bullsh-- 2003," produced by Just Blaze, has been a

hot track on the mixtape circuit for a couple of months and will be

officially released on the New Jersey rapper's second album,

Everything Is a Story, due March 9.

The song borrows the chorus from Notorious B.I.G.'s "Party and

Bullsh--," which was released on 1993's "Who's the Man?" soundtrack, and was later covered by Method Man on the "Rush Hour 2"

soundtrack. Digga, however, remembers hearing it much earlier.

"Biggie was a very profound and influential MC for me," she said. "The

very first time I saw him perform, he wasn't signed and he performed

his version of 'Party and Bullsh--' at a showcase. When I saw him, I

knew he was gonna be somebody. He just gave off superstar presence in

the midst of no one knowing who he was or having a clue as to what he

was performing."

Digga's version owes its success to more than just Biggie, though. The

remix, which has circulated more widely than the original, features Eve

and Missy Elliott.

The high-caliber collaboration hints at what to expect on Everything

Is a Story, the follow-up to Dirty Harriet (see [article id="1428089"]"Rah Digga

Happy With 'Dirty Harriet' Debut"[/article]). The lone female in Busta

Rhymes' Flipmode Squad also collaborated with Mary J. Blige, Fabolous,

G-Unit's Lloyd Banks, City High's Claudette Ortiz and Ghostface Killah,

among others, on her album.

"I have Joe Budden and Young Zee," Digga added. "They're both Jersey

natives, so we did a little Jersey collaboration. I'm working on

[getting] Lil Jon. I'm feeling that whole 'Get Low' Southern crunk

vibe, so I'm looking for that element and then the album will be

complete."

Rah has already selected "Hot Tub," featuring Snoop Dogg, for the

second single.

"It's very grown-up and sexy," she said. "You know how everybody has

all those let's-go-to-the-club, in-the-club, we-on-our way-to-the-club

and we-on-our-way-to-the-party songs? This is one of those

after-the-club joints. It starts at the club and ends up outside

the club, and that's all I'm gonna say."

Besides releasing Everything Is a Story, Digga plans to return to

acting. In 2001, she appeared in "Thir13en Ghosts" with Mathew Lillard

and Shannon Elizabeth as well as MTV's "Carmen: A Hip Hopera" with

Beyoncé and Mekhi Phifer.

"I actually just scored a really big gig, but I can't disclose the info

because the logistics are still being worked out," she said. "I put

acting aside for a moment because I needed to focus on this album. My

first album was released back in 2000, so it's been a while, and I

really wanted to get this second one off without a hitch or any

sophomore jinx going on. But Rah Digga is definitely doing more films."