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Big L (rapper)

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Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), better known as Big L, was an American rap artist. Big L was born, raised, lived, and fatally shot in the same Harlem neighborhood he so frequently rhymed about. He is mostly remembered for his freestyle ability, his critically acclaimed debut album Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous and his murder at the age of twenty-four. Following Coleman's death, he has been since celebrated as one of the better skilled emcees of all time, due to his oft-lauded punchlines and razor-sharp lyrics.

Contents

Performance history

His early career began in a group called Children of the Corn with fellow Harlemites Ma$e (then known as Murda Mase), Bloodshed, his cousin Cam'ron (then known as "Killa Cam") and McGruff. The group recorded numerous songs, enough to make a full length album. However, Bloodshed was killed in a car accident in 1996, while Ma$e and Cam'ron pursued their solo careers, effectively ending the group.

His first recording under the name Big L was made in 1995 with Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous. He gained recognition within the genre of rap music for his renditions of Put it on; No Endz, No Skinz; Street Struck and Da Graveyard (which featured a then unknown Jay-Z). He also had a famous 7 minute freestyle with Jay-Z that was on the Stretch & Bobbito Radio Show in NYC. Despite critical acclaim for his album, it was poorly promoted by Columbia Records and failed to meet sales expectations. He left the record label shorty thereafter.

Big L's biggest success came with Ebonics which he recorded on his own "Flamboyant" label in the summer of 1998. The single, which consists of defininitions of slang terms, is widely regarded as his best work: [sic].

Check it: My weed smoke is my lye
A ki of coke is a pie.
When I'm lifted, I'm high.
With new clothes on, I'm fly.
Cars is whips and sneakers is kicks.
Money is chips, movies is flicks.
Also, cribs is homes. Jacks is pay phones.
Cocaine is nose candy; cigarettes is bones.
A radio is a box, a razor blade is a ox.
Phat diamonds is rocks, and jakes is cops...

D.I.T.C.

Big L joined the Bronx-based hip-hop supergroup Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) and appeared on their single recording of Dignified Soldiers and their later LP. His first known recording is the "Yes You May" (Remix) with D.I.T.C. member Lord Finesse.

Posthumous career

Jay-Z has said that Big L was to sign with his Roc-A-Fella label.[link] The two had a mutual respect dating back to Jay-Z's appearance with L on the radio and on Big L's first album.

youngnic21: Is it true that Big L was primed to join the Roc when he died?
Jay-Z: Yeah, he had just made a record called "Ebonics" a week before he passed. We were going to sign him the following week.
His last recorded release was The Big Picture on August 1, 2000, put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Ent., Rich King, from songs L had recorded and acapellas that were never used, as well as calling in producers and guest rappers that L respected and worked with before. The album was certified gold a month later.He was also good friends with Glen Jasper (known back then as the lepricorn)

Rumors say that DJ Premier is producing the next Big L album, due out during 2006-07.

Murder

On the evening of February 15, 1999 Big L was shot seven times in the head and chest and killed just blocks away from his Harlem home. He was 24 years old. Early implications led many to believe that Coleman was killed because of a debt owed by his brother, Lee Coleman, who was in jail at the time and was therefore inaccessible. It has also been speculated that the murderer mistook Lamont for his brother on the night he was shot.

Legacy

Big L's lyrical ability has been higly praised since his death, and even before his death. His memorable punchlines, such as My girls are like boomerangs/ no matter how far I throw them, they come back are among the best ever in the genre. Current rappers such as Jae York, Chino XL, and specifically Papoose draw comparisons to the Harlem MC.

Big L is also one of the more slept on storytellers in rap. His epic stories such as Clinic, Casualties of a Dice Game, and The Heist have drawn comparisons to legendary rap stories such as Slick Rick's "Children's Story" and Notorious B.I.G.'s "Warning".

In 2005, former associate Mase publicly stated that he ghostwrote many of Big L's rhymes, however many in the hip hop community have dismissed Mase's claims.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Unreleased tracks

Music videos

Miscellaneous videos

References

External links

Diggin' in the Crates Crew
Core Members
Lord Finesse | Showbiz and A.G. | Diamond D | Fat Joe | O.C. | Buckwild | Big L
Albums
Funky Technician | Return of the Funky Man | Runaway Slave | Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop | Represent | Word...Life | Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous | Goodfellas | Jealous One's Envy | The Awakening | Jewelz | Hatred, Passions and Infidelity | Don Cartagena | The Dirty Version | D.I.T.C. | The Big Picture | Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) | Bon Appetit | Loyalty | Grown Man Talk | Starchild | All or Nothing | Smoke and Mirrors | The Diamond Mine

 

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