Big L

For other uses, see Big L (disambiguation).

Big L

Lamont Coleman (May 30 1974-February 15 1999), better known as Big L, was an American rapper. Big L was born, raised, lived, and was fatally shot in the same New York City neighborhood, Harlem, about which he frequently rhymed. He is mostly remembered for his freestyling, storytelling, punchlines, his critically acclaimed debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, and his murder at the age of twenty-four.

Biography

Early life

Lamont Coleman was born to Gilda Terry on May 30th, 1974 in Harlem, New York. As an adolescent Lamont listened to the talents of Run-D.M.C., The Cold Crush Brothers, and Big Daddy Kane. He learned to rhyme in the park near his house at 104th West 139th Street where he would spend hours trading rhymes with friends to pass the time. While attending Julia Richmond High School he was given the alias Big L to spite his childhood nickname, Little Lamont.

L describes his lyrical growth, “I started writing rhymes in 1990 and was in a group called Three The Hard Way, but they wasn't serious so I went solo. Then I started winning rap contests and battling everybody in my 'hood and roastin' em.”

In fact, L would win more sanctioned freestyle contests than any other Harlem emcee in the 1990's. The MC kept perfecting his natural talent and by the time he was seventeen years old he was fast approaching the line that divides pastime and profession. His lyrics were defined by the world around him and gave insight into fabled Harlem shootouts and legendary Harlem street life.

Children Of The Corn

In the early 1990’s Big L formed a crew known as Children of the Corn when he asked several friends from a local Harlem rap crew called “Caged Fury” to join up, Mason “Murder Mase” Betha, Cameron “Killa Cam” Giles, and Cam’s cousin, Derek “Bloodshed” Armstead were among those who joined.

A young Darrell “Digga” Branch did producing for the crew, which created over 35 street hits, and Herb McGruff also lent his talent to the COC. Both Mase and Cam were aspiring NBA players when Big L showed them the way of the mic. In fact, the only one who at the time was actually taking professional rapping seriously was L. Lamont was also the first to be signed when Columbia picked up his four track demo tape. As high school neared an end, the strength of the group began to wane when Cam and Mase both went to college and eventually signed their own record deals. The seams began to come undone, Murder Mase was signed to Bad Boy Records and eventually helped put Cam on Untertainment Records. Both artists shortened their tags; Killa Cam to Cam’ron, and Murder Mase to Ma$e. Anything that was left of the COC crew was destroyed in 1996 when Bloodshed was in a horrible and fatal car accident in Harlem. If you listen to recent material put out by Cam, you will still hear him talk about his fallen comrads.

Solo Career

In 1993 he signed with Columbia Records and released one vinyl 12", "Devil's Son". This song was quickly banned from radio because of its horrorcore lyrics which stations dubbed too violent or vulgar, such as "I pistol whip the priest every Sunday".

Lifestylez Of Da Poor & Dangerous

In 1995, still with Columbia, he released his debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. The album was hardly promoted and commercially not very popular, but was praised by The Source, a respected hip hop publication, which gave it four mics out of five. The album was famous for its creative rhymes and wicked metaphors. It was also famous for introducing two now commercially successful rappers, Jay-Z & Cam'ron. Big L was happy with the album sales, as the album was not promoted by Columbia Records and he still managed to sell well over 300,000 units. In 1996, soon after the release of the album, L left Columbia whose lack of publicity was the main reason that the [LP album|LP]] had generally lackluster sales. Along with the promotional problems, the people who knew the rapper best at Columbia started to leave, “I was there with a bunch of strangers that didn't really know my music”, he remembers. It got worse at Columbia as the hot-shot A&R's wanted to push him in a direction he didn’t want to go, and so he left.

Later Career

From 1997 to 1999, Big L worked on his second album The Big Picture. It was released worldwide at the summer of 2000 to critical acclaim. Two singles, entitled "Ebonics" and "Flamboyant", both reached number one in the charts. The album featured cameos from Fat Joe, Tupac Shakur, and Big Daddy Kane amongst other rappers. The Big Picture went platinum in 2001.

Jay-Z has said that Big L was set to sign with his Roc-A-Fella label, but died the week before. The two had a mutual respect dating back to a dual freestyle session on the radio and Jay-Z's appearance on Big L's first album.

D.I.T.C.

When Big L was still in high school he caught the attention of Lord Finesse in the back of a New York record store called “Rockin’ Wills”. Finesse along with Diamond D, were the founders of the D.I.T.C. clique. L’s first professional appearance came on the B-side of “Party Over Here” by Lord Finesse in 1992, the song was called “Yes, You May” remix. Soon L officially became a part of the DITC crew which featured some of the best New York producers, deejays, and emcees on the mic, members came from several boroughs bringing to life the true sounds of New York hip-hop. The members of DITC included; O.C., Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Showbiz, A.G., Fat Joe, Buckwild, and Big L. His early successes in DITC lead to his signing with Columbia in 1992. Astoundingly, all it took was a four song demo tape showcasing tracks such as the horror-core establisher “Devil’s Son” and of course the “Yes, You May” remix. He also regularly appears on the fellow DITC members albums.

He appeared with the group regularly, notably on their single "Dignified Soldiers" and their later self-titled LP release, sometimes known as Worldwide. In an interview with Fat Joe and A.G. with hiphopgame.com they confirm that there will be another D.I.T.C album in 2007, with all of the members.

Murder

On the evening of February 15 1999, Big L was shot multiple times in the head and chest and killed near his Harlem home. Early indications led many to believe that Coleman was killed because of a debt owed by his older brother, Leroy Phinazee, 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. Some time after his release from prison in 2002, Leroy Phinazee was murdered on the same street as his brother after attempting to find out who had shot him.

Legacy

Technique

Big L has a unique style in writing lyrics. He is able to evoke vivid visual and aural imagery sometimes in a humorous manner. A clear example of this is a verse from Put It On, from the album "Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous":

I got the wild style, always been a foul child
My guns go poom-poom and yo' guns go pow-pow
I'm known to have a hottie open I keep the shottie smokin

Front and get half the bones in your body broken.

He has also written in the horrorcore genre, his lyrics so extreme that they have been banned from being broadcasted on radio stations internationally. A clear example of this is a verse from the song Devil's Son:

It's Big L and I'm all about taking funds
I'm a stone villain known for killing and raping nuns
Ayo I even kill handicapped and crippled bitches

Look at my scalp real close and you'll see triple sixes.

His technique has been considered the best by many, as he has been able to adapt work very well under any beat or producer and has been consistent in writing good quality lyrics and punchlines, as well as using a sophisticated, unique, and adaptable flow.

The Big Picture

His last recorded release, The Big Picture was released posthumously on August 1 2000 and was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment, Rich King. It contains songs that L had recorded and acappella recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest rappers that Big L respected or had worked with previously. The album was certified gold a month later. On the album he has guest features from rap heavyweights such as Fat Joe, Kool G Rap, Tupac Shakur and Big Daddy Kane along with producing by Dj Premier. The album was certified platinum and was critically acclaimed by most reviews.

Tributes

Big L is often praised alongside slain rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. as one of the three martyrs in the history of hip hop, as Eminem says on 50 Cent's "Patiently Waiting". Many regard Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G beef to have overshadowed his would-be success. Gang Starr often tribute to Big L in concerts, asking the audience to "throw an L up in the air" with Big L's trademark L being held up in the air by the whole audience before playing the hit "Full Clip"

Big L said he himself was the originator of the genre Horrorcore hip hop..

Discography

Main article: Big L discography

• 1995: Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
• 2000: The Big Picture
• 2007: Real Legends Never Die

External links

• Big L on MTV
• Discogs entry