Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Big L: 1974-1999
Truth be told, I was never the biggest Big L fan around back in the day dismissing him as a mere freestyle/battle MC who couldn't quite cut it in the commerical big leagues. I was more into street poets like Nas but can't front, dude used to rip it regularly on Stretch N Bob's legendary "89-Tech Nine" show back in the early 90's and is responsible for what I belatedly realized might be one of the greatest double-sided 12"s in modern hip hop history "Ebonics" b/w "Size Em Up" (mp3 links via Sandbox)
Like Pun he shared a crew affiliation with Fat Joe (in D.I.T.C. though, not the Terror Squad) and, once again, with his untimely death 6 years ago today just as he was negotiating a deal to join Rocafella, we'll never know whether or not L's raw but fast-developing talent would carry him to superstardom.
Either way, Lamont "Big L" Coleman should be remembered for kicking that true NYC, 1-2, b-boy sh-t that commercial, thugged out and backpack hip hop fans could all appreciate even if some only came to the party late with the posthumous release of the gold-selling album, The Big Picture. What L had is in sort supply nowadays and desperately needed to keep "real hip hop" (as I understand it) alive.
Big L - Harlem's Finest tribute website
The D.I.T.C. Big L memorial concert at SOB's tomorrow night. Those with the paper to do so, go support.
Update
Better coverage than mine from some other blogs:
- Cocaine Blunts...
- Hardly Art...
- Steady Bootleggin'
