Happy Birthday Big L

Today would of been Big L’s 37th Birthday..

Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), also known by his stage name Big L, was an American rapper who made significant contributions to the New York City music scene in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective D.I.T.C. He was shot and killed in February 1999 before releasing his second album. Lamont rose to underground fame after the release of his debut album, Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous.

Posted By: @djmikesessions

(Check Out “BIG L” Video’s After Jump)

Biography

Born in Harlem, New York, Big L grew up with Cam’ron. With Lord Finesse he recorded a number of tracks. Big L began rhyming in 1990 and his first professional appearance came on the B-side of “Party Over Here” by Lord Finesse in 1992. Around this time, L joined Lord Finesse’s Bronx-based hip hop collective Diggin’ in the Crates Crew. He founded Harlem rap group Children of the Corn with fellow aspiring MC’s Killa Cam, Murda Mase, and Killa Cam’s cousin Bloodshed; when the latter died in a car accident in 1997, the group folded.

In 1993 Big L signed to Columbia Records and released his first single, “Devil’s Son”. His debut solo album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was released in March 1995. Two singles were released from the album; both “Put It On” and “M.V.P.” reached the top twenty-five of Billboard’s Hot Rap Tracks. The album itself also reached the Billboard 200, but due to its poor commercial status Big L was dropped from Columbia. From 1997 to 1999, Big L worked on his second album through his own Flamboyant Entertainment label. He released the acclaimed single “Ebonics (Criminal Slang)” in 1998. He also appeared on D.I.T.C.’s first single “Dignified Soldiers” that year.

The Big Picture was released in August 2000 and featured guest appearances by Fat Joe, Guru of Gang Starr, Kool G Rap, and Big Daddy Kane among others. Jay-Z has said that Big L was to sign with Roc-A-Fella, but he was murdered the week before. The Big Picture was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment, Rich King. It contains songs that L had recorded and a cappella recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest MC’s that Big L respected or had worked with previously. The album was certified gold a month later.

Death and legacy

Big L was shot nine times in the face and chest. The murder happened on the corner of 139th St and Lenox Ave. At the time of his death, Coleman’s brother Leroy was in prison on drug charges. “It’s a good possibility it was retaliation for something Big L’s brother did, or [Gerard] Woodley believed he had done,” said a spokesperson for the NYPD.Woodley was later released and the murder case remains unsolved.