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Wikipedia

Big L

April 29, 2023

For other uses, see Big L (disambiguation).

Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record executive.[1]

Big L
Big L in 1998
Background information
Birth nameLamont Coleman
Also known asL Corleone
Born(1974-05-30)May 30, 1974
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 15, 1999(1999-02-15) (aged 24)
New York City, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • record executive
Years active1992–1999
Labels

Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Coleman became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability. He was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where, in 1995, he released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. On February 15, 1999, Coleman was shot nine times in his East Harlem neighborhood and later succumbed to his injuries.

Coleman was noted for his use of wordplay, and writers at AllMusic, HipHopDX and The Source have praised him for his lyrical ability.[2][3] He has also been described as "one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip-hop history and known by many as the greatest punchline rapper of all time."[4] Regarding Coleman's legacy in an interview with Funkmaster Flex, Nas claimed "[Coleman] scared me to death. When I heard [his performance at the Apollo Theater] on tape, I was scared to death. I said, 'Yo, it's no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with.'"[5]

Early life

Lamont Coleman was born on May 30, 1974, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.[6] He was the third and youngest child of Gilda Terry (d. 2008)[7] and Charles Davis.[8] Davis left the family while Coleman was a child.[9] He had two older half siblings: Donald and Leroy Phinazee (d. 2002).[7][8] Coleman received the nicknames "Little L" and "Mont-Mont" as a child.[10][11] His elder brother, Donald Phinazee, took Coleman to a Run-DMC concert at the Beacon Theatre when Coleman was about 7 years old. According to Phinazee, Coleman was awed by the performance which sparked his interest in rapping. By age 12, Coleman became a big hip hop fan and started freestyling with other people in his neighborhood.[8][11]

Coleman began writing rhymes in 1990.[8] He also founded a group known as Three the Hard Way in 1990, but it was quickly broken up due to a lack of enthusiasm among the members which consisted of Coleman, Doc Reem, and Rodney.[12][13] No projects were released, and after Rodney left, the group was renamed Two Hard Motherfuckers.[12] Around this time, people started to refer to Coleman as "Big L".[8] In the summer of 1990, Coleman met Lord Finesse at an autograph session in a record shop on 125th Street.[14][15] After he did a freestyle, Finesse and Coleman exchanged numbers.[15]

Coleman attended Julia Richman High School and graduated in 1992.[8] While in high school, Coleman freestyle battled regularly; in his last interview, he stated, "in the beginning, all I ever saw me doing was battling everybody on the street corners, rhyming in the hallways, beating on the wall, rhyming to my friends. Every now and then, a house party, grab the mic, a block party, grab the mic."[16]

Career

1992–1995: First recordings and record deal

In 1992, Coleman recorded various demos, some of which were featured on his debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous.[13][17] On February 11, Coleman appeared on Yo! MTV Raps with Lord Finesse to help promote Finesse's studio album Return of the Funky Man.[8] Coleman's first professional appearance came on "Yes You May (Remix)", the B-side of "Party Over Here" (1992) by Lord Finesse,[17] and his first album appearance was on "Represent" off of Showbiz & A.G.'s Runaway Slave (1992).[14]

During this time, he won an amateur freestyle battle hosted by Nubian Productions which consisted of about 2,000 contestants.[18] In 1992, Coleman signed to Columbia Records.[13] He then joined Lord Finesse's Bronx-based hip hop collective Diggin' in the Crates Crew (DITC) which consisted of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, O.C., Fat Joe, Buckwild, Showbiz and A.G. In 1993, Coleman released his first promotional single, "Devil's Son", and later said it was one of the first horrorcore singles, influencing others. He said he wrote the song because "I've always been a fan of horror flicks. Plus the things I see in Harlem are very scary. So I just put it all together in a rhyme." However, he said he preferred other styles over horrorcore.[14]

Coleman founded the Harlem rap group Children of the Corn (COC) with Killa Cam (Cam'ron), Murda Mase (Ma$e), Bloodshed and McGruff in 1993. On February 18, 1993, he performed live at the Uptown Lord Finesse Birthday Bash at the 2,000 Club, which included other performances from Fat Joe, Nas, and Diamond D.[8] In 1994, he released his second promotional single "Clinic". On July 11, 1994, Coleman released the radio edit of "Put It On", followed up by the release of the music video three months later.[8] In 1995, the music video for the single "No Endz, No Skinz" debuted. It was directed by Brian Luvar.[19]

His debut studio album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was released in March 1995. The album debuted at number 149 on the Billboard 200[20] and number 22 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[21] Lifestylez would go on to sell over 200,000 copies as of 2000.[22] Three singles were released from the album; the first two, "Put It On" and "M.V.P.", reached the top 25 of Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks and the third "No Endz, No Skinz" did not chart.[23][24]

1996–1999: independent release

In 1996, Coleman was dropped from Columbia mainly because of a dispute between Coleman and the label over artistic differences.[25][26] He stated, "I was there with a bunch of strangers that didn't really know my music."[27]

In 1997, he started working on his second studio album, The Big Picture.[28] COC folded when Bloodshed died in a car accident in New York on March 2, 1997.[29] Later that year, DITC appeared in the July issue of On The Go Magazine.[8] Coleman then appeared on O.C.'s single "Dangerous" from O.C.'s second album Jewelz.[30] That November, he was the opening act for O.C.'s European Jewlez Tour.[8]

Sometime in 1998, Coleman formed his own independent label, Flamboyant Entertainment.[31] According to The Village Voice, it "planned to distribute the kind of hip-hop that sold without top 40 samples or R & B hooks."[32] That same year, Coleman released the single "Ebonics".[33] The song, based on African-American Vernacular English, was called one of the top five independent singles of the year by The Source.[15] Also in 1998, DITC released their first single, "Dignified Soldiers".[6]

Following the release of "Ebonics", Coleman caught the eye of Damon Dash, the CEO of Roc-A-Fella Records. Dash offered to sign him to Roc-A-Fella, but Coleman wanted his crew to sign as well.[34][35] On February 8, 1999, Coleman, Herb McGruff, C-Town, and Jay-Z started the process to sign with Roc-A-Fella as a group called "The Wolfpack".[8][36]

Death

At around 8:30 PM on February 15, 1999, Big L was killed at 45 West 139th Street in his native Harlem after being shot nine times in the face and chest in a drive-by shooting.[37][38] Gerard Woodley, one of Big L's childhood friends, was arrested three months later for the crime.[39]

"It's a good possibility it was retaliation for something Big L's brother did, or Woodley believed he had done," said a spokesperson for the New York City Police Department.[40] Woodley was later released due to lack of evidence, and the murder case remains officially unsolved.[41]

In a November 2010 interview with Planet Ill, Donald Phinazee, Big L's oldest brother, claimed Big L was sent to "do something" he was not supposed to by their brother, Leroy "Big Lee" Phinazee. Donald attributed Big L being seen committing the act as the cause for his murder.[42]

On June 24, 2016, Woodley was shot in the head and later died at Harlem Hospital.[43][44] Woodley's family maintains his innocence in Coleman's killing.[45] Rapper Cam'ron, who was a close friend of Big L and Woodley, attended Woodley's funeral. Later, Cam'ron posted a video to Instagram claiming Big L had attempted to murder Woodley a week before his death.[46][47]

In 2017, Lou Black, Gerard Woodley's cousin, published Ethylene: The Rise and Fall of The 139th St. NFL Crew. The book details Black's first hand interactions with the NFL crew and Big L. In the book, Black claims Leroy "Big Lee" Phinazee, Coleman's eldest half-brother and leader of the NFL crew, violated his probation when he was found to be in possession of an illegal weapon and was sentenced to prison. According to Black, while in prison, Phinazee met and contracted a hitman from Brooklyn to murder three members of the NFL gang including Woodley. Phinazee had tasked Big L to identify the targets to the hitman. On the day when the murder was planned, Woodley noticed the hitman following him and successfully scared him off. As Big L had been seen multiple times with the alleged hitman days prior, Woodley assumed Big L had taken part in the attempted shooting. Approximately a week after the attempted shooting of Woodley, Big L was killed. Black did not specify if Woodley personally killed Big L.[48]

Coleman is buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.[49]

Posthumous releases

The tracks "Get Yours", "Way of Life", and "Shyheim's Manchild" b/w "Furious Anger" were released as singles in 1999 for DITC's self-titled album (2000) on Tommy Boy Records.[8][50] The album peaked at number 31 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 141 on the Billboard 200.[51] Coleman's first posthumous single was "Flamboyant" b/w "On the Mic", which arrived on May 30, 2000.[52] The single peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[53] and topped the Hot Rap Tracks,[24] making it Coleman's first and only number-one single.

Coleman's second and final studio album, The Big Picture, was released on August 1, 2000, and featured Fat Joe, Tupac Shakur, Guru of Gang Starr, Kool G Rap, and Big Daddy Kane among others. The Big Picture was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment, Rich King. It contains songs that he had recorded and a cappella recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest emcees that Coleman respected or had worked with previously.[8]

The Big Picture debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200, number two on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and sold 72,549 copies.[22] The album was certified gold a month later for shipments of 500,000 copies by the RIAA.[54] The Big Picture was the only music by Big L to appear on a music chart outside of the United States, peaking at number 122 on the UK Albums Chart.[55]

Children of the Corn: The Collector's Edition, a compilation album containing COC songs, was released in 2003. Big L's next posthumous album, 139 & Lenox, was released on August 31, 2010.[56] Issued by Rich King on Flamboyant Entertainment, it contained previously unreleased and rare tracks.[56][57] The follow up album, Return of the Devil's Son (2010), peaked at number 73 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[58] Coleman's next releases were The Danger Zone (2011),[59] and an album called L Corleone, which was released on February 14, 2012.[60]

Legacy and influence

Henry Adaso, a music journalist for About.com, called him the 23rd-best MC of 1987 to 2007, claiming "[he was] one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history."[4] HipHopDX called Coleman "the most underrated lyricist ever".[13] Many tributes have been given to Coleman. The first was by Lord Finesse and the other members of DITC on March 6, 1999, at the Tramps.[8] The Source has done multiple tributes to him: first in July 2000,[61] and then in March 2002.[62]

 
A mural depicting Big L in New York City

XXL also did a tribute to Coleman in March 2003.[63] On February 16, 2005, at SOB's restaurant and nightclub in Manhattan, a commemoration was held for him.[64] It included special guests such as DITC, Herb McGruff, and Kid Capri.[64] All the money earned went to his estate.[64]

In 2004, Eminem paid tribute to Coleman in the music video for his single "Like Toy Soldiers". In an interview with MTV, Jay-Z stated: "We were about to sign him right before he passed away. We were about to sign him to Roc-a-Fella. It was a done deal…I think he was very talented…I think he had the ability to write big records, and big choruses."[5] Rapper Nas also said on MTV, "He scared me to death. When I heard that on tape, I was scared to death. I said, 'Yo, it's no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with.'"[5]

In 2017, Royce da 5'9" said he believed Coleman would have been a "top 3" rapper all time if he had not been killed so prematurely.[65] In 2019, Funkmaster Flex said "People can get mad at me for saying this, but he was the best lyricist at the time. He was a better lyricist than Biggie and Jay-Z. He just didn't have the marketing and promotion. Let me go on the record and say that. It's the truth."[66] In 2022, the 140th Street and Lennox Avenue intersection in Harlem was co-named Lamont "Big L" Coleman Way.[67]

Style

 
"Ebonics"
In "Ebonics", one of Coleman's best-known tracks, he raps about the slang used in Harlem while he was growing up.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Coleman is often credited in helping to create the horrorcore genre of hip hop with his 1992 song "Devil's Son."[14] However, not all his songs fall into this genre. For example, in the song "Street Struck," Coleman discusses the difficulties of growing up in the ghetto and describes the consequences of living a life of crime.[citation needed] Idris Goodwin of The Boston Globe wrote that "[Big L had an] impressive command of the English language", with his song "Ebonics" being the best example of this.[68]

Coleman was notable for using a rap style called "compounding".[69] He also used metaphors in his rhymes.[70] M.F. DiBella of Allmusic stated Coleman was "a master of the lyrical stickup undressing his competition with kinetic metaphors and a brash comedic repertoire".[70] On the review of The Big Picture, she adds, describing "the Harlem MC as a master of the punch line and a vicious storyteller with a razor blade-under-the-tongue flow."[26] Trent Fitzgerald of Allmusic said Coleman was "a lyrically ferocious MC with raps deadlier than a snakebite and mannerisms cooler than the uptown pimp he claimed to be on records."[71]

Documentary

A documentary Street Struck: The Big L Story was set to be released in 2017. Directed by a childhood friend and independent film director, Jewlz,[18] approximately nine hours of footage was brought in, and the film's planned runtime was said to be 90 to 120 minutes long.[34] Released on August 29, 2009,[18] the first trailer detailed that Street Struck would contain interviews from his mother Gilda Terry; his brother Donald; childhood friends E-Cash, D.O.C., McGruff, and Stan Spit; artists Mysonne and Doug E. Fresh; producers Showbiz and Premier; and recording DJs Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg.[18] Put together by Coleman's brother Donald, a soundtrack was said to have been made for the documentary as well.[34] As of 2023, both the documentary and soundtrack have yet to be released.

Discography

Main article: Big L discography
See also: List of songs recorded by Big L
Studio album
Posthumous studio albums
Posthumous compilation albums
Posthumous collaboration album

See also

References

  1. ^ "Today in hip hop history: Big L was shot and killed 22 years ago". The Source. February 15, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "The Source: Top 50 Lyricists [Magazine Scans]". Genius. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  3. ^ Henry Adaso. "10 Great Rappers Who Died Too Young". About.com Entertainment.
  4. ^ a b Adaso, Henry. 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). About.com. Retrieved August 27, 2011
  5. ^ a b c Fleischer, Adam. "Big L Would Have Been 40 Today: Here's How He Impacted Jay Z, Mac Miller And More". MTV News. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Big L > Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  7. ^ a b Paine, Jake (February 18, 2008). . HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o The Big Sleep (November 7, 2008). . Big L Online. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  9. ^ Arnold, Paul (July 12, 2012). . HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  10. ^ Ovalle, David (December 2, 2002). "Rapper, 23, Was on the Verge of Stardom When He Was Gunned Down in Harlem". The Miami Herald. p. 1E.
  11. ^ a b Johnson, Brett (November 29, 2010). . Crave Online. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  12. ^ a b Soobax (November 20, 2009). "Donald Phinazee's Q&A – Part Two!". Big L Online. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013.
  13. ^ a b c d Udoh, Meka (February 15, 2007). . HipHop DX. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  14. ^ a b c d Daniel, Jamila (April 1995). "Uptown Renaissance: Big L". The Source (67): 36. ISSN 1063-2085.
  15. ^ a b c . Rawkus Records. Archived from the original on March 31, 2001.
  16. ^ Coleman, Lamont (1998). "Big L's last interview (Oxygen FM in Amsterdam '98)". Oxygen FM (Interview). Amsterdam.
  17. ^ a b Hess (2010), p. 40
  18. ^ a b c d BigLOnline (August 29, 2009). "Big L Documentary Trailer (First Draft) – 'Street Struck: The Big L Story.' Coming Soon!". YouTube. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  19. ^ "No Endz, No Skinz – Big L". Vevo. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  20. ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 15. Nielsen Business Media. April 15, 1995. p. 78. ISSN 0006-2510.
  21. ^ "Billboard Top R&B Albums". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 15. Nielsen Business Media. April 15, 1995. p. 22. ISSN 0006-2510.
  22. ^ a b Berry, Jahna (August 11, 2000). . Vh1. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  23. ^ Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (February 15, 2012). "Hip-Hop Remembers Big L on the Anniversary of His Death". MTV.com. MTV Networks. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
  24. ^ a b Big L > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles. AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  25. ^ "Big L Remembered: The 10 Best Verses From 'The Big Picture'". theboombox.com.
  26. ^ a b DiBella, M.F. "The Big Picture – Big L > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  27. ^ Lewis, Mike (1998). "The Crate & The Good". Hip Hop Connection. ISSN 1465-4407.
  28. ^ Salaam, Ismael (February 15, 2009). "Rapper Big L Remembered 10 Years Later". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  29. ^ "TODAY IN HIP-HOP: RIP BLOODSHED". XXL. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  30. ^ "Dangerous: O.C." AllMusic. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  31. ^ Park, April (September 13, 2000). "Big L: The Big Picture (Rawkus/Flamboyant)". Riverfront Times. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  32. ^ Jasper (1999), p. 2
  33. ^ Berry, Jahna (July 31, 2000). . Vh1. Viacom. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014.
  34. ^ a b c Donald Phinazee (November 10, 2009). "Big L's Brother Talks His Death and the New Album". Vimeo (Interview). Interviewed by Bill Starlin.
  35. ^ Hess (2010), p. 41
  36. ^ Herb McGruff (July 25, 2010). "Herb McGruff Jay Z & Big L Deal". YouTube (Interview). Interviewed by Mikey T.
  37. ^ Romano, Will (May 3, 2000). "Slain Rapper Big L's Posthumous Album Due". Vh1. Viacom. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  38. ^ "Violence and Hip Hop". BBC News. October 31, 2002. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  39. ^ "Suspect Arrested in Big L Shooting". MTV.com. MTV Networks. May 21, 1999. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  40. ^ . Rolling Stone. May 17, 1999. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009.
  41. ^ Gray, Madison (September 13, 2011). . Time. Archived from the original on September 23, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  42. ^ Odeisel (November 5, 2010). "Big L's Older Brother Talks His Death And The Life Of His Music". Planet Ill. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  43. ^ Sommerfeldt, Chris. "Man suspected of killing hip-hop star Big L in 1999 shot, killed in Harlem; one of two men gunned down Thursday". New York Daily News.
  44. ^ Clark, Trent (June 25, 2016). "Big L's Alleged Killer Murdered In Harlem". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  45. ^ "Big l'S Alleged Killer Murdered in Harlem". June 25, 2016.
  46. ^ Mazariego, Omar (July 26, 2016). "Cam'Ron Hints At The Story Behind Big L's Murder In New Verse". The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  47. ^ ESPINOZA, JOSHUA (July 26, 2016). "Cam'ron Drops a New Verse About Big L and His Suspected Murderer". Complex. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  48. ^ Black, Lou (June 19, 2017). Ethylene: The Rise and Fall of The 139th St. NFL Crew (1st ed.). Respect the Pen LLC. pp. 147–152. ISBN 978-0-9989986-0-2.
  49. ^ Harlem World Magazine
  50. ^ "D.I.T.C. – D.I.T.C. > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  51. ^ "D.I.T.C. – D.I.T.C. > Charts @ Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  52. ^ Gill, John (May 3, 2000). "Big L's First Posthumous Single Arrives". MTV.com. MTV Networks. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  53. ^ . Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 16, 2000. Archived from the original (XML) on April 22, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  54. ^ "American album certifications – Big L – The Big Picture". Recording Industry Association of America. October 11, 2000. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  55. ^ Zywietz, Tobias (May 7, 2011). "Chart Log UK: Darren B – David Byrne". Zobbel.de. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  56. ^ a b Hanna, Mitchell (August 3, 2010). . HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  57. ^ "139 & Lenox > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  58. ^ "Charts & Awards: Big L". AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  59. ^ Vasquez, Andres (June 3, 2011). "Big L – The Danger Zone". HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  60. ^ "L Corleone by Big L". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  61. ^ Rodriquez, Carlito (July 2000). "The Tragic Story of an 11 Year Old Killer, Our Tribute to Big L". The Source (130). ISSN 1063-2085.
  62. ^ Rodriquez, Carlito (March 2002). "The Greatest MC, Albums and Moments". The Source (150): 118. ISSN 1063-2085.
  63. ^ "Big L, Book of Rhymes, Vol. 2". XXL. Harris Publications. 7 (45). March 2003.
  64. ^ a b c . SOB's. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005.
  65. ^ "The Source |Royce da' 5'9" Believes That Big L "was better than Jay Z"". May 10, 2017.
  66. ^ ""Flamboyant:" How Rap Legends Remember Big L 20 Years After His Death". March 28, 2019.
  67. ^ "Big L, Forever". June 2022.
  68. ^ Goodwin, Idris (December 7, 2010). "Anthology Expands Rap from Music to Literature". The Boston Globe. New York Times Company. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  69. ^ Herb McGruff (April 26, 2009). . Big L Online (Interview). Interviewed by Francesca Djerejian. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012.
  70. ^ a b DiBella, M.F. "Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous – Big L > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  71. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent. "D.I.T.C. > Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2011.

Sources

  • Hess, Mickey (2010). Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide: Volume 1: East Coast and West Coast. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34323-0.
  • Jasper, Kenji (July 6, 1999). . The Village Voice. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2012.

External links

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Big L.

April 29, 2023
other, uses, disambiguation, lamont, coleman, 1974, february, 1999, known, professionally, american, rapper, record, executive, 1998background, informationbirth, namelamont, colemanalso, known, corleoneborn, 1974, 1974new, york, city, diedfebruary, 1999, 1999,. For other uses see Big L disambiguation Lamont Coleman May 30 1974 February 15 1999 known professionally as Big L was an American rapper and record executive 1 Big LBig L in 1998Background informationBirth nameLamont ColemanAlso known asL CorleoneBorn 1974 05 30 May 30 1974New York City U S DiedFebruary 15 1999 1999 02 15 aged 24 New York City U S GenresHip hopOccupation s Rapper songwriter record executiveYears active1992 1999LabelsColumbia Sony Rawkus Priority Flamboyant Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992 Coleman became known among underground hip hop fans for his freestyling ability He was eventually signed to Columbia Records where in 1995 he released his debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor amp Dangerous On February 15 1999 Coleman was shot nine times in his East Harlem neighborhood and later succumbed to his injuries Coleman was noted for his use of wordplay and writers at AllMusic HipHopDX and The Source have praised him for his lyrical ability 2 3 He has also been described as one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history and known by many as the greatest punchline rapper of all time 4 Regarding Coleman s legacy in an interview with Funkmaster Flex Nas claimed Coleman scared me to death When I heard his performance at the Apollo Theater on tape I was scared to death I said Yo it s no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with 5 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 1992 1995 First recordings and record deal 2 2 1996 1999 independent release 3 Death 4 Posthumous releases 5 Legacy and influence 5 1 Style 5 2 Documentary 6 Discography 7 See also 8 References 9 Sources 10 External linksEarly life EditLamont Coleman was born on May 30 1974 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City 6 He was the third and youngest child of Gilda Terry d 2008 7 and Charles Davis 8 Davis left the family while Coleman was a child 9 He had two older half siblings Donald and Leroy Phinazee d 2002 7 8 Coleman received the nicknames Little L and Mont Mont as a child 10 11 His elder brother Donald Phinazee took Coleman to a Run DMC concert at the Beacon Theatre when Coleman was about 7 years old According to Phinazee Coleman was awed by the performance which sparked his interest in rapping By age 12 Coleman became a big hip hop fan and started freestyling with other people in his neighborhood 8 11 Coleman began writing rhymes in 1990 8 He also founded a group known as Three the Hard Way in 1990 but it was quickly broken up due to a lack of enthusiasm among the members which consisted of Coleman Doc Reem and Rodney 12 13 No projects were released and after Rodney left the group was renamed Two Hard Motherfuckers 12 Around this time people started to refer to Coleman as Big L 8 In the summer of 1990 Coleman met Lord Finesse at an autograph session in a record shop on 125th Street 14 15 After he did a freestyle Finesse and Coleman exchanged numbers 15 Coleman attended Julia Richman High School and graduated in 1992 8 While in high school Coleman freestyle battled regularly in his last interview he stated in the beginning all I ever saw me doing was battling everybody on the street corners rhyming in the hallways beating on the wall rhyming to my friends Every now and then a house party grab the mic a block party grab the mic 16 Career Edit1992 1995 First recordings and record deal Edit In 1992 Coleman recorded various demos some of which were featured on his debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor amp Dangerous 13 17 On February 11 Coleman appeared on Yo MTV Raps with Lord Finesse to help promote Finesse s studio album Return of the Funky Man 8 Coleman s first professional appearance came on Yes You May Remix the B side of Party Over Here 1992 by Lord Finesse 17 and his first album appearance was on Represent off of Showbiz amp A G s Runaway Slave 1992 14 During this time he won an amateur freestyle battle hosted by Nubian Productions which consisted of about 2 000 contestants 18 In 1992 Coleman signed to Columbia Records 13 He then joined Lord Finesse s Bronx based hip hop collective Diggin in the Crates Crew DITC which consisted of Lord Finesse Diamond D O C Fat Joe Buckwild Showbiz and A G In 1993 Coleman released his first promotional single Devil s Son and later said it was one of the first horrorcore singles influencing others He said he wrote the song because I ve always been a fan of horror flicks Plus the things I see in Harlem are very scary So I just put it all together in a rhyme However he said he preferred other styles over horrorcore 14 Coleman founded the Harlem rap group Children of the Corn COC with Killa Cam Cam ron Murda Mase Ma e Bloodshed and McGruff in 1993 On February 18 1993 he performed live at the Uptown Lord Finesse Birthday Bash at the 2 000 Club which included other performances from Fat Joe Nas and Diamond D 8 In 1994 he released his second promotional single Clinic On July 11 1994 Coleman released the radio edit of Put It On followed up by the release of the music video three months later 8 In 1995 the music video for the single No Endz No Skinz debuted It was directed by Brian Luvar 19 His debut studio album Lifestylez ov da Poor amp Dangerous was released in March 1995 The album debuted at number 149 on the Billboard 200 20 and number 22 on Top R amp B Hip Hop Albums 21 Lifestylez would go on to sell over 200 000 copies as of 2000 22 Three singles were released from the album the first two Put It On and M V P reached the top 25 of Billboard s Hot Rap Tracks and the third No Endz No Skinz did not chart 23 24 1996 1999 independent release Edit In 1996 Coleman was dropped from Columbia mainly because of a dispute between Coleman and the label over artistic differences 25 26 He stated I was there with a bunch of strangers that didn t really know my music 27 In 1997 he started working on his second studio album The Big Picture 28 COC folded when Bloodshed died in a car accident in New York on March 2 1997 29 Later that year DITC appeared in the July issue of On The Go Magazine 8 Coleman then appeared on O C s single Dangerous from O C s second album Jewelz 30 That November he was the opening act for O C s European Jewlez Tour 8 Sometime in 1998 Coleman formed his own independent label Flamboyant Entertainment 31 According to The Village Voice it planned to distribute the kind of hip hop that sold without top 40 samples or R amp B hooks 32 That same year Coleman released the single Ebonics 33 The song based on African American Vernacular English was called one of the top five independent singles of the year by The Source 15 Also in 1998 DITC released their first single Dignified Soldiers 6 Following the release of Ebonics Coleman caught the eye of Damon Dash the CEO of Roc A Fella Records Dash offered to sign him to Roc A Fella but Coleman wanted his crew to sign as well 34 35 On February 8 1999 Coleman Herb McGruff C Town and Jay Z started the process to sign with Roc A Fella as a group called The Wolfpack 8 36 Death EditAt around 8 30 PM on February 15 1999 Big L was killed at 45 West 139th Street in his native Harlem after being shot nine times in the face and chest in a drive by shooting 37 38 Gerard Woodley one of Big L s childhood friends was arrested three months later for the crime 39 It s a good possibility it was retaliation for something Big L s brother did or Woodley believed he had done said a spokesperson for the New York City Police Department 40 Woodley was later released due to lack of evidence and the murder case remains officially unsolved 41 In a November 2010 interview with Planet Ill Donald Phinazee Big L s oldest brother claimed Big L was sent to do something he was not supposed to by their brother Leroy Big Lee Phinazee Donald attributed Big L being seen committing the act as the cause for his murder 42 On June 24 2016 Woodley was shot in the head and later died at Harlem Hospital 43 44 Woodley s family maintains his innocence in Coleman s killing 45 Rapper Cam ron who was a close friend of Big L and Woodley attended Woodley s funeral Later Cam ron posted a video to Instagram claiming Big L had attempted to murder Woodley a week before his death 46 47 In 2017 Lou Black Gerard Woodley s cousin published Ethylene The Rise and Fall of The 139th St NFL Crew The book details Black s first hand interactions with the NFL crew and Big L In the book Black claims Leroy Big Lee Phinazee Coleman s eldest half brother and leader of the NFL crew violated his probation when he was found to be in possession of an illegal weapon and was sentenced to prison According to Black while in prison Phinazee met and contracted a hitman from Brooklyn to murder three members of the NFL gang including Woodley Phinazee had tasked Big L to identify the targets to the hitman On the day when the murder was planned Woodley noticed the hitman following him and successfully scared him off As Big L had been seen multiple times with the alleged hitman days prior Woodley assumed Big L had taken part in the attempted shooting Approximately a week after the attempted shooting of Woodley Big L was killed Black did not specify if Woodley personally killed Big L 48 Coleman is buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus New Jersey 49 Posthumous releases EditThe tracks Get Yours Way of Life and Shyheim s Manchild b w Furious Anger were released as singles in 1999 for DITC s self titled album 2000 on Tommy Boy Records 8 50 The album peaked at number 31 on R amp B Hip Hop Albums and number 141 on the Billboard 200 51 Coleman s first posthumous single was Flamboyant b w On the Mic which arrived on May 30 2000 52 The single peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs 53 and topped the Hot Rap Tracks 24 making it Coleman s first and only number one single Coleman s second and final studio album The Big Picture was released on August 1 2000 and featured Fat Joe Tupac Shakur Guru of Gang Starr Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane among others The Big Picture was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment Rich King It contains songs that he had recorded and a cappella recordings that were never used completed by producers and guest emcees that Coleman respected or had worked with previously 8 The Big Picture debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200 number two on Top R amp B Hip Hop Albums and sold 72 549 copies 22 The album was certified gold a month later for shipments of 500 000 copies by the RIAA 54 The Big Picture was the only music by Big L to appear on a music chart outside of the United States peaking at number 122 on the UK Albums Chart 55 Children of the Corn The Collector s Edition a compilation album containing COC songs was released in 2003 Big L s next posthumous album 139 amp Lenox was released on August 31 2010 56 Issued by Rich King on Flamboyant Entertainment it contained previously unreleased and rare tracks 56 57 The follow up album Return of the Devil s Son 2010 peaked at number 73 on R amp B Hip Hop Albums 58 Coleman s next releases were The Danger Zone 2011 59 and an album called L Corleone which was released on February 14 2012 60 Legacy and influence EditHenry Adaso a music journalist for About com called him the 23rd best MC of 1987 to 2007 claiming he was one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history 4 HipHopDX called Coleman the most underrated lyricist ever 13 Many tributes have been given to Coleman The first was by Lord Finesse and the other members of DITC on March 6 1999 at the Tramps 8 The Source has done multiple tributes to him first in July 2000 61 and then in March 2002 62 A mural depicting Big L in New York City XXL also did a tribute to Coleman in March 2003 63 On February 16 2005 at SOB s restaurant and nightclub in Manhattan a commemoration was held for him 64 It included special guests such as DITC Herb McGruff and Kid Capri 64 All the money earned went to his estate 64 In 2004 Eminem paid tribute to Coleman in the music video for his single Like Toy Soldiers In an interview with MTV Jay Z stated We were about to sign him right before he passed away We were about to sign him to Roc a Fella It was a done deal I think he was very talented I think he had the ability to write big records and big choruses 5 Rapper Nas also said on MTV He scared me to death When I heard that on tape I was scared to death I said Yo it s no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with 5 In 2017 Royce da 5 9 said he believed Coleman would have been a top 3 rapper all time if he had not been killed so prematurely 65 In 2019 Funkmaster Flex said People can get mad at me for saying this but he was the best lyricist at the time He was a better lyricist than Biggie and Jay Z He just didn t have the marketing and promotion Let me go on the record and say that It s the truth 66 In 2022 the 140th Street and Lennox Avenue intersection in Harlem was co named Lamont Big L Coleman Way 67 Style Edit Ebonics source source In Ebonics one of Coleman s best known tracks he raps about the slang used in Harlem while he was growing up Problems playing this file See media help Coleman is often credited in helping to create the horrorcore genre of hip hop with his 1992 song Devil s Son 14 However not all his songs fall into this genre For example in the song Street Struck Coleman discusses the difficulties of growing up in the ghetto and describes the consequences of living a life of crime citation needed Idris Goodwin of The Boston Globe wrote that Big L had an impressive command of the English language with his song Ebonics being the best example of this 68 Coleman was notable for using a rap style called compounding 69 He also used metaphors in his rhymes 70 M F DiBella of Allmusic stated Coleman was a master of the lyrical stickup undressing his competition with kinetic metaphors and a brash comedic repertoire 70 On the review of The Big Picture she adds describing the Harlem MC as a master of the punch line and a vicious storyteller with a razor blade under the tongue flow 26 Trent Fitzgerald of Allmusic said Coleman was a lyrically ferocious MC with raps deadlier than a snakebite and mannerisms cooler than the uptown pimp he claimed to be on records 71 Documentary Edit A documentary Street Struck The Big L Story was set to be released in 2017 Directed by a childhood friend and independent film director Jewlz 18 approximately nine hours of footage was brought in and the film s planned runtime was said to be 90 to 120 minutes long 34 Released on August 29 2009 18 the first trailer detailed that Street Struck would contain interviews from his mother Gilda Terry his brother Donald childhood friends E Cash D O C McGruff and Stan Spit artists Mysonne and Doug E Fresh producers Showbiz and Premier and recording DJs Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg 18 Put together by Coleman s brother Donald a soundtrack was said to have been made for the documentary as well 34 As of 2023 both the documentary and soundtrack have yet to be released Discography EditMain article Big L discography See also List of songs recorded by Big L Studio albumLifestylez ov da Poor amp Dangerous 1995 Posthumous studio albumsThe Big Picture 2000 139 amp Lenox 2010 Return of the Devil s Son 2010 The Danger Zone 2011 Posthumous compilation albumsHarlem s Finest A Freestyle History 2003 Live from Amsterdam 2003 Big L The Archives 1996 2000 2006 Posthumous collaboration albumChildren of the Corn Collector s Edition with Children of the Corn 2003 See also EditList of murdered hip hop musicians List of unsolved murdersReferences Edit Today in hip hop history Big L was shot and killed 22 years ago The Source February 15 2021 Retrieved June 17 2021 The Source Top 50 Lyricists Magazine Scans Genius Retrieved April 8 2019 Henry Adaso 10 Great Rappers Who Died Too Young About com Entertainment a b Adaso Henry 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time 1987 2007 About com Retrieved August 27 2011 a b c Fleischer Adam Big L Would Have Been 40 Today Here s How He Impacted Jay Z Mac Miller And More MTV News Retrieved April 8 2019 a b Big L gt Overview Allmusic Retrieved November 5 2011 a b Paine Jake February 18 2008 Big L s Mother Passes Away HipHop DX Cheri Media Group Archived from the original on June 28 2011 Retrieved November 6 2011 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o The Big Sleep November 7 2008 Lamont Big L Coleman Timeline Big L Online Archived from the original on May 2 2012 Retrieved September 28 2011 Arnold Paul July 12 2012 Lord Finesse Says There Will Never Be Another Big L Album HipHop DX Cheri Media Group Archived from the original on January 21 2012 Retrieved February 9 2012 Ovalle David December 2 2002 Rapper 23 Was on the Verge of Stardom When He Was Gunned Down in Harlem The Miami Herald p 1E a b Johnson Brett November 29 2010 Donald Phinazee on the life of Big L Crave Online Archived from the original on September 26 2011 Retrieved September 21 2011 a b Soobax November 20 2009 Donald Phinazee s Q amp A Part Two Big L Online Archived from the original on January 18 2013 a b c d Udoh Meka February 15 2007 Remembering Lamont Big L Coleman HipHop DX Archived from the original on December 15 2011 Retrieved September 29 2011 a b c d Daniel Jamila April 1995 Uptown Renaissance Big L The Source 67 36 ISSN 1063 2085 a b c Big L Bio Rawkus Records Archived from the original on March 31 2001 Coleman Lamont 1998 Big L s last interview Oxygen FM in Amsterdam 98 Oxygen FM Interview Amsterdam a b Hess 2010 p 40 a b c d BigLOnline August 29 2009 Big L Documentary Trailer First Draft Street Struck The Big L Story Coming Soon YouTube Retrieved October 27 2011 No Endz No Skinz Big L Vevo Retrieved November 7 2011 Billboard 200 Billboard Vol 107 no 15 Nielsen Business Media April 15 1995 p 78 ISSN 0006 2510 Billboard Top R amp B Albums Billboard Vol 107 no 15 Nielsen Business Media April 15 1995 p 22 ISSN 0006 2510 a b Berry Jahna August 11 2000 Street Buzz Duets Fuel Sales of Big L s The Big Picture Vh1 MTV Networks Archived from the original on October 12 2011 Retrieved October 30 2011 Krishnamurthy Sowmya February 15 2012 Hip Hop Remembers Big L on the Anniversary of His Death MTV com MTV Networks Retrieved February 19 2012 a b Big L gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Singles AllMusic Retrieved September 10 2011 Big L Remembered The 10 Best Verses From The Big Picture theboombox com a b DiBella M F The Big Picture Big L gt Review AllMusic Retrieved October 31 2011 Lewis Mike 1998 The Crate amp The Good Hip Hop Connection ISSN 1465 4407 Salaam Ismael February 15 2009 Rapper Big L Remembered 10 Years Later AllHipHop com Retrieved February 11 2012 TODAY IN HIP HOP RIP BLOODSHED XXL Retrieved August 3 2016 Dangerous O C AllMusic Retrieved November 9 2011 Park April September 13 2000 Big L The Big Picture Rawkus Flamboyant Riverfront Times Retrieved February 5 2012 Jasper 1999 p 2 Berry Jahna July 31 2000 Big L s Second Album Due More Than A Year After His Death Vh1 Viacom Archived from the original on May 13 2014 a b c Donald Phinazee November 10 2009 Big L s Brother Talks His Death and the New Album Vimeo Interview Interviewed by Bill Starlin Hess 2010 p 41 Herb McGruff July 25 2010 Herb McGruff Jay Z amp Big L Deal YouTube Interview Interviewed by Mikey T Romano Will May 3 2000 Slain Rapper Big L s Posthumous Album Due Vh1 Viacom Retrieved February 8 2012 Violence and Hip Hop BBC News October 31 2002 Retrieved November 2 2011 Suspect Arrested in Big L Shooting MTV com MTV Networks May 21 1999 Retrieved November 2 2011 Arrest Made in Big L Case Rolling Stone May 17 1999 Archived from the original on March 21 2009 Gray Madison September 13 2011 Big L Top 10 Unsolved Hip Hop Murders Time Archived from the original on September 23 2011 Retrieved November 13 2011 Odeisel November 5 2010 Big L s Older Brother Talks His Death And The Life Of His Music Planet Ill Retrieved September 3 2022 Sommerfeldt Chris Man suspected of killing hip hop star Big L in 1999 shot killed in Harlem one of two men gunned down Thursday New York Daily News Clark Trent June 25 2016 Big L s Alleged Killer Murdered In Harlem HipHopDX Retrieved November 9 2016 Big l S Alleged Killer Murdered in Harlem June 25 2016 Mazariego Omar July 26 2016 Cam Ron Hints At The Story Behind Big L s Murder In New Verse The Latest Hip Hop News Music and Media Hip Hop Wired Retrieved September 3 2022 ESPINOZA JOSHUA July 26 2016 Cam ron Drops a New Verse About Big L and His Suspected Murderer Complex Retrieved September 3 2022 Black Lou June 19 2017 Ethylene The Rise and Fall of The 139th St NFL Crew 1st ed Respect the Pen LLC pp 147 152 ISBN 978 0 9989986 0 2 Harlem World Magazine D I T C D I T C gt Overview AllMusic Retrieved November 2 2011 D I T C D I T C gt Charts Awards gt Billboard Albums AllMusic Retrieved November 5 2011 Gill John May 3 2000 Big L s First Posthumous Single Arrives MTV com MTV Networks Retrieved November 5 2011 Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Prometheus Global Media September 16 2000 Archived from the original XML on April 22 2012 Retrieved November 7 2011 American album certifications Big L The Big Picture Recording Industry Association of America October 11 2000 Retrieved September 29 2011 Zywietz Tobias May 7 2011 Chart Log UK Darren B David Byrne Zobbel de Retrieved April 8 2012 a b Hanna Mitchell August 3 2010 Tuesday Rap Release Dates Kanye West Big L Gucci Mane Black Milk HipHop DX Cheri Media Group Archived from the original on February 12 2011 Retrieved November 11 2011 139 amp Lenox gt Overview AllMusic Retrieved November 21 2011 Charts amp Awards Big L AllMusic Retrieved April 29 2011 Vasquez Andres June 3 2011 Big L The Danger Zone HipHop DX Cheri Media Group Archived from the original on June 8 2011 Retrieved June 5 2011 L Corleone by Big L iTunes Store Apple Retrieved January 28 2012 Rodriquez Carlito July 2000 The Tragic Story of an 11 Year Old Killer Our Tribute to Big L The Source 130 ISSN 1063 2085 Rodriquez Carlito March 2002 The Greatest MC Albums and Moments The Source 150 118 ISSN 1063 2085 Big L Book of Rhymes Vol 2 XXL Harris Publications 7 45 March 2003 a b c Commemorating the Life of the Legendary Big L SOB s Archived from the original on February 4 2005 The Source Royce da 5 9 Believes That Big L was better than Jay Z May 10 2017 Flamboyant How Rap Legends Remember Big L 20 Years After His Death March 28 2019 Big L Forever June 2022 Goodwin Idris December 7 2010 Anthology Expands Rap from Music to Literature The Boston Globe New York Times Company Archived from the original on January 18 2013 Retrieved February 9 2012 Herb McGruff April 26 2009 The Herb McGruff Interview Big L Online Interview Interviewed by Francesca Djerejian Archived from the original on May 2 2012 a b DiBella M F Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous Big L gt Review AllMusic Retrieved October 31 2011 Fitzgerald Trent D I T C gt Biography AllMusic Retrieved November 8 2011 Sources EditHess Mickey 2010 Hip Hop in America A Regional Guide Volume 1 East Coast and West Coast ABC CLIO ISBN 978 0 313 34323 0 Jasper Kenji July 6 1999 Of Mics and Men in Harlem The Village Voice Archived from the original on August 10 2013 Retrieved February 6 2012 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Big L Official website archived Big L at AllMusic Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big L amp oldid 1150594663, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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