Big L (born Lamont Coleman May 30, 1974; died February 15, 1999) was an American rap artist. Big L was born, raised, lived, and fatally shot in the same Harlem neighborhood he 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 greatest rappers of all time, due to his oft-lauded punchlines.

Performance history

His early career began in a group called Children of the Corn with fellow Harlemites Ma$e, Bloodshed, his cousin Cam'ron and McGruff. 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. His biggest success came with Ebonics which he recorded on his own "Flamboyant" label in the summer of 1998. The single, Ebonics, which consists of defininitions of slang terms, is widely regarded as his best work: [sic].

Check it: My weed smoke is my lye
A key 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...


Posthumous career

Rumours among hip hop fans suggested that Big L was to sign with Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label. His last recorded release was The Big Picture on August 1, 2000, put together by Lord Finesse from songs L had recorded and acapellas that were never used, as well as calling in producers and guest rappers that L was said to have wanted to work with. The album was certified gold a month later. Although Big L's next posthumous album, a DJ Premier venture, was slated for 2007, the date has since been passed. This leaves the lingering question as to whether another official DJ Premier produced Big L posthumous album will ever hit retail.

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.