This week’s Floetry comes from the 1990s courtesy of Big L. For those that consider themselves experts on rap and hip-hop (which I never have and probably never will), Big L should be etched in your memory. Many people and critics put Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and Big L in the same sentence when speaking of legendary rappers. Eminem recently called them the 3 martyrs in the history of hip-hop.
Big L had two major albums in his short career: Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, and The Big Picture (which came out after his death). Lifestylez featured the up and coming Jay-Z (a track Big L did with Jay-Z, called “7 Minute Freestyle” is legendary). Lifestylez did not do well commercially in part because of several violent and vulgar lyrics, which were not radio friendly. The Big Picture actually did well commercially, but sadly it came out after Big L had been murdered (which of course could go back to the whole, “rappers sell better when they are retired or dead” ideology). Two songs from that album, Ebonics and Flamboyant, reached number one on the charts. The Big Picture went platinum in 2001.
Jay-Z is considered one of the greats today and he can definitely be heard mentioning Big L’s name here and there. Also, Jay-Z’s “little brother”, Kanye West, in his newest album that came out about 3 weeks, also mentions Big L and Biggie in the same sentence by saying how he would wanna be compared to Big L or Notorious. Part of the reason Big L’s style and technique may have been overlooked by the general public is because of the big-time public beef that went down between Tupac and Biggie, East and West Coast etc etc…
Anyway, for more of a history of Big L check out the Internet. There are definitely a lot of people that haven’t forgotten about Harlem’s Finest aka Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999).
I feel a lot of pressure in representing Big L right. I was between a verse from Ebonics and Flamboyant, but I guess I’ll go with Flamboyant. Definitely check out his other lyrics on the web or maybe in future editions of Friday Floetry.
Floetry:
Make sure my mic is loud and my production is tight
Better watch me round your girl if you ain't f*cking her right
You damn playa haters never want to see me blow
Flamboyant Entertainment CEO
Yo the spotlight is mine, it ain't his no more
When Lee come home, ni**as can't live no more
And ... I'm straight, keep a Harlem World mindstate
I never lounge where you find Jake
Suprise ni**as like a blind date, L rhyme great
And I'm a increase the crime rate for old time's sake
Run with me and I'm a make you a star
When me and my crew hit the clubs, we go straight to the bar
Leave 'em empty, I cruise through Harlem in an M3
Never pay for parties, say my name and I'm in free
I'm on some 100-G car s*it, superstar s*it
Selling ni**as that wet s*it right out the jar s*it
I'm dumb hot, I'll wreck you and your young flock
Keep the gun cock, represent one block
139 ni**a, the Danger Zone
We quick to put a bullet in a stranger's dome
I'm known to kick a rough rhyme and rock much shine
Yo I'm out, I done took up enough time
We out, no doubt, you know how we do, Flamboyent for life
Taken From Flamboyant by Big L
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