Lamont Coleman better known by his
stage nameA stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Big L, was an American rapper. Coleman was born and raised in Harlem, New York, where he started his rap career with Three the Hard Way. He founded the group Children of the Corn and was a member of the
Diggin' in the Crates CrewThe Diggin' in the Crates Crew, also known as D.I.T.C., is a New York-based hip-hop collective, deriving its name from the art of seeking out records to sample for production. Its members have achieved substantial and consistent recognition in underground rap circles, often collaborating with...
before pursuing a solo career. His first professional appearance came on
Lord FinesseLord Finesse is a Hip hop artist and producer, hailing from The Bronx, New York, best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. rap crew.- Career :...
's "Yes You May (Remix)". He released his debut album,
Lifestylez ov da Poor & DangerousLifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut album of American hip hop artist Big L, released March 28, 1995 on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York during 1994 to 1995. The title originates from the television series,...
in 1995, and significantly contributed to the
underground hip hopUnderground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
scene. He created his own independent label, Flamboyant Entertainment, in 1998 where he released one of his best known singles "Ebonics" (1998).
On February 15, 1999, Coleman was killed by an unknown assailant in a
drive-by shootingA drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
in his hometown of Harlem. Suspects, including the main suspect Gerald Woodley, were brought in for questioning, but no one was found guilty. His second studio album,
The Big Picture was put together by Coleman's manager, Rich King. It was released the following year and certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA).
Since his death, three posthumous albums have released, mainly consisting of unreleased songs which were put together by Rich King and his brother, Donald. Multiple tributes have been giving to Coleman, including in
The SourceThe Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
,
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and HipHop DX. A documentary is in the works titled
Street Struck: The Big L Story (2012).
About.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
called him the seventeenth best MC of all time, and multiple writers at Allmusic have given him high praise.
Early life
Born Lamont Coleman in Harlem, New York, he was the third and youngest child of Gilda Terry (d. 2008) and Charles Davis. He has two siblings, Donald and Leroy Phinazee (d. 2002), who were the children of Gilda Terry and Mr. Phinazee. Coleman received the nicknames "Little L" and mont 'mont" as a child. At six years old, he became a big fan of horror movies and films such as
The GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
. At the age of 12, Coleman became a big hip hop fan and started freestyling against his own neighborhood. He founded a group called Three the Hard Way in 1990, but was quickly broken up due to a lack of enthusiasm. It consisted of Coleman, a "Doc Reem", and a "Rodney". No studio albums were released, and after Rodney left, the group was called Two Hard Motherfuckers. Around this time, people started to call him "Big L". In the summer of 1990, Coleman met
Lord FinesseLord Finesse is a Hip hop artist and producer, hailing from The Bronx, New York, best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. rap crew.- Career :...
at an autograph session in a record shop on 125th Street. After he did a freestyle, Finesse and Coleman exchanged numbers.
Coleman attended
Julia Richman High SchoolJulia Richman High School is a defunct comprehensive high school in Manhattan, New York.Built in 1923 and located at East 67th Street and Second Avenue, the building was the only public high school in the Upper East Side of New York. The school is named after Julia Richman, the first woman...
. While in high school, Coleman freestyle battled in his hometown; 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." He graduated in 1992.
1991–1994: The beginnings
Coleman began rhyming in 1990. In 1991, he founded the Harlem rap group Children of the Corn (COC) with
Killa CamCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, Murda Mase, and Bloodshed. On February 11, Coleman appeared on
Yo! MTV RapsYo! MTV Raps was a two-hour American television music video program, which ran from August 1988 to August 1995 through its original Yo! MTV Raps name and later by Yo! . The program was the first hip hop music show on the network, based on the original MTV Europe show, aired one year earlier. The U.S...
with Lord Finesse to help promote Finesse's studio album
Return of the Funky ManReturn of the Funky Man is the second album from hip hop producer and MC Lord Finesse. In 1991, Finesse split from his former partner DJ Mike Smooth, and his former record label, Wild Pitch Records, to release his first solo effort. Return of the Funky Man, which featured production from Finesse's...
. Coleman's first professional appearance came on "Yes You May (Remix)", the B-side of "Party Over Here" (1992) by Lord Finesse, and his first album appearance was on "Represent" off of Showbiz & A.G.'s
Runaway SlaveRunaway Slave is the debut album from Hip Hop duo Showbiz and A.G., members of legendary New York crew D.I.T.C..-Album information:The effort was a highly praised underground release, but didn't sell strong numbers...
(1992). In that same year, he won an amateur freestyle battle, which consisted of about 2,000 contestants and held by Nubian Productions. In 1993, Coleman signed to
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. Around this time, L joined Lord Finesse's Bronx-based hip hop collective
Diggin' in the Crates CrewThe Diggin' in the Crates Crew, also known as D.I.T.C., is a New York-based hip-hop collective, deriving its name from the art of seeking out records to sample for production. Its members have achieved substantial and consistent recognition in underground rap circles, often collaborating with...
(DITC) which consisted of Lord Finesse,
Diamond DDiamond D is a hip hop producer and MC from the Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. He started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980s and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and together with rhyme...
,
O.C.Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:...
,
Fat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
,
BuckwildBuckwild is a Hip hop producer hailing from The Bronx, New York. Originally a DJ, Buck began producing after meeting MC/Producer Lord Finesse. He later joined Finesse's super-crew D.I.T.C., along with Showbiz and A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, and the late Big L and brought O.C. with him...
,
ShowbizShowbiz and A.G. are an American hip hop duo from The Bronx, New York City. Showbiz is a producer and A.G. is a rapper. The two debuted on Lord Finesse's Funky Technician album in 1990. Show and A.G...
, and
A.G.Showbiz and A.G. are an American hip hop duo from The Bronx, New York City. Showbiz is a producer and A.G. is a rapper. The two debuted on Lord Finesse's Funky Technician album in 1990. Show and A.G...
Sometime in 1993, Coleman released his first promotional single, "Devil's Son", and claimed it was the first
horrorcoreHorrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...
single released. 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." On February 18, 1993, Coleman performed live at The Uptown Lord Finesse Birthday Bash at the 2,000 Club. Other performers included
Fat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, Nas, and
Diamond DDiamond D is a hip hop producer and MC from the Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. He started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980s and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and together with rhyme...
. In 1994, he released his second promotional single "Clinic". On July 11 1994, Coleman released the radio edit of "
Put It On-Charts:...
", and three months later the video was released. In 1995, the video for the single "No Endz, No Skinz" debuted, which was directed by Brian Luvar.
1995–1999: Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
His debut solo album,
Lifestylez ov da Poor & DangerousLifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut album of American hip hop artist Big L, released March 28, 1995 on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York during 1994 to 1995. The title originates from the television series,...
, was released in March 1995. The album debuted at number 149 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number 22 on
Top R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
.
Lifestylez would go on to sell over 200,000 copies as of 2000. Three singles were released from the album; the first two, "
Put It On-Charts:...
" and "
M.V.P."M.V.P." is a song recorded by American rapper Big L. The track was produced by Lord Finesse for L's debut studio album, Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous . The song was written by Coleman, M.D. DeBarge, R. Hall, and E. Jordan. The song was released in 1995 as the second single from the album...
", reached the top twenty-five of
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s
Hot Rap TracksRap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
and the third "No Endz, No Skinz" did not chart. Even though the album received a three-star rating from Allmusic, it was an AMG Album Pick.
Sometime in 1996, Coleman was dropped from Columbia mainly because of the dispute between Coleman's rapping style and the production from Columbia. He stated "I was there with a bunch of strangers that didn't really know my music." In 1997, he started working on his second studio album,
The Big Picture. COC folded when Bloodshed died in a car accident in 1997. DITC appeared in a July issue
On The Go Magazine. Coleman appeared on
O.C.Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:...
's single "Dangerous" for O.C.'s second album
JewelzJewelz is the second album by the rapper O.C.. Unlike his debut, 1994's Word...Life, Jewelz features a wider number of guest producers and rappers...
. In November, he was the opening act for O.C.'s European Jewlez Tour. Sometime in 1998, Coleman formed his own independent label, Flamboyant Entertainment. He released the single "Ebonics" in 1998. The song was based about
ebonicsEbonics is a term that was originally intended to refer to the language of all people descended from enslaved Africans, particularly in West Africa, the Caribbean, and North America...
, and
The Source called it on of the top five independent singles of the year. DITC released their first single, "Dignified Soldiers", that year.
Coleman caught the eye of
Damon Dash
, the CEO of
Roc-A-Fella RecordsRoc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
, after the release of "Ebonics". Dash wanted to sign Lamont to Roc-A-Fella, but Coleman wanted his crew to sign On February 8, 1999, Coleman,
Herb McGruffHerbert Brown, better known as McGruff, is an American rapper from Harlem.McGruff originally started his career as a member of the rap group, Children of the Corn, alongside Big L, Cam'ron and Mase, all of whom would go on to have successful careers in the music industry...
,
C-TownC-Town Supermarkets is a chain of independently-owned-and-operated supermarkets operating in the northeastern United States. C-Town was founded in 1975 with the goal of employing economies of scale to allow its small member stores to pool their purchasing and advertising power.C-Town operates...
, and Jay-Z started the process to sign with
Roc-A-Fella RecordsRoc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
as a group called "The Wolfpack".
Death
Coleman was killed in the doorway of 45 West 139th Street in Harlem on February 15, 1999 after being shot nine times in the face and chest. Gerard Woodley, one of Coleman's childhood friends, was arrested in May for the crime. At the time of his death, Coleman had two brothers in prison. "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 NYPD. Despite there being witnesses to the crime, Woodley was later released, and the murder case remains unsolved.
In a 2010 interview with Donald Phinazee, he commented on what led up to the death of Lamont Coleman
Posthumous career
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 albumD.I.T.C. is the debut from Hip Hop collective D.I.T.C., or Diggin' in the Crates Crew. The group consists of Lord Finesse, Show, A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, O.C., Buckwild and the late Big L. The album closer, "Tribute", is a tribute track to Big L, who was murdered on February 15, 1999...
(2000) on
Tommy Boy RecordsTommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
. The album peaked at number 31 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 141 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Coleman's first posthumous single was "Flamboyant" b/w "On The Mic", which was released on May 30, 2000. The single peaked at number two on the
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and topped the
Hot Rap TracksRap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
, making it Coleman's first and only number-one single.
Coleman's second studio album,
The Big Picture, was released in August 1, 2000 and featured
Fat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
,
GuruKeith Edward Elam , better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts...
of
Gang StarrGang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
,
Kool G RapNathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
, and
Big Daddy KaneAntonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
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 cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest emceess that Coleman respected or had worked with previously.
The Big Picture debuted at number thirteen on the
BillboardThe Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
200, number two on
Top R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
, and sold 72,549 copies. The album was
certified goldIn the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
a month later for shipments of 500,000 copies by the RIAA.
A compilation album containing COC songs entitled
Children of the Corn: The Collector's Edition was released in 2003. The next posthumous album released was
139 & Lenox139 & Lenox, is rapper Big L's first posthumous album. It was released in August 2010.-Track listing:- Personnel :Credits for 139 & Lenox adapted from Allmusic.* Rich King – executive producer* Ricky Powell – photography- External links :...
, which was released on August 31, 2010. It contained previously unreleased and rare tracks. It was released by Rich King on Flamboyant Entertainment. The next album to follow was
Return of the Devil's SonReturn of the Devil's Son, is rapper Big L's second posthumous album. It was released on November 23, 2010, through SMC Recordings. Officially put together by L's brother Donald Phinazee it's a collection of previously unreleased material, including early demo tracks, outtakes from Lifestylez Ov Da...
(2010), which peaked at number 73 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Coleman's most recent release is
The Danger ZoneThe Danger Zone is the third posthumous album by American hip hop artist Big L, released May 31, 2011 on RBC Records. L's brother Donald Phinazee produced most of the album and other production came from DJ Phantom. The album was originally announced on April 12, 2011, and features artists such as...
(2011).
Legacy
Henry Adaso, a music journalist for
About.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
, called him the twenty-third best MC of 1987 to 2000, claiming "[he was] one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history." HipHop DX called Coleman "the most underrated lyricist".
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.
The Source has done multiple tributes to him: first in July 2000 followed by March 2002.
XXLXXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
did a tribute to Fat Joe and Lamont in March 2003. On February 16, 2005, at SOB's restaurant and nightclub in Manhattan, held a commemoration for him. It included special guests such as DITC, Herb McGruff, and Kid Capri. All the money earned went to his estate.
Style
Coleman is often credited in helping to create the
horrorcoreHorrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...
genre of hip hop due to his 1992 song "Devil's Son." 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.
He was notable for using a rap style called "
compoundingIn rapping and poetry, multisyllabic rhymes are rhymes that contain two or more syllables In rapping and poetry, multisyllabic rhymes (also known as compound rhymes, polysyllable rhymes, and sometimes colloquially in hip-hop as multies) are rhymes that contain two or more syllables In rapping...
". He also used one-liners: an example is in the song 98 Freestyle" from
The Big Picture where he raps "If my girl think I'm loyal, then that bitch is a fool." Coleman also used
metaphorA metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s in his rhymes. 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". On the review of
The Big Picture, she adds "the Harlem MC as a master of the punch line and a vicious storyteller with a razor blade-under-the-tongue flow." Trent Fitzgerald of Allmusic said "a lyrically ferocious MC with raps deadlier than a snakebite and mannerisms cooler than the uptown pimp he claimed to be on records."
Documentary
A movie title
Street Struck: The Big L Story is set to be released in 2012. It is directed by a childhood friend and independent film director, Jewlz. Approximately nine hours of footage was brought in, and the film is going to be about 90 to 120 minutes long. The first trailer was released on August 29, 2009.
Street Struck contains 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. FreshDouglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box...
; producers Showbiz and Premiere; and recording DJs Cipha Sounds and Paul Rosenberg. A soundtrack will be made for the documentary, and it will be put together by Lamont's brother Donald.
Discography
Studio
- Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut album of American hip hop artist Big L, released March 28, 1995 on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York during 1994 to 1995. The title originates from the television series,...
(1995)
- The Big Picture (2000)
Posthumous
- 139 & Lenox
139 & Lenox, is rapper Big L's first posthumous album. It was released in August 2010.-Track listing:- Personnel :Credits for 139 & Lenox adapted from Allmusic.* Rich King – executive producer* Ricky Powell – photography- External links :...
(2010)
- Return of the Devil's Son
Return of the Devil's Son, is rapper Big L's second posthumous album. It was released on November 23, 2010, through SMC Recordings. Officially put together by L's brother Donald Phinazee it's a collection of previously unreleased material, including early demo tracks, outtakes from Lifestylez Ov Da...
(2010)
- The Danger Zone (2011)
External links