Big L was one of the best to ever do it, and unfortunately for many (from his family to his adoring fans), the slick Harlem rhyme-slinger's life was taken too soon. L had the potential to join the ranks of New York's greatest lyricists ever. As an up-and-coming MC he was compared to Jay-Z and Cam'ron, both of whom he collaborated with early in their careers — and he more than held his own.
It's been 10 years now, though, since L, born Lamont Coleman, was gunned down in what was believed to be a retaliation hit against his brother, Big Lee. Like Biggie and Big Pun, L's death left many rap fans wondering, "What if ... ?"
Last weekend marked what would have been his 35th birthday and to honor the slain rapper's life, DJ Soul (Assorted Donuts) put together a mixtape called Big L 5/30 Tribute.
The project — a hard-core NYC rap fan's dream — includes hard-to-find freestyles by Jay-Z, unreleased Big L tracks and interludes from the fallen star's friends, including his mentor Lord Finesse.
"I look at him like LeBron," Finesse said. "I was out there doing it. But he was an upcoming cat that I could tell was gonna be way more advanced than me, 'cause he caught up to me and I had him by a couple years, it was like, 'Imagine where he was gonna go?' "
Besides L's overlooked debut, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, and the posthumous The Big Picture, there hasn't been much material from the "Ebonics" rapper that showcases his trademark wit, punch lines and humor. "He was one of the funniest cats I ever met," Finesse said.
And following his death, L's family continued to suffer from a number of tragedies as his brother Lee and his mother both passed. His half-brother Donald Phinazee is the only remaining family member aside from L's father, who Phinazee said was absent in the rapper's life.
"It'll never get easier [dealing with L's passing], 'cause in the process of that, I lost my whole family," Donald, 41, told us. "I lost the middle brother and, two years after that, I lost my mom when I came home. Saturday was L's birthday. I stayed out, I lit a whole bunch of candles, then stayed there and just sat there."
Finesse and Phinazee have been working on a documentary on Big L's life and rhymes for some time now. But the pair admitted the project has been delayed due to "red tape," including L's father's insistence on contributing and taking a chunk of the potential profits. They both said L's father had little to do with him during the rapper's life and they are surprised by his demands.
"We have an artist ready at the push of a button," Finesse stressed. "But not if he's involved. Not at all. That's what people need to understand — it's not that we don't wanna do it. We just have to take care of the business end. I don't feel enthused to do it if there is a dude there waiting to get the check."
"For what?" Donald asked, frustrated. "This guy didn't care nothing about ... I could tell you stories. He was never there. That's on everything."
Source: MTVNEWS
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