The Big Picture

iTunes Review

Born and raised in Harlem, Big L spent his early days in a crew called Children of the Corn, alongside fellow uptown residents Cam'Ron and Ma$e. He connected with Lord Finesse, who brought him into the D.I.T.C. collective, featured him on several records, and produced much of his 1995 debut album Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous. Known for his hardcore but witty wordplay, extravagant depictions of street science, and razor-sharp, battle-tested punchlines, Big L was on a roll throughout the late ‘90s, lighting up the underground with a flurry of dope 12-inch singles and show-stealing cameos. In early '99, he was rumored to be signing with Roc-A-Fella (he and Jay-Z had been down for years), but before anything was official, he was shot and killed in the same neighborhood he repped so hard. This album was released the following year; a collection of singles, remixes and new tracks he had recorded before his death. It has some totally mandatory tracks, such as the dictionary rap masterpiece "Ebonics," the accurately titled "Flamboyant," and cinematic epic "The Heist."