Big L
Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), known professionally as … Read Full Bio ↴Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most lyrical rappers of all time, and is known for helping to pioneer horrorcore.
Emerging from Harlem, New York in the early to mid-1990s, Coleman became well known amongst underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability, and was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where he released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous in 1995 and is now considered by many fans as a classic album. On February 15, 1999, Coleman was shot nine times and killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in his hometown of Harlem.
Noted for his use of wordplay, multiple writers at AllMusic, HipHopDX and The Source have praised Coleman for his lyrical ability, and he has also been described as "one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history." Regarding Coleman's legacy, Nas said on MTV, “He scared me to death. When I heard that on tape, I was scared to death. I said, ’Yo, it’s no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with.'
Lamont Coleman was born in Harlem, New York City, on May 30, 1974, the third and youngest child of Gilda Terry (d. 2008) and Charles Davis. Davis left the family while Coleman was a child. His two older siblings, Donald Coleman and Leroy Phinazee (d.2002), were the children of Gilda and a man named Mr. Phinazee. Coleman received the nicknames "Little L" and "'mont 'mont" as a child. At the age of 12, Coleman became a big hip hop fan and started freestyling with other people in his neighborhood. He founded a group known as Three the Hard Way in 1990, but it was quickly broken up due to a lack of enthusiasm amongst the members. It consisted of Coleman, Doc Reem, and Rodney. No projects were released, and after Rodney left, the group was renamed Two Hard Motherfuckers. Around this time, people started to refer to Coleman as "Big L". In the summer of 1990, Coleman met Lord Finesse 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 School. 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.
On February 15, 1999, Big L was killed at 45 West 139th Street in his native Harlem after being shot nine times in the face and chest in a drive-by shooting. Gerard Woodley, one of Big L's childhood friends, was arrested three months later for the crime. "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 New York City Police Department. Woodley was later controversially released, and the murder case remains unsolved.
Big L is buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.
On June 24, 2016 at 139th St. and Lenox Avenue, Woodley, 46, was shot in the head and later died at Harlem Hospital.
Coleman is often credited in helping to create the horrorcore genre of hip hop with his 1992 song "Devil 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. Idris Goodwin of The Boston Globe wrote that "[Big L had an] impressive command of the English language", with his song "Ebonics" being the best example of this.
He was notable for using a rap style called "compounding". Coleman also used metaphors 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.
Emerging from Harlem, New York in the early to mid-1990s, Coleman became well known amongst underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability, and was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where he released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous in 1995 and is now considered by many fans as a classic album. On February 15, 1999, Coleman was shot nine times and killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in his hometown of Harlem.
Noted for his use of wordplay, multiple writers at AllMusic, HipHopDX and The Source have praised Coleman for his lyrical ability, and he has also been described as "one of the most auspicious storytellers in hip hop history." Regarding Coleman's legacy, Nas said on MTV, “He scared me to death. When I heard that on tape, I was scared to death. I said, ’Yo, it’s no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with.'
Lamont Coleman was born in Harlem, New York City, on May 30, 1974, the third and youngest child of Gilda Terry (d. 2008) and Charles Davis. Davis left the family while Coleman was a child. His two older siblings, Donald Coleman and Leroy Phinazee (d.2002), were the children of Gilda and a man named Mr. Phinazee. Coleman received the nicknames "Little L" and "'mont 'mont" as a child. At the age of 12, Coleman became a big hip hop fan and started freestyling with other people in his neighborhood. He founded a group known as Three the Hard Way in 1990, but it was quickly broken up due to a lack of enthusiasm amongst the members. It consisted of Coleman, Doc Reem, and Rodney. No projects were released, and after Rodney left, the group was renamed Two Hard Motherfuckers. Around this time, people started to refer to Coleman as "Big L". In the summer of 1990, Coleman met Lord Finesse 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 School. 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.
On February 15, 1999, Big L was killed at 45 West 139th Street in his native Harlem after being shot nine times in the face and chest in a drive-by shooting. Gerard Woodley, one of Big L's childhood friends, was arrested three months later for the crime. "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 New York City Police Department. Woodley was later controversially released, and the murder case remains unsolved.
Big L is buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.
On June 24, 2016 at 139th St. and Lenox Avenue, Woodley, 46, was shot in the head and later died at Harlem Hospital.
Coleman is often credited in helping to create the horrorcore genre of hip hop with his 1992 song "Devil 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. Idris Goodwin of The Boston Globe wrote that "[Big L had an] impressive command of the English language", with his song "Ebonics" being the best example of this.
He was notable for using a rap style called "compounding". Coleman also used metaphors 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.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Big L Lyrics
'98 Freestyle One-two, one-two Kinda tired Big L, 'bout ta get into some s…
11-Put-It-On Aiyyo, you betta flee hobbes, or get your head flown…
5 Fingas of Death "Where are you?" "Hey, there you are!" "How does it…
8 Is Enuff Yo My crew is in the house Terra, Herb McGruff, Buddah Bless…
98 Freestyle One-two, one-two Kinda tired Big L, 'bout ta get into some s…
All Black Yo once again it's the Big L, that kid who…
American Dream (McGruff) (check it, Yo!) Crooked corrupted criminal crime…
Casualties Of A Dice Game It's Flamboyant y'all Yeah, yeah yeah, Corleone y'all Me an…
Da Graveyard It's the number one crew in the area The Big L…
Danger Zone The microphone is through when this rap legend grab it Sendi…
Dangerous My name is L, and I'm from a part of…
Deadly Combination Yes indeed it's the mix king Ron G I got somethin…
Deadly Combination (feat. 2Pac) 2PAC Yeah nigga!... You know!... That's right!... Yeah baby…
Deadly Combination ft. 2pac Yes indeed it's the mix king Ron G I got somethin…
Devil Son L's a rebel, on a higher level, go get a…
Devil's Son L's a rebel, on a higher level, go get the…
Devil's Son from Lifestylez Ayo Showbiz I had this bugged out dream last night That…
Devils Son L's a rebel, on a higher level, go get a…
Devil’s Son L's a rebel, on a higher level, go get the…
Dice Game It's Flamboyant y'all Yeah, yeah yeah, Corleone y'all Me an…
Ebonics Yo, pay attention And listen real closely how I break this…
Enemy The I drive up and down Harlem blocks Iced out watch Knots…
Fall Back Yeah, check this shit out Cool G. Rap and my dog…
Fall Back (feat. Kool G Rap) (L) Yeah, check this shit out (K) Kool G. Rap and…
Fall Back ft. Kool G Rap Yeah, check this shit out Cool G. Rap and my dog…
Fed Up Wit The Bullshit Yo, on the scene is the brother that's big, I'm…
Flamboyant Yeah, yeah Big L, Corleone (uh-huh) My nigga C-Town, my big …
Flamboyant ) Yeah yeah, Big L, Corleone My nigga see-Town, my big…
Freestyle One-two, one-two Kinda tired Big L, 'bout ta get into some s…
Furious Anger (feat. Shyheim) (Reporter:) Shyheim, the youngest member…
Games Yeah yeah, watch us turn it up for y'all Tight broads…
Games (F. Sadat X (Sadat X) Yeah yeah, watch us turn it up for y'all Tight…
Games Females Play (Telephone:) Ey yo, what's up this is Big L, know what…
Grave Yard It's the number one crew in the area The Big L…
Graveyard It's the number one crew in the area The Big L…
Hard to Kill Check it out, this the Big L yknowimsayin Chillin with my…
Harlem World Universal Check it out now Big L, Coreleone Flaboyant Entertainment On…
Hit It (Hook: Vocals in background {Imitation of ATCQ's 'Can I Kick…
Hold it down' Yea yeah, Flamboyant Entertainment (no doubt) Yo, y'all fel…
Holding It Down Yea yeah, Flamboyant Entertainment (no doubt) Yo, y'all f…
I Don't Front There are too many MC's who are overrated You ask me,…
I Should Have Used a Rubber I shoulda used a rubber, before I went up in…
Let 'Em Have It "L" Settin' it off lettin' it off (whatever) (Let 'em have it…
Let 'Em Have It "L: Settin' it off lettin' it off (whatever) (Let 'em have it…
Let 'Em Have It 'L Settin' it off lettin' it off (whatever) (Let 'em have it…
Let 'Em Have It \"L\" Settin' it off lettin' it off (whatever) (Let 'em have it…
Let Them Have It Settin' it off lettin' it off (whatever) (Let 'em have it…
Lifestyle Of The Poor And Dangerous My name is L, and I'm from a part of…
M.V.P Aiyyo spark up the phillies and pass the stout Make it…
Nigga Please (Stan Spit) (Hey yo, hey yo) You would scream too if you…
No Endz No Skinz Let me get to the point real quick When your pockets…
Now Or Never (Chorus:) Its time to make power moves and get the chedda. …
On The Mic Ayyo I shoulda been out, I'm deadly when I pull…
Platinum Plus Yo yo what the fuck man? Big L takin' over the…
Poor & Dangerous My name is L, and I'm from a part of…
Power Moves Its time to make power moves and get the chedda. And…
Principal of the New School I got the gift of gab To lift and grab The mic And…
Put It On Aiyyo, you betta flee hobbes, or get your head flown…
Rest In Peace i said why yo over there looking at me while…
Return of the Devil's Son I restrain the story, check it out Aiyyo five slash three…
Return of the Devils Son L's a rebel, on a higher level, go get a…
Return of the Devil’s Son I restrain the story, check it out Aiyyo five slash three…
Sandman 118 My clique is quick to put a bullet in a…
School Days Ay yo Rookie, is a game that a fool plays Im…
Size Hey yo, the streets love me, man And I love…
Still Here I be a Harlem World party pleaser You might find me…
Street Struck Yeah, it's the Big L Comin at you once again, in…
Streetstruck Yeah, it's the Big L Comin at you once again, in…
Stretch & Bobbito '95 Pt 2 Fre (Big L) my crew be deliverin hot lead When gats are…
Stretch and Bobbito Show '95 Yo, I got slugs for snitches, no love for bitches Putting…
The Big Picture One-two, y'all know, y'all know [Foxxx] Alright, we gon' kee…
The Enemy I drive up and down Harlem blocks Iced out watch Knots…
The Heist Bust it Hey yo, I just left the studio, and…
The Heist Revisited Yeah, yeah Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah yeah-yeah Uh…
The Triboro Phenomenon O.C. Big L, 0-3-9 baby Diggin' In The Crates Yeah…
The Triboro (Ft. Fat Joe (O.C.) Phenomenon O.C. (Big L) Big L, one-three-nine baby …
The Triboro Featuring OC Phenomenon O.C. Big L, 0-3-9 baby Diggin' In The Crates Yeah…
The Triboro Featuring OC Fat Joe and Remy Martin Phenomenon O.C. Big L, one-three-nine baby Diggin' In The …
Thick "Worldwide, time to handle our biz." "Down with the group ca…
Times Is Hard On The Boulevard (Big L:) I used to be a rich nigga, selling much…
Unexpected Yo I'm the one who made you get on the…
Uptown Reps The uptown connec' is very powerful What we need to do…
Who You Slidin Wit Yo what's the deal miss? I'm sayin tho', let me know…
Zone of Danger Stealing runs rampant in Harlem Gambling runs rampant in Har…