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.
Deadly Combination
Big L Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got somethin the world ain't ready for
New York City L.A. Chicago Atlanta
D.c. Detroit New Orleans, y'all know the deal
FLAVA!
Hahahahahaha! Yeah nigga!
Yeah, that's right, BAYY-BAYY!
Follow me tell me if you feel me
I think niggaz is tryin to kill me
Picturin pistols, spittin hollow points til they drill me
Keepin it real, and even if I do conceal
My criminal thoughts, preoccupied with keepin steel
See niggaz is false, sittin in court, turned snitches
That used to be real, but now they petrified bitches
I'm tryin to be strong, they sendin armies out to bomb me
Listen to Ron, the only DJ that can calm me
Constantly armed, my firepower keep me warm
I'm trapped in the storm, and fuck the world til I'm gone
Bitches be warned - word is bonb, you'll get torn
I'm bustin on Guiliani, he rubbin my niggaz wrong
And then it's on, before I leave picture me
I'm spittin at punk bitches and hustlin to be free
Watch me set it, niggaz don't want it, you can get it
Bet it make these jealous niggaz mad I said it
This +Thug Life+ nigga, we don't cater to you hoes
Fuck with me, have a hundred motherfuckers at yo' do'
With fo'-fo's, hahahahaha, yeah nigga!
Thug Life
I be that young Freddie Fly smooth glorious kid
A Bad Boy, just like Notorious B.I.g.
I Roc-a-Fella like Shawn Carter
With more game than Ron Harper
The bomb sparker rapper slash charm robber
While y'all be on the corners bummy and high
I be out buyin the finest shit money can buy
You wish you was in a position that I'm in
Hot rhymin, diamonds shinin, autograph signin
My lifestyle is far out
Every week bring a different car out
I go to nightclubs and buy the bar out, UHH
Cause I keep cream, I'm large on the street scene
Everytime I touch mics you hear all the freaks scream
Yeah yeah Big L Harlem's finest, yeah
That nigga who hold it down for Uptown
Hahahaha, that's how we do it out here
On this underground real shit nigga, it's the heat nigga
Now rewind this motherfucker, you know you can't help it
Deadly combination bwoy!
The lyrics to Big L's song Deadly Combination paint a picture of a rapper who feels constantly under attack and threatened. Big L's depiction of inner-city violence is vivid and raw - pictures of guns and bullets are juxtaposed with a sense of fear and isolation. He describes the people around him as fake and false, claiming that they have 'turned snitches' and become 'petrified bitches'. However, he also maintains that he is constantly armed, keeping his 'firepower' close at hand to keep him protected. Throughout the song, there is a sense of conflict between the rapper's desire to keep himself safe and his ambition to remain true to himself and his beliefs. Overall, the lyrics create a powerful and engrossing narrative that captures the feeling of life in the inner city.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes indeed it's the mix king Ron G
Acknowledgement and respect to DJ Ron G who is known for remixes and mixes
I got somethin the world ain't ready for
Confidence in having new, fresh, and unmatched rap material
New York City L.A. Chicago Atlanta
D.c. Detroit New Orleans, y'all know the deal
FLAVA!
These cities in the US have their unique style, vibe, and swag that the artist enjoys and appreciates
Follow me tell me if you feel me
I think niggaz is tryin to kill me
Picturin pistols, spittin hollow points til they drill me
The artist is paranoid and senses that there is a threat to his life from those who wish to harm or murder him
Keepin it real, and even if I do conceal
My criminal thoughts, preoccupied with keepin steel
The artist values authenticity and honesty while struggling to control his violent tendencies which are crucial for his survival
See niggaz is false, sittin in court, turned snitches
That used to be real, but now they petrified bitches
The artist detests those who betray their former comrades and friends by turning into informants or snitches, even if they were once brave and genuine
I'm tryin to be strong, they sendin armies out to bomb me
Listen to Ron, the only DJ that can calm me
The artist is battling fear, paranoia, and overwhelm from adversaries and finds solace, comfort and strength from the music of DJ Ron G
I'm trapped in the storm, and fuck the world til I'm gone
Bitches be warned - word is bonb, you'll get torn
The artist feels like he's in a state of endless conflict, and has a bitter and contemptuous outlook that he will persist even to his death, and warns women to stay away and mind their own affairs
And then it's on, before I leave picture me
I'm spittin at punk bitches and hustlin to be free
Watch me set it, niggaz don't want it, you can get it
The artist is defiant and determined to continue to rap and fight his battles while ignoring or attacking those who oppose him
This +Thug Life+ nigga, we don't cater to you hoes
Fuck with me, have a hundred motherfuckers at yo' do'
With fo'-fo's, hahahahaha, yeah nigga!
Thug Life
The artist embraces and espouses a thug lifestyle of intimidation, violence, and vengeance, and warns women again who get in his way
I be that young Freddie Fly smooth glorious kid
A Bad Boy, just like Notorious B.I.g.
The artist compares himself to big names in the rap industry with similar nicknames, and draws attention to his extravagant, flashy, and stylish persona that he's proud of
I Roc-a-Fella like Shawn Carter
With more game than Ron Harper
The bomb sparker rapper slash charm robber
The artist identifies with Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella music label and boasts of his confidence, street smarts, and ability to charm people while also being violent and criminal
While y'all be on the corners bummy and high
I be out buyin the finest shit money can buy
You wish you was in a position that I'm in
Hot rhymin, diamonds shinin, autograph signin
The artist belittles and mocks those who loiter aimlessly and use drugs while he flaunts his wealth, fame, and talent that others envy
My lifestyle is far out
Every week bring a different car out
I go to nightclubs and buy the bar out, UHH
Cause I keep cream, I'm large on the street scene
Everytime I touch mics you hear all the freaks scream
The artist describes his extravagant and hedonistic way of life, where he spends lavishly, drinks and parties to excess, and is widely popular among women, fans, and the public
Yeah yeah Big L Harlem's finest, yeah
That nigga who hold it down for Uptown
The artist takes pride in his roots in Harlem, NY, and asserts his position as a prominent and respected rapper representing his neighborhood
Hahahaha, that's how we do it out here
On this underground real shit nigga, it's the heat nigga
Now rewind this motherfucker, you know you can't help it
Deadly combination bwoy!
The artist celebrates the raw and authentic hip-hop culture from the underground and its impact and popularity, and challenges listeners to re-listen and appreciate his song's power and message
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Lamont Coleman, Ron Browser, Tupac Amaru Shakur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dividad1
@Mike Gillins Em said
Take some big and some pac
And you mix em up in a pot
Sprinkle a little big l on top
What the fuck do you got?
You got illest and realest killers
Tied up in a knot
Juggernauts of this rap shit
Like it or not
Pretty sure he's referring to his influences and why he's such a sick rapper
@Habbrow94
Tupac was mad lyrical , I can't believe some people say he wasn't a lyricist, he WAS a lyrical GENIUS
@dxsh8853
@DR. OX idiot,pac only rapped for four and a half years,and,he had better vocabulary than that
@dxsh8853
@DR. OX pacs vocabulary was around 4600-5000,thats a fact
@WavyJazzyBanks
Anthony “Lyrical” means one thing to the world; Taylor Swift can be considered so. In the realm of “Hip Hop, however, that word takes a different scope. MCs do things with words that have never been done. Pac’s Charisma, Poetic-ness, Flow, Voice, these totally take precedence over his “lyricism.” He was indeed lyrical in both senses of the word; more importantly tho, he shows there are more important factors than “Lyricism” PEACE
@dxsh8853
@Wavy Jazzy Banks but he was up there lyrically,but showed lyricism is not the most inportant,but he was up there lyrically
@dxsh8853
@DR. OX even big l was around 3000 for vocabulary,did that make him any less of a lyricist,no
@djbodyrawk
Big L was definitely special on this track next to a prime tupac. Rest in peace to both legends.
@sleepydank8330
This was pac post death row
@MakaveliRaider
Damn 2Pac's verse is raw and prophetic. He got shot hours after he layed down this verse.
@mikegillins4992
Makaveli Raider Pac delivery, flow, powerful words and voice is on full display on this track you can feel it in your soul...it's like a left hook to the gut even when you think you recovered you still feel it the next morning!!!