Big L

After impressing Lord Finesse with his freestyles in a record store, Big L quickly made an appearance on the "Yes You May (Remix)" from Finesse's second album. Showbiz then produced L's first demo, (which became 1994's "Devil's Son"), and got him signed to Columbia Records.

Big L released "Lifestyles Of the Poor & Dangerous" in 1995, introducing the world to his Children Of the Corn crew (which consisted of Big L, Herb McGruff, Killa Cam, Bloodshed and Murder Mase). Aside from Bloodshed who was killed in a car accident in 1996, the others members all got solo deals by the end of the year (as Ma$e, Cam'ron and McGruff). The album also helped introduce the world to virtually unknown Jay-Z on the posse cut, "Da Graveyard". Jay-Z had made a legendary appearance the previous year on the Stretch & Bobbito show with Big L.

Big L continued dropping verses on DITC albums, and released his classic, "Ebonics" b/w "Size 'Em Up" on his own Flamboyant Records label. The following year he dropped "We Got This" with Mr. Cheeks of the Lost Boyz backed up with "The Heist".

It looked like Big L was about to blow up commercially, when all of a sudden he was murdered on February 15, 1999 on the same block he posed on for his 1995 album cover. Jay-Z who remembered what L had done for him early on, had just signed Big L's group The Wolfpack (which also included McGruff and C-Town) to Roc-A-Fella Records.

Big L's death affected everyone, and consequently set back the release date of DITC's first group album. Many of L's best verses appeared here including "Day One" (1997), "The Enemy" (1998) and a DJ Premier produced remix for "Ebonics". He was also immortalized by GangStarr on the intro to their 1999 smash single "Full Clip".

In mid 2000, Rawkus Records and Flamboyant Entertainment released a post-humous collection of songs by Big L. The previous released singles made it to this album as well as newer gems featuring AG, Kool G Rap, Fat Joe, Remy Martin, Guru, Sadat X, Big Daddy Kane and OC. By the end of the year, the album had gone gold, only adding to the tragedy of such a talented emcee's demise.

There has also been a recently released Big L single called "Deadly Combination" featuring Biggie Smalls and 2Pac. Big L has also appeared on tracks with N.O.T.S. Click and the Originators.

In late 2001, DITC released a new LP entitled "Harlem's Finest - A Freestyle History" which spotlighted Big L's most memorable freesstyle sessions, including that which got him his demo deal, and those that introduced Jay-Z.

*Throw Your L's Up!*