![]() He didn't live to celebrate this milestone because he was murdered in an unsolved shooting on the very same block that raised him, 139th St. This past Friday marked what would have been the 40th birthday of Lamont “Big L” Coleman. But of course the music only tells part of the story. Yet on the strength of these recordings he is consistently mentioned among the greatest of the greats. During his 24-plus years on earth, the Harlem rap prodigy left behind a painfully small body of work: just one album, a handful of singles and freestyles. If L comes up as an afterthought, it's not for lack of skills. You've got your living legends-Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, Cube-and your fallen heroes-Biggie, 2Pac, Big Pun, and almost always at the end, Big L. Who was the greatest rapper of all time? When the never-ending debate resumes-from barber shops and street corners to online chat rooms-the same litany of names comes up again and again. “Take some Big and some ’Pac/And you mix ’em up in a pot/Sprinkle a lil’ Big L on top/What the fuck do you got?” -Eminem, “Patiently Waiting” ![]() I think he had the ability to write big records and big choruses.” - Jay Z ![]() I was like there’s no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with.” - Nas When I heard that on tape, I was scared to death. “5 slash 3-0 slash 7-4 a lil bro was born with the mind of a psycho” -Big L, “Devil’s Son” In honor of what should have been Lamont Coleman's 40th Birthday, Complex explores one of hip-hop's greatest unfinished legends, Lamont "Big L" Coleman.
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