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Harlem Rapper Big L Legacy Will Continue With a Street In Harlem Named After Him
Rapper Big L made a indelible mark on hip hip music. The Harlem born rapper legacy will continue, it was announced that the late rapper will be honored with a street in Harlem named after him. 140th Street and Lenox Avenue will be named “Lamont ‘Big L’ Coleman Way,” the ceremony being held on May 28th. The Instagram page for the late-rapper’s documentary Street Struckannounced the news.
“It took a whole lot of effort and Support to get to this great point but as an collective we made it happen, The Biggest Thank you’s [sic] go out to the Dope 500 plus people who signed and passed the petition around so we could get this street renamed,” the Instagram caption read. “There are entirely tooo [sic] many good people that gave this their Support, so with all my Heart I personally want to say THANK YOU!!!!”
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Big L was known for his gritty wordplay and metaphoric lyrics in New York City in the early-to-mid 1990s. He was known underground artist with crazy freestyling ability. L joined Lord Finesse’s Bronx-based hip hop collective Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (DITC) which consisted of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, O.C., Fat Joe, Buckwild, Showbiz and A.G. His debut studio album,Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was released in March 1995. Singles from the album “Put It On” and “M.V.P.”, reached the top 25 ofBillboard‘s Hot Rap Tracks. He released the single “Ebonics” in 1998 considered a classic among many hip hop circles.
To date, Big L and Jay Z’s 1995 to freestyle onThe Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show it’s still one of the greatest freestyles ever recorded.
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. Big L’s second and final studio album,The Big Picture, was posthumously released on August 1, 2000.