Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), better known by his stage name Big L, was an American rapper. Big L was born, raised, lived, and fatally shot in the same New York City neighborhood, Harlem, which frequently appeared in his rhymes. He is mostly remembered for his freestyling, storytelling, punchlines, his critically acclaimed debut album Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, and his murder at the age of 24.
His last recorded release, The Big Picture, was released posthumously on August 2, 2000, and was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment, Rich King. It contains songs that L had recorded and a cappella recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest emcees that Big L respected or had worked with previously. The album was certified gold a month later. On the album he has guest features from hip-hop heavyweights such as Fat Joe, Kool G Rap, Tupac Shakur, and Big Daddy Kane along with production by DJ Premier. The album was eventually certified platinum and was critically acclaimed by most reviews.
