Classic Album Voting #75: Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous

Having made a name for himself as a guest MC on D.I.T.C. (Diggin' in the Crates) projects such as Diamond D.'s Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop and Showbiz & A.G.'s Runaway Slave, the flamboyantly gifted Lamont Coleman (aka Big L) dropped his debut in early 1995. A product of the mean streets of Harlem, L made his bones in the rap game with his rapid fire freestyIe delivery and clever punchline-peppered rhymes. A patchwork album with a few outstanding cuts, LifestyIez fails to package the lightning-in-a-bottle talent of this cut-above MC. The album showcases L as a master of the lyrical stickup undressing his competition with kinetic metaphors and a brash comedic repertoire. The lead track, "Put It On" produced by Kid Capri, is a party cut with a criminal attitude. "M.V.P." snatches a brief segment from DeBarge's "Stay With Me" (later aggrandized on the Notorious B.I.G.'s popular remix of "One More Chance"). "Da Graveyard" features a young Cam'ron (here Killa Kam) and most notably a superb verse from a pre-Jigga Jay-Z (at the outset of his solo career). With better production and marketing, Big L might have found himself with a platinum album but instead he settled for platinum respect. This album captures the dynamic potential of a street legend, a legend who would later be gunned down in his prime.

- Allmusic

I've been wanting to do this one for a while. One of my favorite albums so well yes.

definitely. i thought this one already got voted? this is obviously classic ish though. gamr92

Yeah actully I thought the same before I nominated it, probably looked over the CIassic album thread three four times or something to be sure :P

I'm afraid if I vote no, I'll get bashed. That's how much I care about you guys. :)

So I'll vote yes.

Yes - 14

X-Fade, MIYAMOTOnext007, BlueR, gamr, -Methtical-, jubjub, Mkavanaugh77, WorstGameEver, Ace_WondersX, Agnidev, Toriko42, tmac200913, iHeartCali, -Halftime-

No - 0

yes

This is actually a really tough decision for me. It was a great album, but classic? I think if he didn't die it probably wouldn't be held in such a high regard. Obviously my vote doesn't matter in the slightest here, but I say no, too short, plus some filler towards the end. Its very, very close though.

Edit: Actually no I change my mind, parts of the album are just too good, classic.

Edit again: IMO, the best way to describe this album is that its a classic rap album, but not a classic album in general. L' is a crazy good rapper, but as far as subject matter goes, its all shock value and cliches. People also often criticize 2pac for being really contradictory, but for L to put "Street Struck" in the middle of this album is so contradicting to everything else on the album. But again, L has amazing flow and skills at actually rapping, and to put it gingerly, hes an interesting writer, but he's still not particularly original.

This is actually a really tough decision for me. It was a great album, but classic? I think if he didn't die it probably wouldn't be held in such a high regard. Obviously my vote doesn't matter in the slightest here, but I say no, too short, plus some filler towards the end. Its very, very close though.Demonic_Jin

Word.

It came #25 on Ego Trip's top albums of 1995 and that book was published BEFORE Big L died. So I definitely think his murder brought him more attention.

But regardless it's attention he deserved and I think this album is a classic. Although I probably wouldn't haven't it in my top 20.

hands down

I'd hardly call this a hands down cIassic like a lot of you are making it out to be. At the most I'd say it's a bottom tier debatable cIassic and at the least a near cIassic...

This is actually a really tough decision for me. It was a great album, but classic? I think if he didn't die it probably wouldn't be held in such a high regard. Obviously my vote doesn't matter in the slightest here, but I say no, too short, plus some filler towards the end. Its very, very close though.

Demonic_Jin

I'd hardly call this a hands down cIassic like a lot of you are making it out to be. At the most I'd say it's a bottom tier debatable cIassic and at the least a near cIassic...

Orlando_Magic

So no

I'd hardly call this a hands down cIassic like a lot of you are making it out to be. At the most I'd say it's a bottom tier debatable cIassic and at the least a near cIassic...

 

Orlando_Magic