R.I.P. Big L

10 years ago today one of the greatest rappers of all time died. Big L was shot and killed in Harlem on the night of February 15, 1999. Gerard Woodley, a childhood friend of Big L, was arrested in May for the crime but later released. It has been speculated that Big L was murdered to take revenge on his older brother who could not be reached because he was in jail.

Nothing is worse than when someone with obvious talent who is bound for success isn't able to realize their full potential. Jay-Z has said that Big L was set to sign with Roc-a-fella but died the week before. Jay-Z has also bit two lines and possibly more from Big L. One of the lines Big L used in a freestyle with Jay-Z, "So we could never be a couple hun/Fuck love all I got for hoes is hard dick and bubble gum", Jay-Z later used in A Million And One Questions saying, "Mack double one, nigga I'm troublesome/all I got for chicks hard dick and bubble gum"

Big L was the king of punch lines, had one of the sickest grittiest flows around, and was,without a doubt, a straight up G. Big L is missed everytime someone mentions Harlem, freestyle, or gangster rap. I hope he's chillin' in thugs mansion.

Here's the famous '98 Freestyle off The Big Picture
Quotable: "Far from broke I got enough bread/And mad hoes, Ask Beavis I get nothing but head"

BIG L - Freestyle '98

And this is a mash-up of Big L and Ratatat
Quotable: "And Ima increase the crime rate for old time's sake"