The Orchestrated Hit of Big L: K*lled by His Childhood Friend

Summary

The script recounts the tragic life and untimely death of Harlem rapper Big L, who was on the brink of mainstream success when he was assassinated in 1999. Known for his lyrical prowess and dark themes, Big L's legacy has influenced a generation of rappers. Despite the mystery surrounding his murder, his music and talent continue to resonate, immortalizing him as one of hip-hop's most influential figures.

Takeaways

• 📞 The script describes an attempt to contact Big L, with the narrator leaving voicemails and beeping him without response, indicating a sense of urgency and foreshadowing the tragic events that were to unfold.
• 🎤 Big L, also known as Lamont Coleman, was a prominent figure in the hip-hop scene, known for his lyrical talent and dark, horrorcore rap style, which contributed to the genre's recognition.
• 🚨 On February 15th, 1999, Big L was tragically assassinated outside his home in Harlem, a shocking event that cut short a promising career and deeply affected the hip-hop community.
• 🔍 The investigation into Big L's murder suggested possible motives, including retaliation for an altercation involving Big L's brother and a childhood friend, Gerald Woodley.
• 🎵 Big L had just founded his own record label and was on the verge of signing with Jay-Z and Damon Dash's label, which would have significantly boosted his career.
• 💔 The news of Big L's death was received with devastation by his close friend OC, who was unaware of the tragedy while trying to reach out to him about a new collaboration.
• 🏆 Big L's talent was recognized by fellow rappers, including Jay-Z, with whom he had a notable freestyle battle, and his influence continues to be felt in the hip-hop community.
• 🏆 The album 'Lifestyles of the Poor and Dangerous' solidified Big L's reputation as a lyrically gifted rapper, and his posthumous album 'The Big Picture' achieved gold status, reflecting his enduring popularity.
• 🚨 Gerald Woodley, suspected of Big L's murder, was arrested but later released due to lack of evidence, and he himself was killed in 2016, adding a layer of complexity to the story.
• 📍 A street in Harlem was renamed 'Lamont Big L Coman Way' in honor of Big L's lasting impact on the hip-hop scene and his hometown.
• 🕊️ Big L's legacy is celebrated as one of the most talented rappers in hip-hop history, with his influence continuing to inspire new generations of artists.

Q & A

Who was Lamont Coleman, and what was his stage name?

Lamont Coleman was a rapper known by his stage name Big L.

What significant event occurred on February 15th, 1999, involving Big L?

On February 15th, 1999, Big L was brutally gunned down and assassinated outside his home in Harlem.

What was Big L's relationship with Jay-Z and Damon Dash at the time of his death?

Big L had caught the attention of Jay-Z and Damon Dash, who were interested in signing him and his crew to their independent record label, Roc-A-Fella.

How did Big L's assassination impact his career trajectory?

Big L's assassination occurred just as he was about to enter the peak of his career, having recently founded his own record label and drawing significant industry attention.

What was the possible motive behind Big L's murder according to the investigation?

One theory suggested that Big L's murder was a retaliation hit related to a conflict involving his brother and his childhood friend, Gerald Woodley.

Who was suspected of being Big L's assassin, and what happened to this individual?

Gerald Woodley, a childhood friend of Big L, was suspected of being his assassin. He was arrested but later released due to lack of evidence. Woodley was himself killed in 2016.

What notable freestyle battle involving Big L is mentioned in the transcript?

The transcript mentions a legendary freestyle battle between Big L and Jay-Z on the Stretch and Bobbito radio show in February 1995.

How did Big L's freestyling skills impact his reputation in the hip-hop community?

Big L was renowned for his phenomenal freestyling ability, which earned him respect and recognition, including being seen as a rival to Jay-Z's lyrical prowess.

What was the posthumous impact of Big L on the hip-hop community?

Big L's influence continued after his death, with many rappers citing him as an inspiration. His second album, 'The Big Picture,' was released posthumously and quickly went gold.

How has Big L been honored in his hometown of Harlem?

In 2022, West 140th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem were renamed Lamont Big L Coleman Way to honor his legacy.

What were some of the nicknames given to Big L, and what do they signify?

Big L was known by various nicknames such as 'Harlem's Finest,' 'The Devil's Son,' and 'The Favorite Rapper of Your Favorite Rapper,' highlighting his exceptional talent and influence in the hip-hop scene.

What genre did Big L help to bring more attention to, and how was he described in this context?

Big L helped bring more attention to Horrorcore rap, a genre noted for its dark lyrics, through his powerful and vivid storytelling.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 The Tragic Loss of Big L

The first paragraph recounts the tragic assassination of Lamont Coleman, known as Big L, a talented rapper on the brink of a major breakthrough in his career. On February 15, 1999, he was fatally shot outside his Harlem home by a childhood friend. Big L had just founded his own record label and was gaining attention from industry heavyweights like Jay-Z and Damon Dash. His untimely death shocked the hip-hop community, with fellow rapper OC expressing his devastation after learning of the incident through a phone call from his wife. Big L's influence on horrorcore rap and his freestyling abilities were highly regarded, and his potential for mainstream success was immense.

05:00

🏆 Big L's Legacy and the Aftermath

This paragraph delves into the aftermath of Big L's murder, the investigation into his death, and the speculations surrounding it. The NYPD explored various theories, including the possibility of a retaliatory hit due to an altercation involving Big L's brother. Gerald Woodley, a childhood friend of Big L, was a prime suspect due to his criminal history and a suspected motive involving a failed hit on him ordered by Big L. Despite being arrested, Woodley was released due to insufficient evidence. The paragraph also touches on the memorialization of Big L, with rappers like Fat Joe, Cameron, and Jay-Z acknowledging his extraordinary talent and the impact of his death on the hip-hop community.

10:00

🕊️ Big L's Enduring Influence and Memorial

The final paragraph reflects on Big L's enduring influence on the hip-hop scene and the tributes that followed his death. Despite the lack of closure regarding his murder, Big L's legacy lived on, inspiring a new generation of rappers. His posthumous album, 'The Big Picture,' achieved gold status, and his nicknames, such as 'the favorite rapper of your favorite rapper,' underscored his impact. In 2022, a street in Harlem was renamed in his honor, and his influence is still felt in the music of artists like Nas, ASAP Rocky, and OC, who continue to reference his work. Big L's life and career are celebrated as a significant contribution to the hip-hop genre.

Keywords

💡Beepers

Beepers, also known as pagers, were communication devices popular in the 1990s that allowed people to send and receive short messages. In the script, the use of beepers illustrates the time period and the main character's attempt to contact Big L, showing the urgency and the technology of the era.

💡Big L

Big L, or Lamont Coleman, was a prominent rapper known for his lyrical talent and dark, horrorcore-themed lyrics. The script revolves around his life, career, and tragic assassination, highlighting his influence on the hip-hop community and his potential for mainstream success.

💡Harlem

Harlem is a neighborhood in New York City that has been historically significant in African-American culture, particularly in the development of hip-hop. The script mentions Harlem as the birthplace and home of Big L, and as the setting for his tragic death and the community's response.

💡Assassination

Assassination refers to the deliberate killing of a high-profile person, often for political or personal reasons. In the script, Big L's assassination is a pivotal event that abruptly ends his life and career, and deeply affects the hip-hop community.

💡Hip-Hop Community

The hip-hop community encompasses artists, fans, and industry professionals who contribute to and are influenced by hip-hop culture. The script describes the community's reaction to Big L's death and its role in commemorating his life and work.

💡Freestyle Battles

Freestyle battles are spontaneous rap performances where artists compete to outperform each other with improvised lyrics. The script mentions Big L's prowess in freestyle battles, particularly his ability to match Jay-Z's lyrical skill, as a testament to his talent.

💡Lifestyles of the Poor and Dangerous

This is the title of Big L's first album, released in 1995, which established him as a lyrically gifted rapper. The album's title reflects the themes of his music and the script uses it to illustrate Big L's early success and impact on the hip-hop scene.

💡Horrorcore Rap

Horrorcore rap is a subgenre of hip-hop that incorporates dark, horror-themed lyrics and imagery. Big L was known for bringing more attention to this genre, as mentioned in the script, making it an important part of his legacy.

💡Jay-Z

Jay-Z is a highly successful rapper and entrepreneur who is mentioned in the script as having wanted to sign Big L to his record label, Roc-A-Fella. His connection to Big L underscores the latter's potential for mainstream success and the mutual respect between the two artists.

💡The Big Picture

The Big Picture is the title of Big L's posthumous album, released in 2000. The script discusses the album's success and its role in continuing Big L's influence on the hip-hop community after his death.

💡Street Renaming

Street renaming is an act of honoring individuals by naming a street or public place after them. In the script, the renaming of West 140th Street in Harlem to Lamont Big L Coman Way is a symbol of Big L's enduring legacy and the community's respect for his contributions to hip-hop.

Highlights

Big L was waiting to meet with fellow rapper OC the night he was assassinated in 1999.

Big L had just founded his own record label and was about to sign with Jay-Z's label, which would have skyrocketed his career.

Big L was shot and killed outside his Harlem home on February 15, 1999 in a drive-by shooting.

OC was trying to reach Big L that night to discuss a new collaboration idea, but couldn't get in touch with him.

Big L's first album 'Lifestyles of the Poor and Dangerous' solidified him as one of the most lyrically talented rappers.

Big L was known for his phenomenal freestyling ability and dark lyrics that brought attention to horrorcore rap.

Dozens of rappers, including Fat Joe, Cam'ron, and Jay-Z, attended Big L's funeral and paid their respects.

Big L's brother allegedly had a dispute with Gerald Woodley, who was later arrested for Big L's murder.

There were conflicting theories about the motive for Big L's assassination, including revenge for a failed hit on Woodley.

Despite being released due to lack of evidence, Woodley was himself murdered in 2016, not far from where Big L was killed.

Cam'ron suggested in a song that Big L may have tried to have Woodley killed shortly before his own death.

Big L posthumously released 'The Big Picture' album, which went gold and showcased his unique style and flow.

Big L has been referenced by rappers like Nas, ASAP Rocky, and OC, demonstrating his lasting influence on the hip-hop community.

In 2022, a street in Harlem was renamed Lamont Big L Coman Way in honor of the late rapper.

Big L is remembered as one of the most talented rappers in hip-hop history, with a legacy that continues to inspire new generations.

Transcripts

I was waiting for L I'm beeping him we

had beepers back then yeah I'm calling

him I'm leaving voicemails he's not

getting back to me and reason being was

I had an idea another idea to do a

record with him streets don't love me

back streets don't love

[Music]

back one evening in

1999 Lamont Coleman better known by his

stage name Big L was standing outside of

his home in Harlem unaware of the danger

that he was in for moments later he

would be brutally gunned down and

assassinated on the spot by his

childhood friend it was a cold evening

in Harlem on February 15th

1999 and Big L was standing on the

street outside of his home on 45th West

139th Street in his native Harlem that

night he was supposed to meet with ditc

rapper Omar Jerel kidle better known by

his stage name OC and the reason I say

that is you know for people who didn't

hear the song I was waiting for L and d

and d that night and I think um bi show

was going out of town or something like

that and uh if I'm not mistaken he was

on the G

bridge and I was waiting for L I'm

beeping him we got beep this P then yeah

I'm calling him I'm leaving voicemails

he's not getting back to me and at that

time Big L was about to enter the peak

of his career he had just founded his

own record label thanks to which he had

caught the attention of Jay-Z and Damon

Dash who wanted to sign him and his crew

to their Independent Record label Rock

fella had the deal gone through it would

have skyrocketed L's career to new

heights but sadly his career was

viciously cut short on that faithful

evening in February

1999 at around 8:30 p.m. as El stood

outside his home a car suddenly pulled

up to him and a man opened fire on the

legendary rapper The Vicious driveby

ended in disaster and Big L was shot

nine times in the face and chest ending

his life

instantly as police were called to the

scene OC continued trying to get a hold

of Big L unaware of the tragic fate that

had just befallen him OC was excited

about a new collaboration idea he wanted

to share with L but when his phone went

straight to voicemail multiple times OC

hung up and drove home as soon as he

arrived at his house he saw his wife

wife crying and it was she who told him

about the tragic incident that had taken

the life of his best friend OC was

devastated as was the rest of the

hip-hop community in Harlem yeah I'm

calling him I'm leaving voicemails he's

not getting back to me and reason being

was I had an idea another idea to do a

record with him and U fast forward I get

home and um my lady was like yo I I came

in the house and she was Terry ey she

wasn't booh hooing when I got closer to

her that wasn't that Vibe and

automatically I was like who's

de and she was like oh so the first

thing that came to mind was

finesse both eles yeah I was like Ness

and she was like

nah L Big L show just C it was a

well-known fact that Big L was about to

hit massive mainstream success his first

album lifestyles of the poor and

dangerous which was released in

1995 by his record label Colombia

records has solidified him as one of the

most lyrically talented rappers in the

country nicknamed Harlem's finest by

other members of the rap scene Big L was

known Across the Nation for his

phenomenal freestyling ability and His

Dark lyrics

which helped bring more attention to

Horror core rap a previously

underrepresented genre in the hip-hop

industry biguel was a valuable member of

the hip-hop community in Harlem but the

fact that his career was about to take

off when he was assassinated made the

incident more difficult to process for

its friends family fans and fellow

rappers following the tragic incident

dozens of rappers gathered together in

Harlem for his funeral to pay their

respects to the legendary Big L rappers

like Fat Joe Cameron and Jay-Z expressed

their condolences mentioning that they

had rarely met a rapper who could rhyme

in freestyle with the natural ability of

Big L in fact it was well known in the

hip-hop community that one of L's claim

to fame was that he had been able to

match Jay-Z's lyrical ability in two

Different freestyle battles which put a

huge amount of respect on El's name on

one particular day in February

1995 Jay-Z and Big L had an epic

freestyle battle on the stretch and

boido radio show during which the two

allegedly went back and forth for an

hour straight displaying their lyrical

ability and impressing everyone in the

room with their epic flow in the end

most people concluded that the battle

had ended in a draw although Big L

disagreed and later claimed that he won

one thing was for sure Big L had

demonstrated that he had the talent to

build an incredibly successful career in

hip-hop from that point on Big L became

known in Harlem as one of the only

rappers who could match

Jay-Z soon after his passing a memorial

was made for him on 139th Street at

Lennox very close to where he was

assassin ated shortly after that he was

buried at George Washington Memorial

Park in New Jersey after the passing of

Big L shook up Harlem and the rap scene

at large the NYPD launched an

investigation to find L's as salent and

bring him to Justice at the start of the

investigation an NYPD spokesperson said

that the shooting could have been a

retaliation hit one of the theories that

the police were investigating was that

big Lee big L's brother had allegedly

been involved in an altercation with

Gerald Woodley one of Big's childhood

friends according to sources familiar

with the incident because Lee had been

in prison at the time Woodley had

decided to Target his younger brother

Big L instead Woodley and L had been

closed since they were young and lived

only a few blocks away from each other

in Harlem it was hard to believe that

some

who had been on big L's debut album

cover would assassinate him in Cold

Blood and in such a gruesome manner but

Woodley had a history of vicious crime

and an apparent motive for the shooting

during the 90s Woodley was accused of

three separate hits including the

assassination of Big L for which he was

arrested about 3 months after the

incident around the time of his arrest

police also received information

regarding a slightly different motive

for the

shooting allegedly Big L had put a price

on Woodley's head and Order members of a

gang he was affiliated with to Rob him

and end his life although the hit was

not carried out successfully Woody still

found out about the plan and decided to

take revenge even though police were

fully convinced that woly was

responsible for the hit on Big L this

was never officially confirmed and the

NYPD eventually released him due to a

lack of evidence as fate would have it

Woodley himself would be slayed 17 years

later in

2016 in a shocking turn of events he was

shot in the back of the head as he was

standing outside of his own home in

Harlem less than 250 yards away from the

location where he had allegedly taken

big L's life in

1999 details of the crime were not made

public but several sources claimed that

Gerald Woodley had amassed many enemies

during his life due to his recklessness

vicious lifestyle and that the hit was

bound to take place at some point

Cameron another rapper from Harlem

attended Wily's 2016 funeral at the time

of the hit he tweeted all born on

139th all passed away on

139th shaking my head damn rip

the poignant tweet was of course posted

in reference to the hit of Big Al in a

video uploaded by Cameron to his

Instagram he sang the lyrics grew up

with Big Al and the dude who supposedly

slayed him a week before that though Big

L had tried to slay him what was he to

do please don't get in your feelings

when the time is right I will tell you

about these villains now everybody's

gone so it ain't about squealing

although these lyrics were by no means

definitive proof that Big L had indeed

put out a hit on his friend Gerald

Woodley a week before his passing it was

enlightening for police to know that a

source so close to the matter seemed to

think so after all Cameron had been a

close friend with both Big L and Woody

during their lifetimes and he was viewed

by many as a credible source as it would

later turn out Camron wasn't the only

source that would confirm this theory in

a book that was later released by

Woodley's cousin it was confirmed that

Big L had arranged for Woodley to be

robbed and assassinated a week before L

lost his life outside his home in Harlem

even though big L's career was

tragically cut short just as he was

about to reach massive mainstream

success he still managed to influence a

whole generation of rappers after him to

this day rappers like n

ASAP Rocky and OC have continued to

reference his greatness in their songs

and interviews which speaks volumes

about the timelessness of El's

contribution to the Harlem hipop

scene in 2006 rapper Nas said on MTV he

scared me when I heard that on tape I

was scared to death I said yo it's no

way I can compete if this is what I got

to compete with just a year after his

pass in 2000 L's next album the big

picture was released with the help of

his business partners and close friends

with the energy of the rappers to propel

the album forward the big picture

quickly went gold and garnered massive

success thanks to a massive following of

loyal fans who yearned to hear El's

Unique Style and flow expressed in one

last album throughout his life and even

pous Le L acquired a wide variety of

nicknames thanks to his talent including

the favorite rapper of your favorite

rapper the devil's son and El

Kon to honor him West 140th Street in

Lennox Avenue in Harlem was renamed

after the late rapper last summer in

2022 the new street sign which now reads

Lamont Big L Coman way serves as a

testament to the rapper longlasting

influence in his hometown with his

incredible talent and dedic ation to the

art L will forever be remembered as one

of Hip Hop's greatest wh ifs and his

legacy will continue to inspire new

generations of rappers for many years to

come for his contribution to hipop horor

Corp and all of Harlem Big L will go

down in history as one of the most

talented rappers to ever play the game

rest in peace Big

L