Greetings From: Harlem, USA

Greetings from Harlem, USA, where 15 years ago, hip-hop had made its way back uptown. In 1995, Big L released the album 'Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous', a gritty portrayal of life in Harlem at the time, and the most ridiculous barrage of metaphors this side of the Hudson. L came out to huge acclaim from the underground community and with good reason. His brand of rap had never been heard before. Sadly, Lamont Coleman was gunned down right on his block of 139th, at the peak of his career. His raps stand the test of time though. The track 'I Don't Understand It' talks about the watering-down of mainstream hip-hop and rappers putting on characters to sell records. That sounds eerily familiar to today. If a song made 15 years ago still applies today, shouldn't that artist be more highly acclaimed? #imjustsayin

RIP Big L
1974-1999