Big L — The Big Picture

Originally scheduled to be released in 1999, the album is postponed to August 2000 due to Big L's murder. At the time of Big L's death, the project was incomplete and his manager decided to completed posthumously. The disk is produced by Lord Finesse, Showbiz, DJ Premier, Ron Brownz, Ron G, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron and Ysae. The guests are AG, Fat Joe, OC, 2Pac, Miss Jones, Stan Spit, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Guru, Remy Ma and Sadat X.

Production is the real weapon to bring out Coleman's poetic talent: DJ Premier ("The Big Picture", "The Enemy", "Platinum Plus"), Pete Rock ("Holdin 'It Down"), Lord Finesse ("'98 Freestyle"), and Showbiz ("The Triboro") don't disappoint, Ron Browz tries it, putting mediocre rhythms almost everywhere, Big L fixes "Ebonics" on his own, but in "Size 'Em Up" and "The Heist" he can't do more than that.

At one point, it seems that Ron Browz can no longer make mistakes and he guesses the [simplistic] production in "Casualties of a Dice Game", which is among the [many] successful tracks. Props also to Mike Heron who produces the best track here, "Flamboyant". On the productive side, the squeaky "You You Slidin 'Wit' by Pete Rock ft. the unknown Stan Spit doesn't work, another weak point is represented by "Games", where Big L doesn't seems inspired over this average rhythm realized by Ysae while guests — half Gang Starr, half Brand Nubian — do nothing to raise the level of the track, perhaps the weakest point on this record.

Guests do their part to cement this record as a great album: "Deadly Combination" is a successful test with 2Pac, Big Daddy Kane is blessed by Premier in "Platinum Plus", while in "Fall Back" G Rap kills the rhythm together with Big L. Shomari does a great job behind the keyboards, but whoever would have done well. There's a spray of DITC that never hurts and closes the LP in "The Triboro", with a rhythm provided by Showbiz.

Released by Flamboyant Entertainment and Rawkus, the CD is welcomed positively by critics and gains public favor, peaking #2 among rap records in the charts and obtaining the gold certification by RIAA in a couple of months. One of the best posthumous albums ever released in hip hop, this Rawkus record's fresh, full of bangers. At times better than his predecessor, but in hindsight they could pull off a better job. There are a couple of edges, which is why it's difficult to judge it a classic. It still remains a pleasant listening and an excellent gangsta/hardcore album by one of the best lyricists of all time and this is another obvious proof.

Rating: 8/10.