The The Big Picture (1974-1999) [Reissue]

by Big L

Overview

The second and final album from the late Big L showcases the Harlem MC as a master of the punch line and a vicious storyteller with a razor blade-under-the-tongue flow. Unfortunately, despite a well-meant effort from Rawkus Records, The Big Picture fails to capture Big L's underground legacy. A member of the New York underground collective's Diggin' in the Crates crew, L's 1995 debut on Columbia Records, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was met with a lukewarm response despite his rugged talents. As a result, Big L was dropped from Columbia primarily because Lifestylez lacked the supersonic production to match his rough, witty style. On The Big Picture, even with a few production heavyweights in on the project, the production is again suspect. The album billed as a classic has merely the makings of one, all-star producers like Pete Rock and Premier and heavyweight guest appearances including a duet with another fallen rap star, 2Pac. There are about five good tracks on the album, two of which are spectacular: "Flamboyant" over a soulful bump provided by Mike Heron is the heavy-hitter on the album followed closely in quality by the flute-laced "Holdin' It Down" produced by Pete Rock and featuring A.G. "Ebonics" is L's clever slang dictionary and the two DJ Premier-produced tracks, "Platinum Plus" featuring Big Daddy Kane and "The Enemy" featuring Fat Joe, are also worthy of note. Here is an underground king that finds only slight aboveground success posthumously. Rawkus' scramble to compile new and old tracks into a cohesive product proved too difficult a task. In the end, there is too much gloss on this undergrounder's parting project; The Big Picture does not do justice to Big L. Big L may be remembered as a gifted MC who put out mediocre albums but he will not be forgotten by hip-hop fans on the strength of his underground legacy and respect. Big L (1974-1999) was gunned down in his own Harlem neighborhood in early 1999. [The Big Picture was reissued in 2017.] ~ M.F. DiBella

Product Details

Release Date:	07/14/2016
Label:	BMG Rights Management
UPC:	0853499007124

Tracks

1. The Big Picture (Intro)
2. Ebonics
3. Size 'Em Up
4. Deadly Combination
5. '98 Freestyle
6. Holdin' It Down
7. The Heist
8. The Enemy
9. Fall Back
10. Flamboyant
11. Casualties of a Dice Game
12. Platinum Plus
13. Who You Slidin' Wit'
14. Games
15. The Heist Revisited
16. The Triboro

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Big L   Primary Artist
Guru   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Fat Joe   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Sadat X   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals
AG   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
D.C.   Primary Artist
Big Daddy Kane   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Miss Jones   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Kool G Rap   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Tupac Shakur   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
A.G.   Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
O.C.   Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Remy Ma   Featured Artist,Vocals
2Pac   Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Stan Spit   Featured Artist,Vocals
OC   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Sia Mack   Engineer,Mixing
Stan Draton   Composer
Andre Barnes   Composer
Moon Martin   Composer
Antonio Hardy   Composer
Alon Cohen   Engineer
Showbiz   Composer,Producer
Shomari   Composer,Producer
Miss Jones   Performer
2Pac   Composer
DJ Premier   Producer,Executive Producer
Carlisle Young   Mixing
Joseph Cartagena   Composer
Rondell Turner   Composer
Louis Alfred III   Mixing
Tarsha Jones   Composer
YSAE   Producer
Leroy Southwell   Composer
YSAE (E-Say)   Producer
Eric Lynch   Engineer
Dejuana Richardson   Mixing,Engineer
A. Hardy   Composer
Duncan Stanbury   Mastering
T. Jones   Composer
Omar Credle   Composer
Chris Martin   Composer
Rob Dinero   Engineer,Vocal Engineer
Ronald Bowser   Composer
R.V. Browser   Composer
Peter Phillips   Composer
Lamont Coleman   Composer
Erik Lynch   Engineer
Derek Murphy   Composer
Big Daddy Kane   Performer
Bob Brown   Engineer
Vic Steffens   Engineer
Wes Farrell   Composer
Lord Finesse   Mixing,Producer,Executive Producer
Sebb   Cut
N. Wilson   Composer
Big L   Executive Producer
Keith Elam   Composer
L. Coleman   Composer
Kool G Rap   Composer,Performer
Fat Joe   Performer
Tupac Shakur   Composer
David Kennedy   Mixing
Dee Ervin   Composer
Sadat X   Performer
Robert Hall   Composer
Rod Hui   Mixing
Pete Rock   Producer
Ron G.   Producer
R. Turner   Composer
Max Vargas   Engineer
Remy Ma   Composer
Ron Browz   Producer
Mike Heron   Composer,Producer,Executive Producer