Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Harlems Finest, March 16, 2006
Let me start by saying this is probably my favorite rap cd. L was an original artist. He was also quick and witty. On this album he would be making fun of the listener but making them laugh at the same time. I have not yet found a rap artist who can match L's lyrical ability and "realness" on the mic. Allow me to analyze this album song by song.
The Big Picture (intro)- This is a great song. The first 53 seconds is Gang Starr introducing their hit single "Full Clip" live. When this great beat kicks in L's rhymes are unmatchable.
Ebonics - This song is brilliant. The entire song is Big L "breaking down" street slang. This is considered one of his best works but i disagree. Maybe because i've heard it 5000 times.
Size Em' Up - Tight song with great rhymes and a funky beat.
Deadly Combination - L and Tupac rip the mic on this one. If you have a sub-woofer you will appreciate this song more:)
'98 Freestyle - Seems a little out of place in all these up beat catchy tunes. Reguardless the lyrical ability unparalleled.
Holdin It Down - This is once again a great song. The beat is nice but im just not into that whole woman singing the hook thing.
The Heist - This is one of the stand outs on the album. Big L tells us a story about what he does when he finds out his wife is cheating on him. I wont spoil the ending.
The Enemy - Again Big L does great but Fat Joe just doesnt stand a chance against him.
Fall Back - This is the song that got me into Big L. Its a nice upbeat song with fresh lyrics and a fresh beat. Kool G Rap spits nicely also.
Flamboyant - What can i say... It's Flamboyant.
CASUALTIES OF A DICE GAME - I have never heard any other rap song that tells a story as eloquently and descriptive as this one. You can acually picture exaclty what is going on; its like watching a movie. Also has a positive message if you pay attention.
Platinum Plus - ANOTHER lyrical masterpiece. "Got my own label now, so y'all can sign with me. Y'all can take me from the bottom and climb with me, that's fine with me, that's how it was designed to be" This shows L's humane attitude as a human being.
Who You Slidin' Wit', Games, and The Triboro - These are like a lot of the D.I.T.C. work for me. Straight up: Big L rips it and the rest of them dont come close. This isn't L's fault and he definitely stands out from the rest. His verse on the Triboro is quite memorable.
The Heist "Revisited" - Same lyrics, differant beat... could do without.
(if it were up to me the cd would end after number 12)
I strongly belive that listeners of any musical genre will appreciate the audacity this cd shows.
This album is a classic and will live forever.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A classic album from a legendary mc, September 2, 2004
when i think of big l it almost brings tears to the eyes.. i mean the guy had all the flow in the world.. his lyrics were insane.. he came with multies after mulit and there arent too many rappers that write lyrics with the skill and direction that he does. It's really sad that he got shot and how his life was cut short. Well on this album the producers bring big ls memory back. This is really the first album that introduced me to big l from the very opening he gives us a taste of his amazing wordplay and creativeness with a set of metaphors that look at what the rap game is without him, and its really true.. when l died rap lost one of its greatest mcs of all time. This album showcases what big l is famous for.. his punchlines. On tracks like 98 freestyle and the hot ass hit "holdin it down" l drops punchline after punchline.. youll find yourself rewinding your cd player thinkin did he really say that? YES he did .. no one came with more punchlines and creativeness than big l. His amazing storytelling ability is also showcased on this album.. on casualties of a dice game l raps about a dice game gone wrong in a amazing way. I'm a big rap fan and have listened to alot of rap from underground to mainstream and let me tell you .. casualties of a dice game is one of the best storytelling song ever. Seriously anyone that is a rap fan should get this album. Also anyone that raps like myself should appreciate hearing an album of the late big l, because l was really an mcs mc.. hes everything that an mc should be.. he was fresh, creative, and had alot of carisma. I still get misty eyed when i think of big ls death, an excellent album from one of the greatest writers ever.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is an amazing album... never to be forgotten, July 1, 2006
Big L was "so ahead of his time his parents haven't met yet". The punchlines he threw out were so sharp and so quick they were amazing. The track "Ebonics" dances through New York Slang and translates it to common terms. All of the tracks are very well written, the production is fantastic, from Pete Rock, Buckwild, Ron G, and others, and guest shots include appearances by Tupac (mixed by Ron G almost hauntingly), Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Guru, Sadat X, Fat Joe, Stan Spit and OC. Tracks with guest stars really let the stars shine (especially tracks including BDK, KGR and Guru/SadatX)...
Part of the reason Big L was so good was that he could tell an amazing story from start to finish. Everything is very simple but vivid (and by simple I mean wording, not rhyme patterns). Casualties of A Dice Game is a very good example of L's storytelling ability, as is The Heist (and the Heist Remix)...
Sadly L was cut down in his prime, a victim of a brutal slaying in his neighborhood. Even though he never blew up the way he should have in his lifetime, he will always be respected amongst hip-hop heads and his amazing East Coast Freestyle skills will be the stuff of legends.
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by Big L 
