Stanisland Magazine

“Harlem’s Finest: Return Of The King” sees the rapper’s luxury verses collaborate with modern hip-hop

Big L (real name Lamont Coleman) is one of rap’s most talented, gifted rappers. Growing up in Harlem, the microphone ripper was an out-of-the-box lyricist, taking on local talent and the studio with an intensity few can match.

He later connected with Lord Finesse of Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), a collective of emcees and producers that included Fat Joe and others. After signing with Columbia Records, the New York native dropped “Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous”, the only album released during his lifetime.

His second album, “The Big Picture,” was a posthumous release and featured appearances from 2Pac, Kool G Rap, and Sadat X of Brand Nubian. But there was still much material to release, which became a key motivation for “Harlem’s Finest: Return Of The King” (HFROTK).

Album Review

Still taking on rappers, Big L’s latest adaptation drops a fiery spread of vernacular goodness. Flamboyance is truly part of his manifesto, thanks to his vibrant vocal performances. Each track is decorated with a suite of beats that the rapper would have likely chosen, or very close to it.

The project is filled with L’s trademark wordplay, a multisyllabic rhyme fest of phonetic jewellery only he can sport, like on RHN: “After I skin em’ and spit some venom in em’, I run with intruders, looters and sharpshooters”.

Colluding with cut from the same cloth lyricists, the album taps Mac Miller, Joe Budden, Joey BadaSS, Method Man, and more. The now-famous 7-minute freestyle with Jay-Z features, and includes a lineup from underground names that newcomers to the culture will enjoy for their rich style. They include BVNGS, Errol Holden, Novel, and Pale Jay, who teams up with Miller for a conversation between eras, that is joyfully executed.

Harlem’s Finest consists mostly of unreleased material and rare freestyles — a mix of remastered productions and fresh additions, such as “U Ain’t Gotta Chance” featuring Nas. For a lack of available material, there’s some great rhyming, though it can feel repetitive at times, which is understandable.

The Verdict

Posthumous albums, for obvious reasons, very rarely, if ever, reach a point of art, largely due to their patchwork of archive verses that require immense engineering. But on HFROTK, Mass Appeal has done a great job curating Big L’s illustrious freestyles, which very few can contend with.

Overall, the album is brimming with boom-bap brilliance and a cache of incredible verses from some of rap’s best. Its only fault lies in limitations beyond the label’s control. It’s an exhibition of class and a great way to relive Coleman’s skill and versatility — but there’s little new here. At times, it feels messy, and I’d classify this as more of a mixtape — Nas’ intentions were to get his remaining material out and to expose Big L to a new generation, and he did that to the best of his ability.

The Complete Tracklist

• Harlem Universal (featuring Herb McGruff) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• U Ain’t Gotta Chance (featuring Nas) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• RHN (Real Harlem N**gas) (featuring Errol Holden) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Fred Samuel Playground (featuring Method Man) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Big Lee & Red – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• All Alone (Quiet Storm Mix) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Forever (featuring Mac Miller & Pale Jay) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• 7 Minute Freestyle (featuring Jay-Z) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Doo Wop Freestyle ’99 – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Stretch & Bob Freestyle (’98) – Don & Sacha Intro – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Stretch & Bobbito Freestyle (’98) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Grant’s Tom ’97 (Jazzmobile) (featuring Joey Badass, BVNGS & DJ Ron G) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Live @ Rock N Will ’92 – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• How Will I Make It (Park West HighSchool Mix) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Don And Sacha @ Inwood Hill Park (Closing Scene) – Producer: Lamont Coleman
• Put The Mic Down – Producer: Lamont Coleman