Why do people consider Big L a great rapper?

[spsfinest212]

I listened to some of his stuff and  found nothing special or original about any of it. What makes him so special to some?

 

[theblackcoltmccoy]

i should smack you in the mouth.

 

[jpioneer]

I wish MEB was here.

 

[zona0924]

Besides great production on albums, ill world play, first-rate storytelling, the man's flow was just SICKNASTY.

 

[ill legal operation]

I pose a better question:

Why do young, wet behind the ears hip hop fans with wack white girls in their avys go out of their way to discredit certified hip hop legends?

 

[delete]

you are kidding right?

 

[harlem on the rise]

Big L unoriginal??... So over time you've listened to guys who've barrowed his style, and by the time you get around to listenin to the originator (along with Lord Finesse) of the "Punchline Heavy" style he seems unoriginal??...

Somethings wrong...

But to answer the threads title, there's 2 reasons...

1) Because he IS..
2) Because he's dead

 

[ravagebx]

Nothing original? You can't be serious. He birthed a style of punchline rap that many rappers still use today. Not to mention the fact he was ahead of his time with the wordplay.

 

[harlem on the rise]

Big L unoriginal??... So over time you've listened to guys who've barrowed his style, and by the time you get around to listenin to the originator (along with Lord Finesse) of the "Punchline Heavy" style he seems unoriginal??...

Somethings wrong...

But to answer the threads title, there's 2 reasons...

1) Because he IS..
2) Because he's dead

 

[eddiehouse5]

This is borderline flamebait. Seriously.

You already know the answer to your question.

 

[mangudai954]

Originally Posted by RavageBX

Nothing original? You can't be serious. He birthed a style of punchline rap that many rappers still use today. Not to mention the fact he was ahead of his time with the wordplay.

 

[inspektahdeck]

OP avearages about 25 posts a day in the Drake thread he's a YM groupie like the rest of em...he made this thread cause L's lyrics obviously go over his head

 

[moneyisthemotive]

if you like rappers, there is no way in hell he isnt in your top 10, and thats being generous to other rappers ... dude has punches for days and carved a niche for these punchline rappers you hear ... let's just use the NT measuring stick ... Big L >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> jay-z ... and for your livelihood, just throw his name in your top 10 in case you are ever discussing rap with anyone who knows anything about the genre ... i dont care if you ever listen to him again just throw his name in there ...

 

[rocyaice]

You dudes are damn near proving his point. I've always wondered the same thing but my opinion was that he didn't have a enough material. Not necessarily his lyricism. Dude asks ya'll a question and you guys do the good ol' "Are you serious" bit.

Answering a question with a question.

 

[nostrandave68]

Originally Posted by spsfinest212

I listened to some of his stuff and  found nothing special or original about any of it. What makes him so special to some?

Thats because of how familiar you are with rappers who fuse punchlines with their raps NOW... you gotta think back to that era wasn't too many punchline rappers--Lord Finesse. His style can be seen in rappers like Fab, Wayne, Em, Cassidy and so many others. What Rakim/Nas were to lyricism is what Big L was to witty vernacular/punchlines

 

[scotthallwithapick]

 

[optimusprimeaphia]

As someone from the south, whose parents are Jamaican (thus delaying my introduction to rap and the culture) ,and thats turning 22, I can say that I didn't hear about Big L until I started hitting up the internet and hip-hop/rap forums. To be honest, I respect all of the comments in this thread but please remember that not all of us really know what dude meant to rap enthusiats and his impact. I only know of his impact through what others have said, I can't really and truly speak to that because I simply had not exposure to it. I think ya'll are going hard on OP for no reason. Times are changing. Its like me expecting my friend's middle school class students to know who Wu Tang is...or for them to even understand their impact, no matter how much ya'll tell them.

The suggestions to "just add him in your top 5" are just ridiculous especially when you're not giving any reasons WHY he should be.

 

[ninjahood]

big L was a innovator, da way banks, cassidy, lil wayne, etc. rap now is all thanks to Big L's influence....

redman is also another dude people don't give enough credit to...his first album dropped in 1992.

 

[AL Andretti]

Originally Posted by spsfinest212

I listened to some of his stuff and  found nothing special or original about any of it. What makes him so special to some?

  

 

[hiphopdoc09]

%$** impact and all that dude was nice. If you just listened to a few songs I dont see the need for this post. After realizin he was a beast you must realize the time period he was rapping in, what rap sounded like before and what it sounds like now.  Im only 18 and I was able to figure out like 3 yrs ago where Cassidy, Fab, Banks etc. got their styles from.

 

[illphillip]

Originally Posted by ILL LEGAL OPERATION

I pose a better question:

Why do young, wet behind the ears hip hop fans with wack white girls in their avys go out of their way to discredit certified hip hop legends?

Bingo. 

 

[send one]

BFA hit the nail on the head.

You cant compare him to today's rappers because his style has been so imitated for so long now. But if you go back and compare him to his peers at the time you would see the difference.

 

[optimusprimeaphia]

Originally Posted by ninjahood

big L was a innovator, da way banks, cassidy, lil wayne, etc. rap now is all thanks to Big L's influence....

redman is also another dude people don't give enough credit to...his first album dropped in 1992.

Dude NEVER slacked. EVER.

 

[thunderchunk69]

Originally Posted by Tha Flashy One

you are kidding right?

 

[spsfinest212]

Originally Posted by NostrandAve68

Originally Posted by spsfinest212

I listened to some of his stuff and  found nothing special or original about any of it. What makes him so special to some?

Thats because of how familiar you are with rappers who fuse punchlines with their raps NOW... you gotta think back to that era wasn't too many punchline rappers--Lord Finesse. His style can be seen in rappers like Fab, Wayne, Em, Cassidy and so many others. What Rakim/Nas were to lyricism is what Big L was to witty vernacular/punchlines

Thank you for your non-MAD response and that probably is the reason.