| Tracklist:
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
Release Date: 2000 | |
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On 2 Lists
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| Summary: Big L leaves a formidable legacy in his last album The Big Picture. |
2000's The Big Picture was reproduced and released the following year of Harlem's emcee Big L's death. Heavyweight emcees Fat Joe, 2Pac, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane among others are featured in Big L's second and last record, and was produced from several producers including DJ Premier, Lord Finesse and Pete Rock. The Big Picture fails to disappoint fans of Big L's acclaimed debut Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous with Big L's last and excellent performance.
Big L comes harder than ever in The Big Picture, providing you with the wittiest and most brilliant tracks and freestyles of his career. His flow can be quick, but never inaudible. He always finds ways to connect his lines with clarity, flow, catchiness, and a vacancy of filler or awkward lines. Big L has a distinct voice that supplements his unique lines which makes Big L stand out even more in the rap scene, especially in contrast with some of his guest emcees who for the most part have very diverse vocal pitches. He preserves his 90's rap style but never lets his performance become stale, boring, or obsolete.
The metaphors and analogies that Big L has made in his work are highly regarded, and The Big Picture is no exception. You'll be hearing his ingenious comparisons like this throughout the album:
I asked honey her name and she told me Celeste
She had big breasts, honey had me harder than a Spanish test
The originality and diversity doesn't stop at his analogies. Most rappers make their entire album about one subject, using one formula and hardly switching up their style at all. Big L is not like most rappers. From "Ebonics" which is solely composed of Big L explaining a host of slang terms, to the story-like tracks "Casualties of a Dice Game" and "Games", and to "'98 Freestyle", The Big Picture lacks no variety, keeping this album fresh for long times to come.
The production has been stepped up from "Lifestylez", but it is overdone at some points. It seems like the producers added too much flare when trying to make the tracks stand out, when Big L already succeeded at making every track feel bold and unique. The beats weaved into this album are definitely more interesting than "Lifestylez" and for the most part fit the song, creating a more enjoyable track, but again, sometimes the producers go a little too far when trying to make the beats diverse, resulting in a couple quirky-sounding rhythms. Despite the seldom awkward beats, the production is still strong and can really assist The Big Picture in sucking you in to it.
Big L does not fail to impress in The Big Picture, it is only disheartening that we will not be seeing anymore work from one of Harlem's finest emcees. The only thing holding this back from being phenomenal is the minor setbacks of over-production. If you like rap, there is no excuse not to have this.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | |
Album Rating: 4
Ah crap, how do Italicize in reviews? And how can I upload the album art?
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Italicize
B's for bold, etc.
try that format
Digging: Maths - Descent
| | | Album Rating: 4
What? lol
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oops sorry haha... try putting "[I]" before the word, and the same thing after what you want italicized, except include a / before
the letter and inside the bracket... make sense kinda? it's hard to demonstrate without italicizing.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Oh okay, thanks
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it looks like [X]this[/X] except with I's instead of X's, assuming you want "this" capitalized.
| | | Album Rating: 4
So basically html with []'s instead of 's right
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I don't know html but give that a try.
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You need "I"'s to italicize, B's to bold, etc.
| | | Album Rating: 4
All fixed, except the album thumbnail won't show up :s
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lol the album name is "the big picture"... keep it. just for the irony.
| | | Album Rating: 4
Oh damn that's funny haha. I already uploaded the image though it just hasn't shown up yet I guess
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big l is one of my top 5 mc's.
Digging: Om - Conference of the Birds
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Yes
Digging: Deadmau5 - For Lack Of A Better Name
| | | Album Rating: 3
big l is amazing, but this album is kinda inconsistent and haphazardly put together - i dunno if i'd have it as a 4. good review though.
Digging: Gucci Mane - The Burrprint | | |
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