Am I the only person who thinks Papoose is ass? Now before you NY cats start pulling a tantrum like Kanye, hear me out. I'm all for wordplay. It's what makes a good writer and lyricist. It also takes a mastery of the English language to really pull some clever shit off.
But to be a great MC, you gotta know how to say what you're going to say. Someone could spit the secrets of life in reverse prose form in the wildest rhyme format, but if he's got a monotone or can't switch the style, then noone really is going to check for it.
Now don't get me wrong, Papoose is one of the up and comers in the mixtape scene. But honestly, i wouldn't put him up there with my man Joey. Saigon either, because you know dude spits that real talk. And now people all over are talking reckless like Pap's the next Big L?
Wow.
L's stranglehold on the NY underground and airwaves could not be denied. He's the punchliner archetype. No ifs ands or buts about it. Wild reckless, battle tested, hood approved. L had it all, and was close to signing a deal with his son Jay before he met his untimely demise. Show me one hot line and I'll show you 100 hotter ones from Lamont.
"I run with sturdy clicks, I'm never hittin dirty chicks, got thirty-five bodies, buddy don't make it thirty-six."
His swagger on the mic was insane and almost comical considering how slim this ninja was. But you can't be an MC and be humble. Every time you're out there, the spotlight is on you to show why you're THE shit. L did just that. Effortlessly, too, it seemed. I know some of you recall his "tired" flow on Stretch and Bobbito's radio show. For someone being tired, he ripped the beat better than anyone back then or now could have.
"You ain't leader what? Nobody ever followed you, you was never shit, you're mother shoulda swallowed you."
Now, it can be argued that he did lack a bit of substance. But, considering the era and genre Big L was from, I personally don't think there was a need to make a song about how he loves his family or wifey. That's just what we're used to hearing nowadays.
"A lot of rappers talk that murder shit and couldn't kill time."
Ebonics gave folks in the burbs something to listen to. Devil's Son gave you Necro/Early Em fans something to drool over. Flamboyant was for the ballers. MVP was for the lyricists. The Heist in a sense carried on Slick Rick's storytelling. What else could you want from a mid 90's MC?
Mic Presence = Check
Switching Flows = Check
Punchlines = Check
Storytelling = Check
Righteous Swagger = Check
Street Credibility = Check
Solid Joints = Check
So before you go out biggin up some half ass rapper spitting hot lines, give homage to one of the best to ever do it.
Big L Discography Pt 1
Big L Discography Pt 2
Edit - When we say "rename" or you see a weird file extension, go to wherever you downloaded the file. Go to Tools/folder options/ view/ and uncheck where it says hide file extentions. once done go back to the downloaded file and delete the .exe and replace with .rar or the appropriate file type. It's that easy.
Signing Out,
Retro
Stray Shots
Keep checking back here because we'll continually update with contributions we recieve.
The Game - Stop Snitchin Stop Lyin
pass is bfk
M.I.A. - Arular Plus Bonus Tracks
Dizzee Rascal - Showtime
Anthony Hamilton - Soulife
Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is
Willie D - Loved By Few, Hated By Many
Chill Rob G. - Ride The Rhythm
D.E.A. - Screwed 4 Life
Little Brother-Minstrel Show
Papoose and Memphis Bleek - Bedstuy Do or Die
GZA-Liquid Swords
Black Rob-Black Rob Report
Rick James - Street Songs
Rick James - Throw Down
Case - Open Letter
Mixies.org Presents - The Break-Up Mix
Burt Bacharach & Dr. Dre - Collabos
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle
Jamie Foxx - Peep This
Self-Scientific - Gods & Gangsters Mixtape
Ying Yang Twins - USA Still United
Bun-B - Trill
Bigups to Swizzle and donpoppa supplying most of the audio crack for today. Specials thanks to DRose, CS.CA, Chili & Mason as well for their contributions.
