Another Posthumous Album, Another Rapper With Unrealized Potential

Legions of pop fans are still mourning the loss of rappers Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., who were killed in unsolved shootings in 1996 and 1997, respectively.

However, the hip-hop world has lost several other, lesser-known but highly respected artists over the last five years. Among them: Seagram, Mausberg, the Lost Boyz’s Freaky Tah and RBL Posse’s Mr. Cee.

But none showed as much commercial or creative potential as Big L, who was shot nine times in the face and chest near his Harlem home on Feb. 15, 1999. Police subsequently arrested a suspect, who they believe killed Big L as retaliation for the long-standing friction the man had with Big L’s brother.

His posthumous album, titled “The Big Picture” and due in stores next month from Rawkus/Priority Records, is one of the season’s most anticipated new releases. “Flamboyant,” a single from the album, is already high on Billboard magazine’s list of the Hot 100 recordings.

The rapper’s debut collection, “Liestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous,” generated little commercial attention when it was released in 1995, but such clever cuts as “Put It On” and “MVP” earned him a reputation as a sharp-tongued rhymer with tremendous promise. Also a member of underground rap group D.I.T.C., Big L went on to make a number of striking guest appearances on other artists’ albums.

By the time he started recording songs in 1998 for “The Big Picture,” which was to be his follow-up album, Big L (his real name was Lamont Coleman) had become one of the most talked-about rappers on the underground circuit.

Big L didn’t have the new album finished by the time of his death, so the collection will be a mixture of his finished tracks along with other tracks that were finished by guest producers who include Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Lord Finesse and Buckwild. In addition, the album features guest appearances from rappers Fat Joe, Jay-Z, Sadat X, Gang Starr’s Guru, A.G. and Tupac Shakur.

Listening to “Flamboyant,” an engaging yet gritty slice of rap braggadocio, reminds you of the terrible loss the hip-hop world has suffered in recent years and raises questions about why hip-hop artists are haunted by the often violent, oppressive conditions that they seemingly leave behind once their music becomes popular.

In some cases, the answer is as simple--and as complex--as a paraphrase of a popular saying: You can take a person out of the ghetto, but you can’t take the ghetto out of a person.

Many rappers are from troubled, impoverished backgrounds, and, either for loyalty or credibility, they often maintain their ties to the same crime-riddled areas they traveled when they were aspiring musicians.

This often puts them in dangerous situations--either as targets for robbers or jealous fans who are trying to make a name for themselves.

Some rappers are able to maintain that delicate balance, but others end up victims of this brutal cycle.

In Big L’s case, his confident raps, engaging stories and potent production created a buzz on the streets, but it was ultimately those same streets that would lead to his demise.

THE FIRST SIX MONTHS: Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” is easily the best hip-hop album so far this year. The collection takes lyricism, imagery and cleverness to entertaining, albeit frightening, levels, making Eminem the genre’s most compelling artist.

Among other collections worthy of special attention: Three 6 Mafia’s “When the Smoke Clears/Sixty 6 Sixty 1,” whose manic sounds are guaranteed to cause an adrenaline rush. The group’s rowdy feel and violent themes may be too much for some, because the music could be used as the soundtrack for a riot. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s elegant, spiritual “BTNHResurrection,” a mix of gangster talk and uplifting themes, provides lots of food for thought.

Slum Village’s “Fantastic, Vol. 2” establishes the Detroit trio as one of hip-hop’s most promising new talents. Young Bleed’s “On My Own” reflects thoughtfully on life in the racially charged South. Jurassic 5’s “Quality Control” is an album with a feel-good vibe that shows Los Angeles rappers know about more than gangsterism.

Tony Touch’s “The Piece Maker” is a brag-fest featuring guest appearances from nearly every prominent hip-hop artist today, from Eminem and the Wu-Tang Clan to Cypress Hill and Gang Starr’s Guru. Dilated Peoples’ “The Platform” provides another inviting slice of positive L.A. rap.