| Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous | ||||
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| Studio album by Big L | ||||
| Released | March 28, 1995 (see release history) |
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| Recorded | 1993-1995 Powerplay Studios (Queens, New York) Unique Studios (New York City, New York) Chung King Studios (New York City, New York) |
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| Genre | East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, horrorcore, underground hip hop | |||
| Length | 48:42 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Buckwild, Craig Boogie, Kid Capri, Lord Finesse, Showbiz | |||
| Big L chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous | ||||
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Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut album by American hip hop artist Big L, released March 28, 1995 on Columbia Records. Recording sessions took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York from 1993 to 1995. Production was handled by Buckwild, Craig Boogie, Kid Capri, Lord Finesse, and Showbiz. After being discovered by Lord Finesse in 1990, Big L signed a deal with Columbia Records, and he started to work on the album.
The album debuted at number 149 on the US Billboard 200 and number 22 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, but did not chart internationally. Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous spawned three singles: "Put It On", "M.V.P.", and "No Endz, No Skinz", the first two both peaked within the top 25 on the US Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Dance Singles Sales. Upon its release, the album received average reviews from music critics, earning praise for Big L's lyrics, but not liking the production. As of August 2000, the album has sold 200,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Contents |
Big L began rhyming in 1990 and his first professional appearance came on the B-side of "Party Over Here" by Lord Finesse in 1992. Around this time, L joined Lord Finesse's Bronx-based hip hop collective Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.). The group consisted of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, O.C., Fat Joe, Buckwild, Showbiz and A.G. He founded Harlem centered rap group Children of the Corn with fellow aspiring MC's Killa Cam, Murda Mase, and Killa Cam's cousin Bloodshed; when the latter died in a car accident in 1997, the group folded.
In 1993, Big L submitted a four track cassette tape to Columbia Records, who soon after signed him to their company. The album title is a play on the 1984-95 Television series, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
Recording for Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous mainly took place at Powerplay Studios (Queens, New York);[1] the songs "Put It On" and "Danger Zone" were recorded at Unique Studios (New York City, New York)[1] and the songs "M.V.P." and "Street Struck" were recorded at Chung King Studios (New York City, New York).[1] James Niedermeyer worked with Big L on the album and heavily influenced the lyrics on songs such as "Danger Zone" and "All Black".
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous was produced by mainly members of Big L's group, Diggin' in the Crates Crew: Buckwild, Lord Finesse (who produced most of the album), and Showbiz. Craig Boogie as well as Kid Capri (who was often referred to as an honorary member of D.I.T.C.[2]) also helped with the production of the album.
In a 2010 interview with HipHop DX to commemorate the album's 15th year anniversary and its re-issue by Traffic Entertainment, Lord Finesse discussed the making of the album.[2]
Concerning "Put It On", he stated:
[Columbia Records] wanted something with a hook that would be kinda catchy, and something they could get radio play with. Like, everything [L] did was dark, and it was gangsta, and it was . . . what was the [popular style at the time]? Horror-core. So they needed something bright, something friendly. And "Put It On" just matched everything perfect."
Concerning "M.V.P.", he stated:
That song came about because L wanted a commercial, R&B loop that everybody could recognize. And me remembering that [DeBarge] record, and also remembering how Kid Capri used it way back when he did – I forgot which record he did, but he had that [song], and I’m like, "Damn, well maybe we could reinvent that right there." And L heard the loop and was like, "Yeah, that’s it!" But, [with] Diggin’, we had to have the right drums, the right everything [to go with a sample], and we dressed it up in a way where we tried to keep it Hip Hop.
Concerning "8 Iz Enuff", he said:
With that [song] L just thought he had to do a track with the rappers from his hood. And he definitely wanted to put on [those particular emcees]… We looking like, "How you gonna put eight niggas on one track?" [And he was like], "Don’t worry, I got this."
Speaking about "Danger Zone", he said:
At the time it was somebody by the name of David Kahne [working as L’s A&R at Columbia]. He was like the person who was responsible for getting L signed, and he loved all that devil’s son shit. [Says in nasally white-guy voice] "Oh wow, this is great!" It’s like, "Are you serious?" Because we had to make [L] change a line in "Devil’s Son" because it was [like], "You’re too out-of-order." What was the line . . . "I’m killin’ chumps for the cheapest price / I’m rollin’ with Satan," [and instead of then saying "not Jesus Christ"] it was "F Jesus Christ." But we made him change it to "Not Jesus Christ." [We were] like, "Yo, what the fuck are you doing?!"
Commenting on "Street Struck", he said:
That was Sony [that wanted him to make something more positive]. [They were like], "You so dark on this album, we need something positive we can push. This album is too dark: you got "All Black", you got "Danger Zone", you done came out with "Devil’s Son". We really don’t wanna push that as your image. You have to do something that’s gonna balance it." And that’s [when] we started doing more conceptual, conscious songs like "Fed Up Wit The Bullshit", "Street Struck", and "M.V.P." and "Put It On."
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous was released on March 28, 1995. Prior to the release, Big L, under Columbia, released a promotional cassette tape in 1994 consisting of four tracks that did not make it to the final album.
Lifestlyez ov da Poor & Dangerous released three singles, all of which peaked within the top 25 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Dance Singles Sales. The first single to release was "Put It On." It peaked at number 12 on Hot Dance Singles Sales,[3] 23 on Hot Rap Tracks,[3] and 81 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[4] The second single to be released was "M.V.P.", which peaked at number 15 on Hot Rap Tracks,[3] 25 on Hot Dance Singles Sales, and 56 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[5] The third and final single from the album was "No Endz, No Skinz", however, the song did not chart. In addition to the three singles, "Street Struck" was released as a promotional single, but did not chart as well.
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous debuted at number 149 on the US Billboard 200[6] and number 22 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[7] The album would not peak any higher. It has sold over 200,000 copies since August 2000.[8]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [9] |
| RapReviews | 9/10[10] |
| The Source | [11] |
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous favorable reviews by music critics. It earned a 4 mics rating from The Source, claiming "[Big L] comes with ill animated lyrics, combined with metaphors that stun; a combo sure to have suckas on the run".[11]
M.F. DiBella of Allmusic compliments "L as a master of the lyrical stickup undressing his competition with kinetic metaphors and a brash comedic repertoire," but claimed that production and marketing should have been better.[9]
Steve Juon of RapReviews liked how the album was "jam packed with treats" and complimented how some songs were viewed as "underground hip hop".[10]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Put It On" (featuring Kid Capri) | Best, Coleman | Buckwild | 3:39 |
| 2. | "M.V.P." | Coleman, Hall, Jordan, M.D. DeBarge | Lord Finesse | 3:40 |
| 3. | "No Endz, No Skinz" | Coleman, Lemay | Showbiz | 3:30 |
| 4. | "8 Iz Enuff" (featuring Buddah Bless, Herb McGruff, Killa Cam, Mike Boogie, Terra, Big Twan, & Trooper J) | Best, Buddah Bless, Coleman, Kam, McGruff, Mik, Terra, Trooper J., Twan | Buckwild | 4:59 |
| 5. | "All Black" | Coleman, Hall | Lord Finesse | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Danger Zone" | Best, Coleman | Buckwild | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Street Struck" | Coleman, Hall | Lord Finesse | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Da Graveyard" (featuring Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z, Party Arty & Grand Daddy I.U.) | Best, Coleman | Buckwild | 5:24 |
| 9. | "Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous" | Coleman, Hall | Lord Finesse | 3:22 |
| 10. | "I Don't Understand It" | Coleman, Lemay | Showbiz | 4:21 |
| 11. | "Fed Up with the Bullshit" | Coleman, Hall | Lord Finesse | 3:53 |
| 12. | "Let 'Em Have It 'L'" | C.Rollins, Coleman | Craig Boogie | 3:58 |
Credits for Lifestylez of da Poor & Dangerous adapted from Allmusic.[12]
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[13] | 149 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] | 22 |
| Region | Date | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 28, 1995 | Columbia | [14] |
| France | March 28, 1995 | Sony | [15] |
| Canada | June 18, 2001 | Sony | [16] |
| United Kingdom | October 6, 2009 | Sony | [17] |
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous at Allmusic
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