The Big Picture (Big L album)

The Big Picture (1974–1999)
Studio album by Big L
Released August 1, 2000 (2000-08-01)
Recorded 1996–1998
D&D Studios
(New York City, New York)
Genre East Coast hip hop, hardcore rap, underground hip hop, horrorcore
Length 55:36
Label Rawkus
Producer DJ Premier, Ron Browz, Ron G, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron, Ysae, Showbiz
Big L chronology
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
(1995)		 The Big Picture (1974-1999)
(2000)		 The Archives 1996–2000
(2006)
Singles from The Big Picture (1974-1999)
  1. "Ebonics (Criminal Slang)"
    Released: 1998
  2. "Holdin' it Down"
    Released: 1999
  3. "Flamboyant"
    Released: May 30, 2000
  4. "Platinum Plus"
    Released: 2001

The Big Picture (1974–1999) (often shortened to The Big Picture) is the second and final studio album by American hip hop rapper Big L. The album was slated for a 1999 release, but due to L's murder, the album was posthumously released on August 1, 2000 on Rawkus Records. Recording sessions for the album took place primarily at D&D Studios in New York City, New York during 1996 to 1998. The album was produced by DJ Premier, Ron Browz, Ron G, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron, Ysae, and Showbiz. The album features the popular single "Ebonics"/"Size 'Em Up" (which was the last single released while Big L was still alive), as well as the #1 Rap single "Flamboyant". The Big Picture features appearances from Fat Joe, Guru, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane and 2Pac. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in October 2000.[1]

It sold 72,549 copies in the first week.[2]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]
RapReviews 8/10[4]
Rolling Stone [5]

The Big Picture has received mixed to favorable reviews from music critics. M.F. DiBella of Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars.[3] RapReviews' Steve Juon gave the album eight out of ten stars.[4] Rolling Stone gave the album three and a half stars out of five.[5]

Track listing

Writers by Allmusic.[6]

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "The Big Picture" (Intro) Lamont Coleman, Christopher Martin DJ Premier 2:59
2. "Ebonics (Criminal Slang)"   Coleman, Rondell Turner Ron Browz 3:21
3. "Size ’Em Up"   Coleman, Turner Ron Browz 3:55
4. "Deadly Combination" (featuring 2Pac) Coleman, Ronald Bowser, Tupac Shakur Ron G 2:32
5. "98 Freestyle"   Coleman Lord Finesse 2:09
6. "Holdin' it Down" (featuring AG, Miss Jones & Stan Spit) Andre Barnes, Coleman, Peter Phillips, Stan Draton, Tarsha Jones Pete Rock 4:39
7. "The Heist"   Coleman, Turner Ron Browz 3:02
8. "The Enemy" (featuring Fat Joe) Coleman, Joseph Cartagena, Martin DJ Premier 2:48
9. "Fall Back" (featuring Kool G Rap) Coleman, James Elite, Nathaniel Wilson, Shomari Jackson Shomari 2:49
10. "Flamboyant"   Bobby Ervin, Coleman, Gail Farrell, Mickael Heron Mike Heron 3:07
11. "Casualties of a Dice Game"   Coleman, Turner Ron Browz 3:18
12. "Platinum Plus" (featuring Big Daddy Kane) Antonio Hardy, Coleman, Martin DJ Premier 3:37
13. "Who You Slidin' Wit'" (featuring Stan Spit) Coleman, Draton, Phillips Pete Rock 4:13
14. "Games" (featuring Guru & Sadat X) Coleman, Derek Murphy, Keith Elam, Leroy Southwell Ysae 4:32
15. "The Heist Revisited"   Coleman, Robert Hall Lord Finesse 3:01
16. "The Triboro" (featuring Fat Joe, O.C. & Remy Ma) Cartagena, Coleman, Martin, Omar Credle, Rodney Lemay Showbiz 5:29
Samples

Personnel

Credits for The Big Picture adapted from Allmusic.[7]

Charts and certfications

Chart (2000) Peak
position
UK Albums (The Official Charts Company)[8] 122
US Billboard 200[9] 13
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] 2

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States August 1, 2000 Rawkus CD 26136
Cassette tape
LP

References

  1. ^ "American album certifications – Big L – The Big Picture". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22The+Big+Picture%22. Retrieved April 25, 2011.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  2. ^ Berry, Jahna (August 11, 2000). "Street Buzz, Duets Fuel Sales of Big L's The Big Picture". Vh1. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on October 30, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62oZntdgu. Retrieved October 30, 2011. 
  3. ^ a b DiBella, M.F.. "Review: The Big Picture - Big L". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-big-picture-r489942/review. Retrieved April 28 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Juon, Steve (August 7, 2000). "Feature for August 6th, 2000 - Big L's "The Big Picture"". RapReviews. http://rapreviews.com/archive/2000_08F_bigl.html. Retrieved April 28 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "Big L: The Big Picture: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks. August 22, 2000. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080514054600/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bigl/albums/album/243253/review/6067914/the_big_picture. Retrieved August 27, 2011. 
  6. ^ "The Big Picture - Big L". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-big-picture-r489942. Retrieved April 25 2011. 
  7. ^ Credits: The Big Picture at Allmusic. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "Chart Log UK: Darren B – David Byrne". MusicWeek & UKChartPlus. Zobbel.de. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_B.HTM. Retrieved December 4, 2011. 
  9. ^ a b "Album Info: The Big Picture - Big L". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/album/big-l/big-picture/435895#/album/big-l/the-big-picture/435895. Retrieved April 25 2011. 
  10. ^ "American album certifications – Big L – The Big Picture". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22The+Big+Picture%22. Retrieved May 16, 2011.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

Big L
Studio albums
Posthumous albums
Compilation albums
Singles
"Devil's Son" · "Clinic" · "Put It On" · "M.V.P." · "Street Struck" · "Ebonics (Criminal Slang)"
Posthumous singles
"We Got This" · "Flamboyant" · "Platinum Plus" · "Deadly Combination"
Related articles
Diggin' in the Crates Crew
Albums
Funky Technician · I'm Not Playin' · Return of the Funky Man · Soul Clap · Runaway Slave · Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop · Represent · Word...Life · Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous · Goodfellas · Jealous One's Envy · The Awakening · Jewelz · Hatred, Passions and Infidelity · Full Scale · Don Cartagena · The Dirty Version · D.I.T.C. · The Big Picture · Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) · Bon Appetit · Wild Life · Loyalty · Grown Man Talk · Starchild · All or Nothing · Street Talk · Smoke and Mirrors · The Diamond Mine · The Archives 1996-2000 · Get Dirty Radio · Me, Myself & I · Hidden Gems · Buckwild: Diggin' in the Crates · Live Hard · The Elephant in the Room · The Huge Hefner Chronicles · The Movement · Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2) · Oasis: Together Brothers · The Darkside Vol. 1 · Nineteen Ninety Now · Buckwild Presents · Return of the Devil's Son · Godsville
Rawkus Records
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