The phrase, “ahead of their time,” is thrown around a lot when speaking of artists of past generations, but only a select few truly live up to its meaning, and Brooklyn‘s own Big L happens to be one. More than 25 years after his untimely death, Big L sounds at home alongside Nas on the newly released “u ain’t gotta chance.” The eerie production of G Koop, 2one2, Al Hug, and Mike Heron hardly has any time to settle in before the late MC begins hitting the track with a barrage of clever punch lines and humorous bars that bring his signature style to the forefront for a new generation.
“Big L was always ahead of his time,” Nas told Andre Gee of Rolling Stone. “There’s some quotes out there from me about Big L, like how terrifyingly good that he was that made me have to step up my game. We were both signed to Columbia Records, and I think the world never got a chance to get Big L the way they wanted him.”
In due time, fans, some of whom were not alive to hear Big L at his best, will have the opportunity to sink their teeth into a new body of work. Nas and Mass Appeal have been working in conjunction with Big L’s estate to craft a second posthumous album for the late artist. On October 31, 2025, the world will have Harlem’s Finest: Return Of The King on their phones. Until then, enjoy the appetizer — “u ain’t gotta chance.”
