Big L

Big L, born Lamont Coleman, was murdered in 1999 at 24 years old, days before he was set to sign with Roc-A-Fella Records. His only studio album released in his lifetime, 1995's Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous, produced in part by his mentor Lord Finesse, became an instant cult classic and never stopped growing in stature. Harlem's Finest: Return of the King, released in 2025 as part of Mass Appeal's Legend Has It... series alongside Nas, Ghostface Killah, and De La Soul, was built directly with his family and estate, reclaiming and properly crediting decades of unreleased vocals and rare freestyles that had been sitting uncleared and improperly paid for years. Nas, who signed to the same label the same year Big L did in 1992, appears on the lead single, calling the album a full-circle moment.