Big L vs. Papoose- The Legend Lives On

The legendary Big L, one of the most well known rappers to come out of Harlem, commanded the mic with a specific demeanor that was unmatched and unreplicated. From his Harlem slang and droll, he only dropped two albums in a career that was cut way too short after passing due to gunshot wounds suffered from a drive by shooting; however, it was not before the world was blessed with the fruits of L's labor. "Ebonics", L's biggest and most well known hit, struck the public hard with a "Yah I talk like a thug from the ghetto, but that's who I am" kind of mentality. It offered a brief education of the direction, mindset, and upbringing of dudes in the ghetto. Through hits like "Flamboyant", "Size Em Up" and "Now or Never", Big L reached superstardom and his influence on keeping the old school in the new school is evident and lives on today.

In the early '00s, Papoose had the rap world goin crazy with his bevy of underground hits and countless mixtape releases. Take the bidding war between record labels for Drake last summer and multiply that by atleast 100 and you've got Papoose. Majors were fighting for well over a year for the ability to distribute Paps much anticipated and inevitably high selling debut. Pap eventually signed with Jive/Sony after they gave him, essentially, a $1.5 million signing bonus. However, four months later, Papoose, along with his mentor DJ Kay Slay, left Jive, siting major A&R control issues. Since remaining independent on Streetsweepers (Kay Slay's camp), Pap has released atleast two mixtapes a season and each to much critical aclaim; and while he may never sign to a major again, he has stayed relevant in the game.

But back to the point... Papoose came up as a rapper who didn't care about who he went at or who challenged him; like Big L, he knew he was coming out in front... And it was true (on both accounts). While they hail from different burroughs in the rotten apple, they come at you with the same intensity and, if you listen side by side, with the same NY droll and slang. In L's footsteps, Pap turned a seemingly juvenile and elementary concept into his biggest hit. While "Ebonics" brought L into the limelight as one of the perenial champs of the game, Pap's "Alphabetical Slaughter" gained him national mainstream attention (if anyone was still apprehensive about his previous releases). In "Alphabetical Slaughter", Pap uses a style of delivery and flow ridiculoiusly similar to that of Big L on "Ebonics", and enlists his inner New Yorker to provide slang commentary that hits at the heart of the streets and takes it for a ride. I am not saying Papoose is on par with the legendary Big L as it is simply not true. While Papoose is a good talent he must refine his skills and prove to the world he can control the mic like Big L and all rap legends have done. All I am saying is that Papoose seems to continue and remind us of Big L's style and contribution to the game through his abilities and skills as a rapper himself. I hope he continues to grow into his rap persona because if he can harness the skills that propelled Big L to stardom, I do believe we will be able to make the comparison in the future.