Here's the text from the original press kit that was sent out in advance of Big L's 'Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous,' which turned 25 today: "1994 will go down in hip-hop history as the year the East Coast returned to reclaim its spot in the rap world. And with the emergence and success of Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan, Brooklyn’s Notorious Big, and Queens’ Nas, the foundation has now been set for the 1995 debut from an uncompromising MC from New York’s forgotten rap borough. Representing Manhattan, or more specifically, 139 Lenox, Harlem U.S.A., is 19-year old Big L; a lyrical terrorist whose debut is sure to put him in the same class as this next school of dope MC’s. But, this type of recognition and acceptance was hard to earn and didn’t come easy to Big L. Dropping undeniably dope verses on Lord Finesse’s ‘Yes You May’ remix as well as on Showbiz & AG’s ‘Represent’ (his first appearances on wax) gained him mad props from thousands of underground hip hop fans but it didn’t necessarily help him gain his own record deal as quickly as he anticipated. ‘A lot of labels didn’t want to sign me at first,’ Big L recalls. ‘I was about ready to give up cause I was like ‘damn, I don’t understand.’ I knew I was better than 99% of the rappers that are signed.’ Big L feels the reason for his initial inability to land a recording contract didn’t have anything to do with lyrical skills or talent but was the result of his lack of an image or gimmick that could be sold to the public. Big L is nothing but a pure MC. A master of ceremonies. The essence of what hip hop was built on.” Also, see my post for the Mr. MVP EP and Rest in Peace, Big L. Additionally, "Just The Facts" is below... (Reposted 3/28/2020, the 25th Anniversary of Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous).
