Big L is returning to the spotlight 26 years after his death with Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King, a posthumous album arriving October 31, featuring long-awaited collaborations with Nas and JAY-Z, and executive produced by his estate.
The announcement dropped alongside the release of “u aint gotta chance,” a new track featuring Nas, now streaming on all major platforms. The single marks the first official preview of the project, which is part of Mass Appeal’s Legend Has It campaign honoring seven legendary Hip-Hop artists: Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L, De La Soul and Nas with DJ Premier.
The album is being promoted as Big L’s final and definitive body of work, with production led by the Estate of Lamont “Big L” Coleman and associate producers Mike “Heron” Herard and Royce 5’9. Additional contributors are expected to be revealed in the lead-up to the Halloween release.
Before his death in 1999, Big L had been days away from signing a deal with Roc-A-Fella Records. At just 24, he was already recognized as one of Hip-Hop’s most gifted lyricists, known for his razor-sharp punchlines, streetwise storytelling and complex rhyme patterns. His 1995 debut Lifestyles ov da Poor & Dangerous featured production from Lord Finesse, Showbiz and Buckwild, and included guest spots from Cam’ron and a then-unknown Jay-Z.