Lord Finesse

Happy 54th Birthday To DITC Founder Lord Finesse!

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Being an advocate for true school Hip Hop, there is no way I can let this day end without showing respect to the legendary Lord Finesse on his 54th birthday. The DITC founder was born on this day in 1970, right as a wave of a culture representing new music and lifestyles was spawning; now known as Hip Hop. With four albums under his belt and an infinite amount of lives touched/inspired, Finesse’s legacy still reigns supreme to those who can’t embrace the old school enough.

If you’re reading this post and asking yourself, “Isn’t he the guy that went to court with Mac Miller?” then I highly suggest you take some time to checkout the videos after the jump. Finesse has been around since the beginning and amongst the saturation of new emcees, I feel a lot of the younger generation has lost motivation to search and support these founders.

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The post Happy 54th Birthday To DITC Founder Lord Finesse! first appeared on The Source.

The post Happy 54th Birthday To DITC Founder Lord Finesse! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 23 Years Ago

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On this date in 2000, Big L’s posthumous album The Big Picture was released on Rawkus Records. The LP was originally slated as the late Lamont Coleman’s debut album, but L was tragically murdered in Harlem while the album was in production.

The album was produced by DJ Premier, Ron Browz, Ron G, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron, Ysae, and Showbiz and features appearances from Fat Joe, Guru, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane and the late Tupac Shakur.

Big L is regarded as one of the games best emcees that never got their chance in the spotlight, however, because of his ability to foresee great talent, he was the one who introduced Jay-Z as a force in 90s era crime rhyme, which dominated NYC Hip Hop via the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show in 89.9 FM in 1995.

Big up to the Rawkus team, the entire DITC and Big L himself for this eternal Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 23 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 23 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 22 Years Ago

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On this date in 2000, Big L’s posthumous album The Big Picture was released on Rawkus Records. The LP was originally slated as the late Lamont Coleman’s debut album, but L was tragically murdered in Harlem while the album was in production.

The album was produced by DJ Premier, Ron Browz, Ron G, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Shomari, Mike Heron, Ysae, and Showbiz and features appearances from Fat Joe, Guru, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane and the late Tupac Shakur.

Big L is regarded as one of the games best emcees that never got their chance in the spotlight, however, because of his ability to foresee great talent, he was the one who introduced Jay-Z as a force in 90s era crime rhyme, which dominated NYC Hip Hop via the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show in 89.9 FM in 1995.

Big up to the Rawkus team, the entire DITC and Big L himself for this eternal Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Big L’s Second And Final Album ‘The Big Picture’ Dropped 22 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Fat Joe Released His Debut Album ‘Represent’ 29 Years Ago

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On this date in 1993, legendary DITC delegate Fat Joe dropped his debut full-length studio album Represent on the Relativity/Violator imprint.

In 2020, Fat Joe is recognized as one of the icons of NYC Hip Hop, however, back in 1993, Joe was knee-deep in the streets and having only appeared on Diggin’ In The Crates founder Diamond D’s Stunts, Blunts And Hip Hop album was fairly a newcomer to the rap game. With assistance from his DITC crew members Diamond, Lord Finesse, and Showbiz behind the boars, Joe formulated one of the most integral audible time capsules of the era. Tracks like the Beatnuts-powered “Shit Iz Real”, “You Must Be Out Of You Fuckin’ Mind” featuring the late Apache of the Flavor Unit and Kool G Rap and the premiere single “Flow Joe” were all foundational examples of the “Fat Joe Da Gangsta” persona that is now respected and celebrated in 2020.

Salute to the late Chris Lighty, Fat Joe, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, and the entire DITC for this timeless piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Fat Joe Released His Debut Album ‘Represent’ 29 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Big L Dropped His Debut Album ‘Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous’ 27 Years Ago

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On this date twenty-seven years ago, Big L dropped his debut and only full-length studio album Lifestylez Ov Da Poor And Dangerous, on Columbia Records.

Aside from, eloquently stated by The Source Magazine at the time, “[coming] with ill animated lyrics, combined with metaphors that stun; a combo sure to have suckas on the run,” Big L also ushered in two emcees that are very prominent in the culture today: a then-unknown Killa Cam and a semi-established Jay-Z.

Produced primarily by the legendary Lord Finesse with Showbiz and Buckwild on the help out, this was a Diggin’ In The Crates album. According to “Funky Technician” Lord Finesse, who had a hand in some of the album’s production, in an interview commemorating the album’s 15th anniversary, he said this about the posse track “8 Iz Enuff”, “With that [song] L just thought he had to do a track with the rappers from his hood. And he definitely wanted to put on [those particular emcees]… We looking like, ‘How you gonna put eight niggas on one track?’ [And he was like], ‘Don’t worry, I got this.’”

He definitely had it too.

Unfortunately, Lifestylez Ov Da Poor And Dangerous would be the only album released by L in his life as he was fatally shot in Harlem in 1999.

Salute to Big L kaka Lamont Coleman(RIP), Lord Finesse, Jay-Z, Cam’ron, Grand Daddy I, U, and everyone else who helped make this album a piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Big L Dropped His Debut Album ‘Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous’ 27 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.