Late Harlem rapper Big L is being honored this month with a street named after him at 140th St. & Lenox Avenue, the rapper’s old hangout spot. The announcement was made on the “Put It On” rapper’s Instagram page.
“It took a whole lot of effort and support to get to this great point, but as [a] collective, we made it happen,” the post read. “The biggest Thank you’s go out to the Dope 500 plus people who signed and passed the petition around so we could get this street renamed. there are entirely too many good people that gave this their support, so with all my heart, I personally want to say THANK YOU!!!!”
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The street will be named “Lamont ‘Big L’ Coleman Way,” and the ceremony will take place on May 28 at noon.
Alongside other rappers like Tupac, The Diplomats, Fat Joe, Biz Markie, and more, Big L became one of the most influential rappers and prolific storytellers in history, keeping “rappers’ hearts pumpin’ like Reeboks” with hits like “Put It On,” “MVP,” “Deadly Combination,” and “Street Struck.”
The street is also where hip-hop group The Diplomats, consisting of Cam’ron, Jim Jones, Freekey Zekey, and Juelz Santana, grew up. Cam’ron sings about it in his song “Love My Life.”
Many fans of the rapper took to social media to express how much he deserved the honor.
“Big L getting a street named in his honor of Harlem, NY is well deserved and necessary,” a Twitter user wrote. “Rappers add value to these neighborhoods by immortalizing them in their art. Ironically, it raises the property value that displace Black people in the first place.”
Big L getting a street named in his honor of Harlem, NY is well deserved and necessary. Rappers add value to these neighborhoods by immortalizing them in their art. Ironically, it raises the property value that displace Black people in the first place.
— MAGNIFICENT VIRTUOSO (@Rakabash) May 6, 2022
“Wow, Harlem is renaming 140th & Lenox after Big L. I think that’s quite an honor, all off of rhyming, using your brain,” another Twitter user wrote.
Wow, Harlem is renaming 140th & Lenox after Big L, I think that’s quite an honor, all off of rhyming, using your brain
— IG: @TiMichel85 ?? (@TiMichel85) May 6, 2022
In February 1999, Big L was 24 when he was shot to death in Harlem.
