Lamont Coleman, known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Big L became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability. He was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where, in 1995, he released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. On February 15, 1999, he was fatally shot nine times in a drive-by shooting in Harlem.
Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut studio album by American rapper Big L, and the only to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 28, 1995, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York, in mid-to-late 1994. Production was handled by Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz and Craig Boogie. The album title is a play on the television series, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
The Diggin' in the Crates Crew, commonly known as D.I.T.C., is an American hip hop collective formed in 1992 in New York City. The collective's name derives from the act of seeking out records to sample for production. The collective is composed of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Big L, O.C., Fat Joe, Buckwild, Showbiz and A.G. Its members have achieved substantial and consistent recognition in underground rap circles, having often collaborated with undiscovered talents and underground hip hop artists alongside the most commercial of rappers.
Lord Finesse is an American rapper and hip-hop record producer from The Bronx, New York best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. crew. About.com ranked him number 29 on its list of the Top-50 Hip-Hop Producers.
"Deep Cover", also known as "187", is the debut solo single by American rapper Dr. Dre and his first track released after the breakup of N.W.A. The track was recorded for the soundtrack of the film Deep Cover. The song features fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg in his first appearance on a record release.
Omar Gerryl Credle, better known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper and member of the group D.I.T.C. He has been involved with several underground hip hop groups, namely Crooklyn Dodgers '95, Luv NY, and Perestroika.
Showbiz and A.G. is an American hip hop duo from The Bronx borough of New York City, composed of record producer Rodney "Showbiz" Lemay and rapper Andre "A.G." Barnes. The duo formed soon after their debut on the song "Back to Back Rhyming" from Lord Finesse's Funky Technician album and joined the hip hop collective D.I.T.C. along with Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Fat Joe, O.C., Buckwild and Big L.
Word...Life is the debut album from underground hip hop artist O.C., who came to prominence in hip hop because of the album. It was released on October 18, 1994 by Wild Pitch Records. It also helped establish his membership in the legendary hip hop crew D.I.T.C., which includes Lord Finesse, Showbiz & A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, Big L and Buckwild, who produced the majority of this album.
Funky Technician is the debut album by the American hip hop artists Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth, released in 1990 on Wild Pitch Records. It was produced by Smooth, DJ Premier, and Diamond D and Showbiz. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2008, the album was re-released on Wild Pitch Records.
Runaway Slave is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G. It was released on September 22, 1992, via Payday/London Records. Production was primarily handled by Showbiz, with the help from fellow D.I.T.C. crew member Diamond D on a couple of tracks. It features guest appearances from, DeShawn, Diamond D, Dres, Lord Finesse, and an early appearance of Big L. It also includes many interludes between songs that features The Legion, Freddie Foxxx, Fat Joe and Kid Capri.
Goodfellas is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G. It was released on May 30, 1995, via Payday/FFRR Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios in New York and at BlackHole Studios in Hampton. Production was handled by Showbiz, Lord Finesse, DJ Premier, Roc Raida and Dres. It features guest appearances from Wali World, the Ghetto Dwellas, Diamond D, Lord Finesse and Method Man. It spawned an underground hit "Next Level ", which later was included in 2002 film 8 Mile. The music video for Next Level was filmed primarily in the Brooklyn Bridge Park for shots under the Brooklyn Bridge and at the Manhattan Municipal Building. The exterior shots at the building were in front of the surface entrance to the Chambers Street subway station while the interior shots were filmed in lobby 31.
Full Scale is an album by American hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G., first released in early 1998 through D.I.T.C. Records as a nine-track extended play. Recording sessions for the EP took place at D&D Studios and at Battery Studios in New York with production was handled entirely by Show & AG. The EP, composed of five songs together with the instrumentals, featured guest appearances from Big Pun, KRS-One, O.C. and the Ghetto Dwellas. A CD version titled Full Scale LP appeared around 2002 included the 5 songs found on the EP together with ten additional tracks which had originally been released on various 12" singles and projects in the late 1990s. Beside artists involved in the EP version, the LP features guest verses from Big L, Diamond D and Lord Finesse, as well as production from DJ Greyboy and Amed Harris.
Return of the Funky Man is the second studio album by American hip hop recording artist Lord Finesse of Diggin' in the Crates Crew. It was released on February 11, 1992 via Warner Bros. subsidiary label Giant Records. Production was handled by seven record producers, including Diamond D, Showbiz, DJ Aladdin, SLJ, Latif, Petawane, and Lord Finesse himself. It also features guest appearances provided by A.G., Percee P, Harry-O and Shelrumble. The album peaked at number 95 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and its self-titled single made it to number 13 on the Hot Rap Songs.
The Awakening is the third and final album by the hip hop artist Lord Finesse, released in 1996. Unlike his first two albums, The Awakening features a large number of album guests, including O.C., KRS-One, Marquee, A.G., Diamond D, Large Professor and Brand Nubian's Sadat X and Grand Puba. Doo-Wop, O.C., MC Lyte, Akinyele, Showbiz and Kid Capri appear on interludes throughout the album. The album features the single "Hip 2 Da Game" and the hidden track "Actual Facts".
The Dirty Version is the first solo studio album by American rapper and producer A.G. of Diggin' in the Crates Crew. It was released on September 21, 1999 through Silva Dom Records with distribution via Landspeed Records. Production was handled by several record producers, including Buckwild, Diamond D, DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Showbiz and A.G. It features guest appearances from Big Pun, Fat Joe, Guru, Kool Chuck, KRS-One, O.C., and the Ghetto Dwellas among others.
D.I.T.C. is the debut studio album by American New York-based hip hop collective Diggin' in the Crates Crew. It was released on February 22, 2000 via Tommy Boy Records. It features contributions from all the eight members of the group: Lord Finesse, Showbiz and A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, O.C., Buckwild and the late Big L, as well as Big Pun, Milano, Cuban Link, KRS-One, and production from DJ Premier, Amed Harris and Rockwilder. The album peaked at number 141 on the Billboard 200, number 31 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 9 on the Independent Albums in the United States.
Get Dirty Radio is the second solo studio album by American rapper A.G. of Diggin' in the Crates Crew. It was released on October 31, 2006 through Look Records. Recording sessions took place at Handclap Studios in San Francisco, except for the song "We Don't Care", which was recorded in The Bronx. Production was handled by DJ Design, Madlib, Oh No, Tommy Tee, Cochise, Jake One, J Dilla, Lord Finesse and Showbiz. It features guest appearances from Aloe Blacc, Party Arty and Lil' Roze.
Oasis is the collaborative studio album by American rappers and Diggin' in the Crates Crew members O.C. and A.G. It was released on November 24, 2009, through D.I.T.C. Records/Nature Sounds, after several pushbacks dating as far back as the spring of 2008. The album was first premiered in its entirety on the duo's Myspace page a week before the official release.
Troy Donald Jamerson, better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper known for his complex lyrics, intricate delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.
EarthGang is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, composed of Olu and WowGr8. They are co-founders of the musical collective Spillage Village, with JID, Hollywood JB, JordxnBryant, 6lack, Mereba, and Benji.
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