Lamont Coleman, known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. 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. The recording sessions took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York, in mid-to-late 1994. The album was produced 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 mainstream rappers.
Robert A. Hall Jr., known by his stage name Lord Finesse, is an American rapper and hip-hop 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.
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.
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 and A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, Big L and Buckwild, who produced the majority of this album.
Anthony Best professionally known as Buckwild, is an American hip hop producer. Hailing from The Bronx borough of New York City, he is a member of Diggin' in the Crates Crew, along with Lord Finesse, Showbiz and A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, Big L, and O.C. He has produced a number of tracks for prominent rappers in the music industry, including The Notorious B.I.G.'s "I Got a Story to Tell" and Black Rob's "Whoa!". In 2013, he was described by HipHopDX as "one of Hip Hop's most prolific and acclaimed producers".
Soul Clap is the debut extended play by American underground hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G. It was self-released in 1991 via their own independent record label Showbiz Records; and re-released on March 17, 1992 though London/Payday Records after signing a record deal. Production was handled by Showbiz and Diamond D. It features guest appearances from Lord Finesse and Diamond D on the posse cut "Diggin' in the Crates", which later became the name of hip hop collective D.I.T.C. Songs "Party Groove", "Soul Clap" and "Catchin' Wreck" later was featured on the duo's debut LP Runaway Slave.
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. The album was produced by Showbiz and fellow D.I.T.C. crew member Diamond D. It features guest appearances from DeShawn, Diamond D, Dres, Lord Finesse, and Big L. It includes many interludes between songs that feature 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.
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.
Street Talk is a 2005 album by hip hop producer Show, released with his crew D.I.T.C. The album is produced by Show and Lord Finesse, and features appearances from Big L, Big Pun, M.O.P., Fat Joe, O.C., A.G. and Party Arty and D-Flow of the Ghetto Dwellas.
Buckwild: Diggin' in the Crates is a compilation of rare hip hop songs and remixes produced by Buckwild.
Live Hard is the third extended play by American hip hop duo Showbiz and A.G. It was released in late 2007 through D.I.T.C. Records. Recording sessions took place at Headqcourterz Studios in New York. Production was handled by Born Lords. It features contributions from O.C. and DJ Premier.
The Movement is a compilation album from D.I.T.C. Records. It features all new songs, exclusive to this release only. Rather than a proper D.I.T.C. release focusing on the eight members of the original group, the compilation showcases the work of long-time affiliates such as The Ghetto Dwellas, Bo$$ Money and A-Bless alongside OC and AG of the main crew. Lord Finesse, Buckwild and Show all contribute beats to the project, however neither Diamond D nor Fat Joe had any involvement whatsoever. The Movement features one of the last tracks recorded by The Ghetto Dwellas member Party Arty, who died shortly after the release of the album due to health complications. Show acts as the project's executive producer and the album was self-released through D.I.T.C. Records.
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.
The Danger Zone is the fifth and final studio album and fourth posthumous album by American hip hop artist Big L, released May 31, 2011 on RBC Records. L's brother Donald Phinazee produced most of the album and other production came from DJ Phantom. The album was originally announced on April 12, 2011, and features artists such as Gang Starr, O.C., Herb McGruff, A.G., Roc Raida, Lord Finesse as well as other D.I.T.C. members. It is the second album that contains unreleased and unheard tracks and freestyles. after Return of the Devil's Son.
