SPIN: is Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous a classic?

[mobbinfms]

In further celebration of Big L, lets figure out where the coli stands on his debut album. I think it's a classic, but it certainly wasn't received as such at the time and the album does have its flaws. Here's the tracklisting and YouTube link to the album.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Put It On" (featuring Kid Capri)Best, ColemanBuckwild3:39
2."M.V.P." Coleman, Hall, Jordan, M.D. DeBargeLord Finesse3:40
3."No Endz, No Skinz" Coleman, LemayShowbiz3:30
4."8 Iz Enuff" (featuring Buddah Bless, Herb McGruff,Killa Cam, Mike Boogie, Terra, Big Twan & Trooper J)Best, Buddah Bless, Coleman, Kam, McGruff, Mik, Terra, Trooper J., TwanBuckwild4:59
5."All Black" Coleman, HallLord Finesse4:21
6."Danger Zone" (featuring McGruff)Best, ColemanBuckwild3:38
7."Street Struck" Coleman, HallLord Finesse4:10
8."Da Graveyard" (featuring Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z, Party Arty & Grand Daddy I.U.)Best, ColemanBuckwild5:24
9."Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous" Coleman, HallLord Finesse3:22
10."I Don't Understand It" Coleman, LemayShowbiz4:21
11."Fed Up wit the Bullshyt" Coleman, HallLord Finesse3:53
12."Let 'Em Have It "L" C.Rollins, ColemanCraig Boogie3:58
Samples credits

• "Put It On" contains a sample of "Vibrations" by Buster Williams.
• "M.V.P." contains a sample of "Stay with Me" by DeBarge as well as "On the Bugged Tip" by Big Daddy Kane.
• "No Endz, No Skinz" contains a sample of "Rubber Jam" by The Rubber Band as well as "Four Aces" by Paul Humphrey, Shelly Manne, Willie Bobo, & Louis Bellson.
• "8 Iz Enuff" contains a sample of "Soul Travelin" by Gary Byrd, "UFO" by ESG, as well as "fukk Compton" by Tim Dog
• "Da Graveyard" contains a sample of "Represent" by Showbiz and A.G..
• "Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous" contains a sample of "You're as Right as Rain" by Bob James
• "Fed Up with the Bullshyt" contains a sample of "Between the Sheets" by Isley Brothers as well as "Ain't No Half Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane.
• "Let 'Em Have It 'L'" contains a sample of "Nautilus" by Bob James.

 

[the cac mamba]

nah

and im an L fan. but thats a 4 mic album

 

[No_bammer_weed]

Not even close....very uneven effort. Its solid, but unspectacular especially when you consider the type of releases that were coming out at the time. How can this be a classic when you compare it to cuban links, infamous, etc?

 

[THE K-MAN]

personal classic

 

[THE K-MAN]

Devils Son should have been on this

 

[mobbinfms]

Not even close....very uneven effort. Its solid, but unspectacular especially when you consider the type of releases that were coming out at the time. How can this be a classic when you compare it to cuban links, infamous, etc?

You can't compare this album to Infamous or OBFCL. But those are two of the best albums the genre has to offer. I have no problem with anyone saying its not a classic though. I know I'm going out on a limb with that shyt. Which tracks made it uneven to you?

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

nah

and im an L fan. but thats a 4 mic album

Not even close....very uneven effort. Its solid, but unspectacular especially when you consider the type of releases that were coming out at the time. How can this be a classic when you compare it to cuban links, infamous, etc?

Yep. Some dope production and L is obviously amazing on the mic but it comes off more like a bunch of battle verses over beats, the concept isn't very strong.

 

[No_bammer_weed]

You can't compare this album to Infamous or OBFCL. But those are two of the best albums the genre has to offer. I have no problem with anyone saying its not a classic though. I know I'm going out on a limb with that shyt. Which tracks made it uneven to you?

I think a bulk of the production on the album was outdated for the times....a lot of that record sounds like an early 90s album, and not reflective of the fact that havoc Rza, Mo bee, and Premo were raising the stakes something serious in NY hip hop.

L as an MC was dope, but I think he was caught between trying to be conscious, a battle mc, and a fly nicca, and kinda comprised himself, resulting in an album thats kinda all over the place. It was the same thing with Ma$e...he started out as some hood nicca on the mic, when being a pretty boy rapper was his real calling. Later on we got to see the "real L", but obviously his career was tragically cut short.

Dont get me wrong the album isnt wack. It has its moments, but I cant in good conscious call Lifestyles... anything close to a classic. Its a 3.5 mic album at best.

 

[JuvenileHell]

Nope...it's a dope album though. All Black, Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous, Street Struck and Danger Zone all go hard. Nice album, but it's not a classic...

Still the best punchline rapper ever though.

 

[Big Mel]

hell no.

 

[SoulController]

its 4 mics, if you replace 8 Iz Enuff with Devils Son and add Should Have Used A Rubber its 4.5

you can tell alot of it was recorded in 93/early 94, it sounded a little older than its release date. not a bad thing, the music was good and has held up. the bars hold up, 90% of L's material still plays pretty well today imo

 

[Big Mel]

Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop & Runaway Slave are the 2 OG DITC classics. OC's joints are next but he became indoctrinated later.

 

[mobbinfms]

Yep. Some dope production and L is obviously amazing on the mic but it comes off more like a bunch of battle verses over beats, the concept isn't very strong.

It's not a concept album, do that doesn't strike me as a valid criticism.

 

[mobbinfms]

I think a bulk of the production on the album was outdated for the times....a lot of that record sounds like an early 90s album, and not reflective of the fact that havoc Rza, Mo bee, and Premo were raising the stakes something serious in NY hip hop.

L as an MC was dope, but I think he was caught between trying to be conscious, a battle mc, and a fly nicca, and kinda comprised himself, resulting in an album thats kinda all over the place. It was the same thing with Ma$e...he started out as some hood nicca on the mic, when being a pretty boy rapper was his real calling. Later on we got to see the "real L", but obviously his career was tragically cut short.

Dont get me wrong the album isnt wack. It has its moments, but I cant in good conscious call Lifestyles... anything close to a classic. Its a 3.5 mic album at best.

That's a great point about the production, but looking back on the album now, that's not something that factors into my consideration. And I didn't get the sense that L didn't know who he wanted to be on the album.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

It's not a concept album, do that doesn't strike me as a valid criticism.

I'm not saying it has to be, but like... What's the theme, sound or idea behind Lifestylez that makes it stand out?