Who's the better mc in your opinion? This thread question was posted a long time ago on another site and it got a lot of replies and heated debate. L won by a margin of like 27-26.

I gotta go with L.

How I see it:

Flow- Big L. (They both had insane flow but I've never heard L go off rhythm ever. Every single one of his lines flowed perfectly with the last. He also had the ability to switch flows in the middle of a verse, going from a slower flow to a rapid fire flow. I remember that I used to think that Pun sometimes rushed through his flows.)

Personality, charisma- Big L (Pun was a rhymer to me, that's it. Big L's personality oozed through tracks. He had the ability to make you laugh, and he always brough entertainment to his raps.)

Lyrics- Big L (Both had nasty lyrics. Big Pun rhymed more words, but Big L was a better rhymer. If you listen closely, a lot of Pun's words did not rhyme. He just switched the accents on the word in order to make them sound similar. Big L's words almost always rhymed perfectly, syllabel for syllabel. It's much harder to rhyme real than make up rhymes. L had the better lyrics as far as songwriting and creativity goes.. peep casualties of a dice game and ebonics.)

Big Pun is one of the nastiest ever, but Big L is just on another level that other's aren't on.

I prefer Big Pun over Big L.

are you serious.....go ask jay-z for the answer and see what you come up with...big l by forever and a day....

big l all the way some of his **** from c.o.c is tight.

I like Big L better...

Personally an Big L fan much more.

The question isn't who you like better, it's who you think is better.

Seriously, though.. Big Pun didn't rhyme very well

some examples:
'I rap for the chips, but I'm truly assassin
Four hundred pounds, six feet tall, brutally handsome'

Handsome and assasin aren't even close to rhyming. Truly brutally? lol the only thing that rhymes is the ly, and they're the same letters so that doesn't even count.

"Rollin ganja up in bible papers, see how high the lye can take us
Through the eyes of Christ, John, Elijah, Jacob"

lol at dude thinking that papers, take us, and jacob rhyme.


there are so many to name. For all the talk of Big Pun having a big vocabulary, you have to look at why some other rappers didn't use such big words; the reason is maybe because they don't rhyme well. lol

do you hear what your actually sayin? or have you heard him..or do you dissect eminem's lyrics the same way...not important everybody got their own opinion but try to be more sensible in your facts. Opinions cant be argued only debated, its an opinion. But a fact is a fact, u can twist it b.

The question isn't who you like better, it's who you think is better.

Seriously, though.. Big Pun didn't rhyme very well

some examples:
'I rap for the chips, but I'm truly assassin
Four hundred pounds, six feet tall, brutally handsome'

Handsome and assasin aren't even close to rhyming. Truly brutally? lol the only thing that rhymes is the ly, and they're the same letters so that doesn't even count.

"Rollin ganja up in bible papers, see how high the lye can take us
Through the eyes of Christ, John, Elijah, Jacob"

lol at dude thinking that papers, take us, and jacob rhyme.


there are so many to name. For all the talk of Big Pun having a big vocabulary, you have to look at why some other rappers didn't use such big words; the reason is maybe because they don't rhyme well. lol
they dont rhyme but with pun spitting it it was ill, i havent heard much of big l so i cant judge this

The question isn't who you like better, it's who you think is better.

Seriously, though.. Big Pun didn't rhyme very well

some examples:
'I rap for the chips, but I'm truly assassin
Four hundred pounds, six feet tall, brutally handsome'

Handsome and assasin aren't even close to rhyming. Truly brutally? lol the only thing that rhymes is the ly, and they're the same letters so that doesn't even count.

"Rollin ganja up in bible papers, see how high the lye can take us
Through the eyes of Christ, John, Elijah, Jacob"

lol at dude thinking that papers, take us, and jacob rhyme.


there are so many to name. For all the talk of Big Pun having a big vocabulary, you have to look at why some other rappers didn't use such big words; the reason is maybe because they don't rhyme well. lol

And Biggie said this on 'Get Money':

"My Moschino ho, my Versace hottie,
Come to find out, she was ****in' everybody"

Or Inspektah Deck on 'Above The Clouds':

"Sound the horn; we come rumblin through the function
Precise laser beam technique to touch somethin"

****loads of rappers puts rhymes together that shouldn't fit on paper, what's matters is whether it doesn't sound stupid, it sounds hot, and makes sense. You're just nit-picking.

It's a tough choice. Especially when you consider Pun's work on some classics like 'Twinz (Deep Cover '98)':

"Caught in the middle of little Italy; little did we know that we riddled a middle man who didn't do diddly"

Listen to that in real time, it's ****in' awesome.

Plus his verse on 'Off The Books' by The Beatnuts. Bad. As. ****. And he ripped a great album in Capital Punishment.

But Big L obviously has his flamboyant(!) moments- namely Lifestyles... but also great work with DITC (flipped a mad verse on 'Thick' and was great on 'The Heist'.)

Plus a few memorable tracks on his post-humous album The Big Picture, including the Intro track:

"What's this mother****in rap game without L?
Yo, that's like jewels without ice
That's like china without rice
or the Holy Bible without Christ
or the Bulls without Mike
or crackheads without pipes
The Village without dykes
or hockey games without fights
Don't touch the mic if you unable to spit
Flamboyant is the label I'm with, mother****er"

Quality.

For me, Pun just shades it. But it's mighty close...

Big Pun simply because he was more flexible in that he could rap about almost anything and make it sound hot. You heard some witty punchlines definitely from Big L but mostly about stacking chips, ****ing *****es, etc etc...

Also, stop nit-picking, check out that 'Little Italy' verse in Twinz and tell me that isn't hot...

ill take puns flow over l's anyday and as far as charisma its not close..its pun all the way.

who the hell is big l. and no flaming please its a serious question

who the hell is big l. and no flaming please its a serious question
harlem rapper, member if c.o.c, which also had killa camron and murda mase. gunned down in 99', the shooter had beef with l's brother. he was also a member of d.i.t.c(diggin in the crates), lord finesse and fat joe are a couple notable members.

harlem rapper, member if c.o.c, which also had killa camron and murda mase. gunned down in 99', the shooter had beef with l's brother. he was also a member of d.i.t.c(diggin in the crates), lord finesse and fat joe are a couple notable members.


oh ok. thought ya'll jus called ll cool j big l :confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_L_%28rapper%29

oh ok. thought ya'll jus called ll cool j big l :confused:
nope, l was nice with his punchlines though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_L_%28rapper%29


well that sucks then

well that sucks then
yeah it does....

harlem rapper, member if c.o.c, which also had killa camron and murda mase. gunned down in 99', the shooter had beef with l's brother. he was also a member of d.i.t.c(diggin in the crates), lord finesse and fat joe are a couple notable members.
don't forget O.C. He's the best lyricist in that group...

don't forget O.C. He's the best lyricist in that group...
truth.....

Also, stop nit-picking, check out that 'Little Italy' verse in Twinz and tell me that isn't hot...

Did I not say this in my previous post...? Well near enough anyways.

And Biggie said this on 'Get Money':

"My Moschino ho, my Versace hottie,
Come to find out, she was ****in' everybody"

****loads of rappers puts rhymes together that shouldn't fit on paper, what's matters is whether it doesn't sound stupid, it sounds hot, and makes sense. You're just nit-picking.

...

Actually, body and hottie rhyme. And, I'm not nit picking; I'm only pointing out that it's much easier to put together verses when you're twisting what rhymes and what doesn't rhyme. Big L actually rhymed most of his words and he was still able to put together great verses. His creativity to me was light years ahead of Big Puns. Ebonics and Casualties of a Dice game are a lot more creative than Pun's whole catalog.

How the hell is big pun winnin this poll. BIG L is a legend. He has better rhymes and has accoplished so much more. Big L rest in peace.

Big Pun simply because he was more flexible in that he could rap about almost anything and make it sound hot. You heard some witty punchlines definitely from Big L but mostly about stacking chips, ****ing *****es, etc etc...

Also, stop nit-picking, check out that 'Little Italy' verse in Twinz and tell me that isn't hot...


Can you demonstrate some of his flexibility? because I can almost swear that he rapped about the same exact things that Big L did. Litty Italy line was nice rhyming, but what exactly was he ****ing saying? Something pretty basic.

I go with Big L but personally his voice kind of gets on my nerves at times........I was never a huge fan of Big Pun but do respect him.

Can you demonstrate some of his flexibility? because I can almost swear that he rapped about the same exact things that Big L did. Litty Italy line was nice rhyming, but what exactly was he ****ing saying? Something pretty basic.

Steelfist, weren't you the person that was making fun of Rakim not too long ago? You were critisizing him for using big words. Now you're giving credit to Big L for using them.

Just saying, bro..

No I wasn't that person; you've got it all wrong. No where in this thread have I given credit to Big L for using big words, neither was I criticizing Pun for using big words. I was just pointing to the fact that though people were always bigging him up for using big words, most of them didn't rhyme. I said that maybe the reason you don't see humungous rhyming words in other rappers verse is because it's harder to rhyme those type of words.

Big Pun had more flexibility because he rapped about different topics. I heard the same lines PLENTY of times in alot of big L songs.

Big Pun had more flexibility because he rapped about different topics. I heard the same lines PLENTY of times in alot of big L songs.


You must have only listened to the Big Picture, then because that was an album full of mostly put together verses. L was flexible. Check out "Street Struck," "No Endz, no Skinz," "Fed up with the bull****," "I don't understand it," "Ebonics," "How will I make it," and, "Alone (remix)." These are all songs that showcase some of Big L's versatility. The guy just wasn't a punchline rapper. He had the ability to get real person and show his emotional and sensitive side in, "Alone." He had the ability to be social concious as in, "Fed up with the bull****," and "Street struck."

I've heard all 3 of Pun's cds. He's touched subjects that Big L has touched before. Again, I ask you to give me several examples of Pun's versatility over Big L.

strictly Big L. he woulda been king of new york. i remember hearing a freestyle of Big L n Jay-z. Big L made Jay-z sound elementary !

absolutely no way big l out lasts guys like nas and jay z and notorious to ever be something like a kony.

this is the craziest **** that i heard pun say - he ****en ripped this **** - big pun had more versatility in what he could rap about, and to the people who touched on personality, man, pun had personality and charisma for 10 dudes.

"I've seen it all up close, **** out the movies you'd be buggin
My cousin JuJe, barely a juve', lost it and turned on the oven
He wasn't playin, blew out the flame and started inhalin
Barin a secret too deep to keep on the street for sharin
Wearin the virus, Acquired Immune Deficiency
Dishin his dick in every thick promiscuous fish in the sea"

How the hell is big pun winnin this poll. BIG L is a legend. He has better rhymes and has accoplished so much more. Big L rest in peace.

Big L is nice no doubt but he got way overrated as soon as he hit the grave.

Big L is nice no doubt but he got way overrated as soon as he hit the grave.

I don't buy that. He was considered one of the finest before his death. It was just that after he died more people heard of him and those people respected his craft. He wasn't overrated after his death.

I don't buy that. He was considered one of the finest before his death. It was just that after he died more people heard of him and those people respected his craft. He wasn't overrated after his death.

Maybe but when people start saying he's the greatest of all time then that is overrating him.

I have heard people say that.

He didn't put out nearly enough material to be considered GOAT or even top 10. Hell, he's talented as hell and you could make a case for him being top 5 in talent but he cannot be in an top 10 because he only put out 1 album which was a classic, but kind of a sleeper.

Maybe but when people start saying he's the greatest of all time then that is overrating him.

I have heard people say that.


I don't think so because if you look at every aspect of rapping, he's legitamily in the top 5 in each.

Storytelling?- Listen to Casualties of a Dice game. I'm a writer so I would know. This is an excellent story. The level of detail in it, the themes: betrayal, revenge, retribution, and the action in it are haven't been duplicated by many in rap.

Song writing?- All you gotta do is listen to songs like Alone (remix) and How will I make it to see the coherency of his verses.

flow?- Big L is considered by many top rap critics as having one of the greatest flows ever. Listen to his tracks, he never went off rhythm.

I just don't see how anyone can say that he's overrated.

AS far as what you said, Smokin, I don't think that's really fair. I say that you judge a person by what they did while they were alive, not by the quantity of work that they put out. Are you saying that if Eminem stopped rapping after the Slim Shady Lp that you'd give the thumbs up to a mediocre rapper that's put out 20 years of material just because they have more work? It doesn't make much sense what so ever. Big L didn't chose what time he died, and no one should put him at a lower level because he couldn't put out more much. And, besides, isn't skill level what you judge a rapper's ability by? That's what we're talking about here, skill level. I don't think that quantity makes much of a difference when you're considering work at a person's prime.