Big L's brother breaks his silence in new doc that promises answers decades after legendary rapper gunned down
Share this @internewscast.com

The enigma surrounding the murder of iconic Harlem rapper Big L, which has puzzled many for nearly three decades, might soon be unraveled according to his family, who spoke with The Post this week.

Lamont Coleman met his untimely demise on February 15, 1999, in a drive-by shooting at the intersection of West 139th Street and Lenox Avenue—a location famously depicted in his lyrics. At the age of just 24, his life was tragically cut short.

Tragically, since Big L’s death, two other members from his immediate family have also lost their lives within the vicinity of where he was shot nine times.

Three months after the murder, authorities arrested Gerald Woodley, a childhood friend of Lamont, but he was subsequently released due to insufficient evidence.

This week, the family has revealed there’s more to this story, which they plan to explore in an upcoming documentary titled “The Parable of Lamont Coleman,” set to release by the year’s end.

This film delves into the intricate web of relationships and betrayals surrounding the mysterious “Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous” artist, whose tracks like “Flamboyant,” “M.V.P.,” and “Danger Zone” solidified his status as an underground hip-hop legend.

“Everything will be answered,” Big L’s brother Donald Phinazee told The Post.

“For the first time, my family’s true story will be told, and it will be shocking,” he added.

There are never-before-seen home videos, unreleased footage, and new testimony that challenges the old narratives and will finally tell the complex story around Big L’s death.

Where it will be shown will be announced at a later date.

A new documentary about the life and death of rapper Big L and his family is in the works.

The family did not shy away from saying that Big L was a product of his environment.

“Lamont was no saint,” Phinazee admitted.

Leroy “Big Lee” Phinazee, Big L’s older half-brother, was a leader of the notorious Harlem street gang known as the 139th St. NFL Crew, according to a 2017 book titled “Ethylene: The Rise and Fall of The NFL Crew.”

NFL, or “N—-z For Life,” was known for extreme violence, drug trafficking and allegedly involved in dozens of murders and was often mentioned in Big L’s lyrics.

Before Big L’s murder, Phinazee was imprisoned for a probation violation when he sought revenge on three rival gang bangers — Including Woodley. He allegedly contracted a Brooklyn-based hitman, and tasked his little brother, Big L, with identifying the targets, according to the book.

Leroy’s street ties led cops to believe Big L’s murder was a retaliation for his brother’s actions or possibly a case of mistaken identity.

“It’s a good possibility it was retaliation for something Big L’s brother did, or Woodley believed he had done,” said a spokesperson for the NYPD. 

Woodley was gunned down in 2016 at the same intersection where Lamont was murdered.

On his first album, “Lifestylez” Lamont immortalized this stretch around West 139th Street and Lenox Avenue as the ”Danger Zone.”  

In 2002, Leroy was 33 when he was shot and killed just two blocks away from where Big L was gunned down. His son, also named Leroy Phinazee and known as “Little Lee,” was shot and killed in 2019 on the same streets. He was 29.

Their mother died in 2008.

“My mother died of a broken heart,” said Phinazee, who remembered only good things about his famous brother.

Coleman was raised in Harlem by his mother Gilda “Pinky” Terry, alongside his older step-brothers, Donald and Leroy.

“People have an idea of what Harlem is like, but no one really knows besides the people who lived there,” said Phinazee. “There were good times — basketball, music, parties.

“My mother loved Earth, Wind and Fire, The Temptations.

“She bought us this little DJ machine, and we went crazy with it. Lamont got so good he started doing freestyle battles … he won this trophy — it was bigger than him.”

In 1985, Phinazee took his then 11-year-old brother to a Run-DMC concert.

“Lamont was mesmerized and after that, all he wanted to do was rhyme.”

Coleman’s focus was on his music, even later competing with superstar Jay-Z in rap rhyming competitions, ending with J-Z being so impressed by Big L that he wanted to sign him to his Roc-A-Fella record label, which later became Roc Nation.

“His talents had no limits, his potential was infinity,” said Phinazee.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney secures majority government with special election wins

Mark Carney Leads Canadian Government to Majority Victory in Pivotal Election

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney achieved a significant political milestone on Monday…
14-year-old charged with murder of 12-year-old in Atlanta home shooting, police say

14-Year-Old Accused in Fatal Shooting of 12-Year-Old at Atlanta Residence, Authorities Report

A young boy, just 12 years old, was tragically shot while in…
Bahamas authorities race against deadline to charge or cut loose husband of missing American woman

Urgent Deadline Looms: Bahamas Authorities Scramble in Search for Missing American Woman’s Husband

Bahamian authorities are racing against a Monday evening deadline to either charge…
Rumors of Rep. Eric Swalwell's alleged behavior swirled around Washington for years: Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy Addresses Long-Standing Rumors Surrounding Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Alleged Conduct in Washington

U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell has decided to halt his campaign for the…
Trump makes wild claim defending Jesus-like AI post, refuses to apologize to Pope Leo over Iran war dispute

Trump Defends Controversial AI Jesus Post Amid Iran War Dispute, Dismisses Apology to Pope Leo

On Monday, President Trump stood firm in his decision not to apologize…
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 class: Phil Collins, Oasis and Wu-Tang Clan lead 18 new inductees

Phil Collins, Oasis, and Wu-Tang Clan Headline the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Roster

LOS ANGELES — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled…
House Ethics panel opens investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against California Rep. Eric Swalwell

Breaking: House Ethics Committee Launches Probe into Sex Misconduct Allegations Against Rep. Eric Swalwell

WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee has initiated an investigation into allegations…
Monster typhoon in the Pacific Ocean is bearing down on group of remote US islands

Massive Pacific Typhoon Threatens Remote US Islands with Devastating Impact

A powerful super typhoon is on a collision course with several remote…
Students exposed to drug-resistant super-strain of TB at Southwestern College

Southwestern College Faces Health Alert as Drug-Resistant TB Strain Detected Among Students

A disturbing health alert has emerged from a Southern California college campus,…
Sid Krofft, 'H.R. Pufnstuf' creator and children's TV visionary, dies at 96

Children’s TV Pioneer and ‘H.R. Pufnstuf’ Creator Sid Krofft Passes Away at 96

Sid Krofft, the visionary entertainer from Canada who, alongside his brother Marty,…
US, Iran may resume war talks this week despite port blockade

US-Iran Dialogue Set to Reignite Amidst Port Blockade Tensions

In a potential diplomatic breakthrough, negotiators from the United States and Iran…
Florida teacher accused of sex with student whose parents tracked his location

Florida Educator Allegedly Engages in Inappropriate Relations with Student Monitored by Parents

A high school mathematics teacher in Florida has been arrested following allegations…