Mac Miller’s “Street Struck” Big L tattoo.
Today marks the 13th anniversary of Harlem legend Big L’s tragic passing (Hot 97 is currently doing a mix tribute right now), and Mac Miller – who was a huge fan of the rapper – spoke on his personal influence…
“My favorite record off that shit was “Street Struck.” It’s a complete next level shit. I have “Street Struck” tatted on my left arm. Musically, that beat is crazy. And you hear L kicking some knowledge.
…You talk to a hip-hop head and mention Big L, he’ll tell you he’s one of the greats. But I don’t think he gets as much acknowledgement from mainstream, commercial media. It’s hard to say, because there’s a lot, a lot of people who don’t get the acknowledgement from mainstream commercial media. My whole feeling is that L was on the verge of that crossover success—with what he was about to do with Jay-Z and his sound was advancing.”
You can read the entire thing right here. SHAKE UPDATE: Hit the jump for the official trailer to Mac’s upcoming video for Missed Calls.
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MAC MILLER WAS PROBABLY STILL BREAST FEEDING WHEN L DIED
and none of us was around when jimi hendrix was burning guitars. so what is your point?
THE CLOSEST MAC MILLER HAS EVER COME TO BEING STREET STRUCK IS GETTING HIT BY THE SCHOOL BUS.
Mac Miller doesn’t have the right to talk about L… if you’re a rapper, you needa have bars to say you’re a fan of L hahaha
How does he not have the right to speak about Big L? It’s a free country last time I checked dude..lol I’m not particularly the biggest fan of dudes music either but I think theres something wrong when a dudes paying a legend respect and niggas still tear him a new one about it.
“Street Struck” is my favorite Big L track, can’t front.
I can’t hear the Big L influence in this kids music. RIP Big L, i hope you’re not rolling in your grave because of this.
the first time I heard Big L was on the runaway slave album by showbiz & A.G. in 1992 and I was a huge fan ever since. Mac Miller probably wasn’t even born then but if he can still relate to and understand the legacy of Big L it say’s a lot about L’s place in hip-hop history among the greats.
Leave it to hip-hop fans to bash and criticize someone for paying respect to a legend.
Just because you don’t like someone’s music doesn’t mean everything they say or do is a horrible mistake.
oh but we can, and oh but it is.. It’s plain disrespectful to mention L in the same sentence with mac. Its one thing to acknowledge someone and its another to say they influenced your style. They only part of mac that is influenced by L is that fucking arm tat. Big L would of spit in mac millers face like cam’ron did to that bitch killa season.
LOOL AT HIP HOP PURISTS !!!!!! I SWEAR DOWN FOR VERY “LIBERAL” GENRE , YOU GUYS ARE LIKE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY !!!!! FUCK MAN… I GUESS THATS THE REASON WHY RAPPERS LIKE MAC MILLER ARE STYLL HERE
The way mac miller happens to structures his bars is a lot like Big L’s
I don’t mess with Mac Miller like that, and couldn’t name one song he’s made. That having been said, I think it’s dope that he’s paying respect to a real hip-hop legend. Maybe you don’t hear L’s influence in Mac’s style, but what exactly were expecting, him to try to be a Big L clone? For real, let that sh** breathe.
I stared at Grandmother and stopped chewing for a moment.