The man long suspected of killing legendary Harlem rapper Big L, was gunned down on those very Harlem streets on Thursday, June 22. Back in 1999 Gerard Woodley was arrested as the possible assailant in the unsolved murder, but vanished after he was let off, leaving many to wonder about his wheareabouts. At around 11:17 p.m. on Thursday Woodley was shot in the head on front of 106 W. 139th Street; the very block on which L lived and was slain.
It was February 15 of 1999 when Big L, born Lamont Coleman's life was taken in a drive-by shooting that left him with nine bullets in his chest and face. At the time it was rumored that Woodley, a childhood friend of L's, carried out the execution in retaliation over a beef he had with Big L's brother, who was in jail at the time. Woodley, 46, had a police record that indicates a history of violence, but he was fortunate enough to have beat murder charges on two incidents prior to Big L's murder; one in 1994, and one in '96. He was reportedly out on parole after doing four years on a weapons charge when he was hit.
Big L's career began when at 16 years old he was discovered by D.I.T.C producer Lord Finesse. His inception into the group was pivotal for both his development as a lyricist and for his reputation in the business, thanks to a newfound association with members Buckwild, Fat Joe, Diamond D, OC, Showbiz and AG. He would soon gain recognition as one of the craftiest freestyle artists of the 1990's, at one time rivaling a budding Jay-Z. Big L's heavily metaphoric, multisyllabic flow helped lay the ground for a style that would be spurned to mainstream popularity by such wordsmiths as the LOX and Fabolous.
Source: dnainfo.com
