It’s hard to believe that Big L would have been 40 years old today. One of the illest to ever touch the mic had his life cut short at the age of 24 on February 15, 1999. So much was left unfinished for the Flamboyant Entertainment CEO (including a possible deal with a then Dame Dash lead Roc-A-Fella Records). But underneath the hard exterior, intricate storytelling, and tragic ending, lies countless hilarious punchlines from the Harlem rapper. Whether it be referencing Beavis & Butthead to pondering the Tooth Fairy’s financial situation, L’s street-brewed rhymes frequently had a sense of humour baked in. Put your L’s up and have a laugh in honor of what would have been Big L’s 40th birthday. R.I.P. 

Written by brokencool (@brokencool)

RELATED: Back in the Day: 50 Photos of Rappers as Teenagers