In 2022, a discovery shook the hip-hop world to its core, like a mythical tale. One of Big L’s closest associates, DJ Ron G (who had become his main producer), revealed that the Harlem MC was planning to go on a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration, a song involving himself, 2Pac, The Notorious BIG and JAY-Z.

“Yo, I just want to do a song with JAY-Z, Biggie and 2Pac”, Big L had told him in the studio years before his death. It was not empty talk. In the late 1990s, L was basking in lyrical glory and was preparing to establish himself as one of rap’s legends. It was a no-brainer – a New York posse cut team bringing the biggest names of the era together. If it had gone down, it would be one of the most historic hip-hop moments in the history of the genre.

The foundation for the track was already in place. Big L had been working on his posthumous album The Big Picture and had DJ Premier and Lord Finesse as executive producers. Ron G, a producer on several sessions for L, was determined to make the dream collaboration a reality. He even went so far as to contact Biggie’s estate and try to get a verse from the late Brooklyn legend. It was a fusion of Biggie’s charisma, 2Pac’s fire, JAY-Z’s polish and Big L’s lethal wordplay – a union that would symbolise every facet of the 1990s rap hegemony. But soon, one phone call crushed everything.

According to Ron G, the obstruction was provided by Biggie’s mother and head of his estate, Voletta Wallace. When Ron G asked her to use her son’s vocals, she was furious. He recalled how she had been distraught when he came to her with the song, along with his lawyer. She was clear and emphatic: Biggie would not be a part of the record.

“Oh, take Biggie off”, Ron G responded before leaving. At that point, the collaboration broke down. Ms Wallace had her mind made up: nobody else would get their hands on her son’s legacy, not without her permission, and certainly not through posthumous experiments. That was a sentimental decision, but one that successfully closed the door on the possibility of hearing rap’s greatest names on the same track.

Only a mere fraction of Big L’s vision actually survived as 2Pac’s verse was edited out and eventually re-released on The Big Picture under the name “Deadly Combination”, the only remaining proof that was supposed to be a four-man masterpiece. The JAY-Z and Biggie verses never happened. East Coast hip-hop could have become a defining moment, but the story of what might have been is another tale of what could have been – a dream trapped in the politics of legacy and grief.

To fans, the story of Big L’s blocked collaboration is a bittersweet legend. It is the expression of a rapper who felt he was where the giants were and who almost got there. It’s been over two decades since Big L died but his name continues to hold respect among his contemporaries and tales like this are the reason why. He was not just rapping for his name – he was constructing bridges, reaching for the stars, and daring to place Harlem amongst the greatest names of all time.

In the end, without the song, his vision had come true. Big L’s spirit still occupies the idea of collaboration itself – bold, ambitious and always ahead of its time.