Hip Hop 50 Celebrates: LL Cool J

“I'm sorry if you can't understand

But I need a radio inside my hand

Don't mean to offend other citizens

But I kick my volume way past 10

My story is rough, my neighborhood is tough

But I still sport gold, and I'm out to crush

My name is Cool J, I devastate the show

But I couldn't survive without my radio” - LL Cool J (I Can’t Live Without My Radio).

Those are the legendary earliest lyrics from the cultural icon known as James Todd Smith, also known as LL-Cool J, the Greatest rapper of all time. If someone were to ask you who represents the purest form of Hip Hop, without a doubt you would say LL-Cool J. LL is one of the earliest pioneers of Hip Hop who achieved commercial success in the music industry and solidified Hip Hop’s place in pop music.

The journey of LL-Cool J began in the late 60’s in New York City. James Todd Smith was born on January 14th, 1968 in Bay Shore, New York to Ondrea Griffin and James Louis Smith Jr. When he was just four years old James and his family moved to Queens, New York. During his upbringing in a catholic family James witnessed and endured alot of abuse as a child. After being inspired by the Hip Hop pioneering group known as the Treacherous Three, James started rapping at just ten years old. Having been born into a family of musicians, James’ grandfather supplied him with musical equipment that was needed to feed his aspirations to become a rapper by the age of 16 in 1984.

After recording demo tapes and sending them to multiple labels for recognition his tapes eventually ended in the hands of Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons who had just recently formed their own independent record label titled Def Jam Records. Simmons and Rubin were impressed with Smith’s talent and decided to give him a record deal on the label. Smith then gave himself the name LL-Cool J, short for “Ladies Love Cool James” and thus his career began.

From the remainder of 1984 going into 1985 LL recorded his first ever full length album titled Radio. The first single off the album was “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”. This first single along with the rest of the album showcased LL’s hard hitting rap lyrics with an aggressive upbeat tone, illustrating his energetic street style as a Hip Hop B-Boy. The album was both a critical and commercial hit eventually going platinum in sales. The success of the album also helped to solidify Hip Hop’s place on the pop music main stage. For the remainder of the 80’s LL was able to follow up the success of his debut album with his sophomore and third albums Bigger and Deffer (1987) and Walking with a Panther (1989). Both albums were released to further platinum success and critical acclaim.

With his remaining follow up efforts of the 80’s LL showcased his versatility as a rapper, versatility that became the signature of who he was as an artist. On Bigger and Deffer and Walking With A Panther LL continued to display his upbeat aggressive lyricism with songs like “I’m Bad”, but also showed off his charismatic tender side with his love song “I Need Love”, which to this day is still one of the greatest and most iconic love songs in music history.

LL also found success with club/sex songs like “Big Ole Butt” and “Jingaling Baby”.

By the turn of the 1990s LL-Cool J managed to conquer a whole new generation of Hip Hop. His debut album of the 90’s titled “Mama Said Knock You Out” took over the world and at the same time closed the book on his earliest days of Hip Hop in the 80’s as a new day in Hip Hop was being born.

As the mid to late 90’s took shape LL was once again able to reinvent himself with his album Mr. Smith (1995). Following the album’s platinum reinvention he closed the 20th century out with his further hit albums Phenomenon (1997) and GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) (1999).

As the new millennium sprouted into existence LL-Cool J continued to be one of the most powerful voices in music and entertainment overall after his film career launched in the 90’s. No one has ever questioned why LL has always been the champion that he is, the reasoning is pretty clear when you look at the ground work he laid for Hip Hop and how he helped to carry and feed it in the long run. LL always kept Hip Hop lyricism alive with how he developed himself and his competitors during his rap fueds with fellow rappers like Kool Moe Dee and Canibus.

LL’s versatility as a rapper is also why he has prospered so much as an artist. He was smart enough give every sub category he practiced an equal degree of energy, whether it was a love song, club banger of lyrical onslaught. I have always been proud to say LL-Cool J is one of my favorite rappers. He made great music that was before my time that inspired me and he made great music during my lifetime growing up that inspired me in my own rapping as well. LL was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame along with many of his fellow Hip Hop peers. His induction was certainly deserved. Hip Hop is where it is today because of LL-Cool J and every superstar of Hip Hop who came after him would not be here if it was not for him. LL has not only pioneered Hip Hop, but aided in the efforts to keep it going, while always encouraging and giving words to wisdom to all young aspiring artist who are following in his footsteps. LL-Cool J is not just a lover and creator of Hip Hop, LL-Cool J is Hip Hop and Hip Hop will forever owe a great deal of debt to the main who coined its very term known as “G.O.A.T.”, James Todd Smith. Hip Hop’s 50th birth year celebrates: LL-Cool J, the Greatest of all time.

“Watch ya mouth don’t ever step outta line. LL-Cool J…Greatest Of All Time”- LL-Cool J.