LL COOL J "THE FORGOTTEN KING of NY"

[Mister B.]

I got LL clocked somewhere between 6-8, depending on where you want to put KRS and Em.

I think the major knock on him is that he REALLY thinks he's #1 on that list, and no way 98% of Hip-Hop fans will put him over Nas, Jay, BIG, or Pac....and most won't rank him over Rakim Allah. If he succumbed to being Top 10, no one would have a beef with it.

 

[waterproof]

Born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in St. Albans, Queens, New York as the only child of James and Ondrea Smith, little LL was never known how it felt to have a happy childhood for he had already been forced to endure some hardship during his early life. Since toddler, he had lived in awful situation due to the violence that often occurred in his parents' relationship which later shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward ...his mother and grandfather by the year 1972. Things got worse after survived Ondrea began dating a young physical therapist named Roscoe whom she met while being treated in the hospital for it turned out that this man frequently abused LL mentally and physically while the mother left home to work.


Finding a solace in the form of rap and hip-hop tunes to ease his sufferings, LL gradually fell in love with this music genre thus started rhyming by the age of 9 after his grandfather bought him a set of DJ equipment. Afterwards developed his own demo tape with the hope to land a record deal in his effort to establish a rapping career, apparently it was around this time that he invented the name of LL Cool J which stands for Ladies Love Cool James. Tirelessly sent his works to some music labels, the creative teenager finally able to draw the attention of Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin who at that time had just formed a recording company called Def Jam. Impressed with his natural talent, Rubin thus decided to sign him under this fledgling label in 1984, subsequently helped the 16-years-old boy to compose his debut also the company's first single, “I Need a Beat”, and released it in the same year.

To their delight, the song surprisingly became an underground hit, selling around 100,000 copies, unquestionably catapulted both the label and the artist to public attention. Following this initial attainment, LL, who already gave up his high school study, confidently launched his full-length album, “Radio”, in late 1985 and again encountered success as this piece of work wonderfully was certified Platinum after scored a tremendous domestic sale of one million copies. Contained hit tracks, like “I Can't Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells” which both managed to enter the top 20 of Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, “Radio” thus became one of the most popular albums of that year, bringing LL's name to wide recognition across the country.

Still maintained his knack in making great songs, he came up with his sophomore effort, “Bigger and Defer”, in 1987 to satisfyingly obtain a bigger achievement when the album soared to the third rank of The Billboard 200 while also obtained double Platinum status from RIAA. In the meantime, one of its songs entitled “I Need Love” gloriously topped Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks besides became the first composition of him to penetrate the top 20 of The Billboard Hot 100, undoubtedly gave large contribution in propelling LL to be a major rap/hip-hop artist of his generation. Releasing another album, “Walking With a Panther”, by 1989, this charming rapper eventually encountered his career's highlight in 1992 as he fantastically gained a Grammy Award in Best Rap Solo Performance category through his title song of “Mama Said Knock You Out” from his 1990 album.

Accomplished his goal in music scene, LL then began to shift his attention to film industry, the field he had been familiar with from the time he became an extra in "Krush Groove" (1985). Marked his real foray in big screen production with a role as a NYPD detective in “The Hard Way” (1991), he delightfully encountered a chance to star alongside Robin Williams in “Toys” (1992) before returned to the recording studio to work on his fifth album, “14 Shots To The Dome”, which later touched the market in 1993. Undergoing double profession in the world of entertainment apparently did not lessen his craft in making sensational tunes as he once more won the Best Rap Solo Performance category at Grammy Awards in 1997 through “Hey Lover”, his single from his 1995 work, “Mr. Smith.” Meanwhile, he continued his acting career quite steadily, being involved in NBC's comedy series of “In the House" (1995-1999), a film feature entitled “Out-of-Sync” (1995), and a TV-movie project called “The Right to Remain Silent” (1996).

The rest of the 1990s saw LL solidified his position in both music and acting for his seventh studio work, “Phenomenon”, scored Platinum after being launched in 1997 while his three flicks, namely “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” (1998), “Deep Blue Sea” (1999), and “Any Given Sunday” (1999) all became box-office hits with the domestic income above 55 million U.S. dollar. His star shone more radiantly by the time he entered the third millennium when his next album, “G.O.A.T. feat. James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time”, strived to the top spot of The Billboard 200 in 2000 and “Charlie's Angels”, the movie he starred in that year, scored tremendous result of more than $264 million in its international run. Carefully balancing his involvement in these two fields, he went on producing another musical work simply entitled “10” in 2002, then joined Colin Farrell plus Michelle Rodriguez to film “S.W.A.T” (2003).

 

[jono]

LL is one of the GOATs. I fucks with Uncle L. He beats everybody when it comes to longevity and success inside and outside the industry. He was also a beast with the bars and flows too for a long time, you can still see flashes of brilliance on his newer material:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=ag-22zqWUjE

Let's get it poppin

They like this boy rotten

I'm like I'd rather pick pockets then pick cotton

And sometimes gotta see cats to blow

I was blessed with that 20/20 vision fa sho

See its 20 mil a year 20 years in a row

First 20 mil came when i was 20 years old

I average right around 20% on my dough

Fast farward 20 years they compare our flow

Difference is i own mine and you still owe

Slackin in your mackin capt. save a hoe

Speculatin' at the bar over mohetoe

Like I betchya he fall off, oh no he won't

So and so spit better, oh no he don't

Under 20 ask 50 if you feelin to goat

Over 30 ass Rakim i ain't no joke

 

[waterproof]

Smoothly released his 11th album, “The DEFinition”, in 2004, LL seemed to put his concentration on acting afterwards for he was seen more in Hollywood productions, like “Mindhunters”, “Edison”, and “Slow Burn” which all came up in 2005. Kept being active in portraying characters by 2006 through “Last Holiday” also “Heartland”, this attractive guy finally ended his one-year hiatus in music as an album has been slated to appear by March of the year with the title of “Todd Smith.” Concerning his love life, LL once had established a relationship with Quincy Jones' daughter, Kidada, but ultimately gave his heart to Simone Johnson who has given him a son named Najee in 1989 and a daughter, Italia, in 1990 before they got married by 1995. The couple then happily added two more family members, Samaria in 1995, and Nina Simone by the year 2000.

Marked the beginning of 2006, LL would likely to have his album "Todd Smith”, which was the follow up to his 2004 album "The Definition", released on March 21. The set among others consist tracks like "It's LL and Santana" featuring Juelz Santana, "Control Myself" featuring Jennifer Lopez and Jermaine Dupri.

 

[saracenwire]

I don't know if anyone in the history of entertainment has fallen off worst than LL cool J. He has been awful for 20 fucking years. If he had stopped making music after Mama said knock you out he'd be without question a top 10 MC, but now he's probably around 15.

 

[waterproof]

I co-signed this

Rakim, Kane & G-Rap weren't as mainstream successful as LL

He's in my top 10.

word up he's should be mention as top 10 on all lists, i had to sit back and give it some more thought but to add on what you said LL COOL J was the face of NY and was the KING from 87-90, and was going PLAT before he was making tracks for the ladies when you think of NY LL was the face

 

[JYo79]

LL makes my top 10 list somewhere between 7-10. His contribution to hip-hop can't be denied.

 

[waterproof]

I don't know if anyone in the history of entertainment has fallen off worst than LL cool J. He has been awful for 20 fucking years. If he had stopped making music after Mama said knock you out he'd be without question a top 10 MC, but now he's probably around 15.

and i can respect that but you can't front on MR. SMITH album he came back after 14 shots to the dome and dropped a dope ass album, right now i got LL COOL J around 11-13 but the more i reflect on his career he making a run at GRANDMASTER CAZ for number 10 on my list.

 

[jono]

Exit 13 was the truth, fuck what you heard.

 

[Seansosa]

LL always made something you could put on when you had a chick in the whip

 

[waterproof]

LL is one of the GOATs. I fucks with Uncle L. He beats everybody when it comes to longevity and success inside and outside the industry. He was also a beast with the bars and flows too for a long time, you can still see flashes of brilliance on his newer material:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=ag-22zqWUjE

Let's get it poppin

They like this boy rotten

I'm like I'd rather pick pockets then pick cotton

And sometimes gotta see cats to blow

I was blessed with that 20/20 vision fa sho

See its 20 mil a year 20 years in a row

First 20 mil came when i was 20 years old

I average right around 20% on my dough

Fast farward 20 years they compare our flow

Difference is i own mine and you still owe

Slackin in your mackin capt. save a hoe

Speculatin' at the bar over mohetoe

Like I betchya he fall off, oh no he won't

So and so spit better, oh no he don't

Under 20 ask 50 if you feelin to goat

Over 30 ass Rakim i ain't no joke

damn yo @jono i slept on this track im going to have to give EXIT 13 a listen on some headphones and listen to the whole album. this shit is crazy that OVER 30 ask Rakim I aint not joke is dope bar

 

[soulbrother]

LL was never a lyracist..but was great at songwriting and battle rapping....one of the first emcees to write a HIP HOP love Ballad

 

[Lab Baby]

LL lost to Kool Moe Dee? When was this?

Up until the early 90s, LL was the undisputed GOAT. Yeah, you had Ra, Kane and G Rap, but LL edged them out as a total package IMO. When the new jacks at the time (Nas, Big, Wu, Redman) came out, he couldn't keep up. He was still making dope records, but them cats was on a whole other level, as to be expected in an ever evolving game. All that being said, he's still on my top 10 list, and Mama Said is one of the greatest rap albums ever.

 

[waterproof]

Dayum fam.... you gotta keep making threads like this, this is dope. Got dayum it's so true LL is really the forgotten King of New York. It's crazy how a lot of these Legends don't get the props they truly deserve. For me tho on my list I got Todd Smith somewhere b/w 10 and 15.

Iuno if I'd say he lost to Bis tho LOLOLOL but dayum props for the trip down memory lane.


One of my favorite LL tracks

@Sion yo that's the truth how some legends don't get their props and even i was guilty of that, i had to step back and correct myself. and give LL his props and give him more respect that i gave him because the first hip-hop album i own of my own was LL COOL J BIGGER AND DEFFER and i played the shit out on my cousin BOOM BOX, and the first time i heard LL COOL J was his cameo on Krush Grove when i went with my older cousins in watch at the theaters and i begged my cousin to let me have RADIO lp he didn't give it to me but he let me used BIGGER AND DEFFER ALBUM and he never got it back.

AND that loungin track was a summer banger when it dropped at party's that had the fellas hit the dance floor with the ladies

but what so dope about LL he will come a drop albums in different era's like on this TODD SMITH album. Biggie Smalls, Nas, Raekwon, Wu Tang, 2 PAC, Snoop, REDMAN was running things in 1995 and LL Cool J the veteran came in and dropped a underground classic gem with I SHOT YA, and 3 top singles with Loungin, Doin It and Hey Lover and went 2x plat, No other artist from NY that was from the mid 80's was going plat in the 90's except LL

 

[waterproof]

LL lost to Kool Moe Dee? When was this?

Up until the early 90s, LL was the undisputed GOAT. Yeah, you had Ra, Kane and G Rap, but LL edged them out as a total package IMO. When the new jacks at the time (Nas, Big, Wu, Redman) came out, he couldn't keep up. He was still making dope records, but them cats was on a whole other level, as to be expected in an ever evolving game. All that being said, he's still on my top 10 list, and Mama Said is one of the greatest rap albums ever.

@labbaby to me i give Moe Dee the edge 2-1i aint going to front Jack the Ripper was the shit and i great answer back to How Ya Like Me Now. i will drop their disses.

But shit LL Cool J dropped Todd Smith in 95 and went 2x plat and hung with the new jacks

 

[jono]

Radio, B.A.D. & Mama Said.. are classics.

LL is one of the masters of this rap shit. One of my favorite MCs ever.

 

[Lab Baby]

LL lost to Kool Moe Dee? When was this?

Up until the early 90s, LL was the undisputed GOAT. Yeah, you had Ra, Kane and G Rap, but LL edged them out as a total package IMO. When the new jacks at the time (Nas, Big, Wu, Redman) came out, he couldn't keep up. He was still making dope records, but them cats was on a whole other level, as to be expected in an ever evolving game. All that being said, he's still on my top 10 list, and Mama Said is one of the greatest rap albums ever.

@labbaby to me i give Moe Dee the edge 2-1i aint going to front Jack the Ripper was the shit and i great answer back to How Ya Like Me Now. i will drop their disses.

But shit LL Cool J dropped Todd Smith in 95 and went 2x plat and hung with the new jacks

You must not have heard To The Break Of Dawn...


"and got the nerve to have them Star Trek shades on"... chill

But nah, when I was sayin he couldn't keep up with the new jacks, I meant artistically. Mr. Smith was the jam (all them songs posted is my joints, plus No Airplay)... but it wasn't seeing RTD, Illmatic, OBC4L, etc. Plus he really buried himself with that Phenomenon shit.

 

[Kwan Dai]

Props on the Thread. LL is top 10 for sure.

Spoonie G

Moe D

Caz

Melle Mel

LL

Rakim

Ice-T

Kane

G-Rap

KRS

Slick Rick

Chuck D

Every MC after is nothing but these cats Kids.

 

[usmarin3]

I messed with his music up until Mr. Smith album, after that he put himself in a box as an artist to me. He started to play to the ladies way too much and alienated a large part of his hiphop fanbase, that's why he fell off when his female fans moved on to other pretty boy niggas (Mase, Nelly,etc).

 

[hiphop12345]

I don't know if anyone in the history of entertainment has fallen off worst than LL cool J. He has been awful for 20 fucking years. If he had stopped making music after Mama said knock you out he'd be without question a top 10 MC, but now he's probably around 15.

Nah LL have hits and bangers after Momma said knock you out.






LL get's overlooked because a lot of his career geared towards the ladies in a era when that wasn't really too cool to do. He started off like that but later in his career it was more obvious. Also LL albums can be ehh at times but you can put his best off against any other artist ever.