LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Ll Cool J: Albums
built 658 days ago
Hip-hop is notorious for short-lived careers, but LL Cool J is the inevitable exception that proves the rule. Releasing his first hit, "I Can't Live Without My Radio," in 1985 when he was just 17 years old, LL initially was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. He quickly developed an alternate style, a romantic -- and occasionally sappy -- lover's rap epitomized by his mainstream breakthrough single, "I Need Love." LL's first two albums, Radio and Bigger and Deffer, made him a star, but he strived for pop stardom a little too much on 1989's Walking With a Panther. By 1990, his audience had declined somewhat, since his ballads and party raps were the opposite of the chaotic, edgy political hip-hop of Public Enemy or the gangsta rap of N.W.A, but he shot back to the top of the charts with Mama Said Knock You Out, which established him as one of hip-hop's genuine superstars. By the mid-'90s, he had starred in his own television sitcom, In the House, appeared in several films, and had racked up two of his biggest singles with "Hey Lover" and "Doin' It." In short, he had proven that rappers could have long-term careers.
Source:
LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James, bought hip hop records to get the label's address so he could send his demo tapes when he was young. He was the first artist signed to Def Jam in 1984 and released the underground hit "I Need a Beat" (see 1984 in music). The song was the first hit record for Def Jam, and its success persuaded him to drop out of school to record Radio (1985). The album was released to critical acclaim, as LL Cool J was one of the first rappers to use conventional song structure to make pop oriented rap.
Source:
By now, LL Cool J's status as one of the greatest of all time is pretty much set in stone. No other rapper has had such longevity and consistency. With his twelfth album, Todd Smith, LL hopes to continue his reign at the top, and it's pretty much a collaboration love-fest. Every track, save one, features a big-name hip-hop or R&B star, including Juelz Santana, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx and 112. And although the album has plenty of moments that reach the heights of LL's glory days, it's mostly a mixed bag of material, much like its predecessor, The Definition.
Source:
While juggling a hectic acting career, long time rapper LL Cool J finds time to record and release his eleventh album for the legendary Def Jam label. Produced by Timbaland, the album moves away from the lovers rock sound of his last few releases and opts for a more hardcore club sound. The first single taken from 'The DEFinition', 'Headsprung', is ... included.
Source:
LL Cool J dropped out of school to record his debut album, Radio, which was a hugely successful mix of conventional strong structure and pop-oriented rap. Subsequent albums were less notable than his fourth, Mama Said Knock You Out, with a title track that was as popular in middle America as it was in the urban environs of his youth. He continued to roll out the hits throughtout the 1990s, including “Doin’ It,” “Loungin’” and “Hey Lover.”
Source:
With Todd Smith, LL Cool J seems more interested in bringing listeners a few hot club joints than a strong and cohesive album. He obviously enjoyed working with the selection of artists found on Todd Smith, but collaborations don't necessarily make an album worthy. There's enough here to justify a listen, but with LL's considerable talents, a little more was expected.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Albums