L.L. Cool J has had one of the most successful (and longest) careers in Hip-Hop. I thought I'd see what I could come up with if I tried to list my favorite 10 L.L. songs.
1. I’m Bad (Bigger and Deffer)
This is the first LL. Cool J song I ever heard, and it came across as a battle rap against the entire world. An endless number of bars from this track are embedded in my memory forever:
- “I’ll take a muscle bound man and put his face in the sand.”
- “I’ll make you say ‘Go LL’ and do the wop.”
- “Trend setter, I’m better, my rhymes are good, I got a gold nameplate that says ‘I wish you would.’”
- “So many girls on my jock, I think my phone is tapped.”
- “I’m like Tyson, icin’, I’m a soldier at war, making sure you don’t try to battle me no more / Got concrete rhymes, been rapping for ten years, and even when I’m bragging, I’m being sincere.”
- “Not bitter or mad, just proving I’m bad, you want a hit, give me an hour plus a pen and a pad.”
But by far, the most memorable lines for me:
- “They call me Jaws, my hat is like a shark’s fin.”
- “I’m the pinnacle, that means I reign supreme, and I’m notorious, I’ll crush you like a jellybean.”
- “…forget Oreos, eat Cool J cookies.”
They don’t make songs like this any more. L.L. comes across as a confident braggart, but he’s not really bragging about his cars, money, jewelry, drug kingpin experience, etc. He merely declares himself the best emcee in the game.
2. Around The Way Girl (Mama Said Knock You Out)
This song brings out such great memories. The Mary Jane Girls sample (“All Night Long”) lays the foundation for a feel-good song. As he has done on many of his songs, L.L. used this trackto endear himself to women without completely turning off (most) male Hip-hop heads.
In many ways the video seems humorous by today’s standard, particularly when L.L. Cool J participates in the choreographed dancing. That would kill most emcees' careers in today’s industry.
3. Jack The Ripper (All World)
Cool J is often known for being one of the best battle rappers ever. This diss track, aimed at Kool Moe Dee, utilized the kind of basic, but hard, beats that Def Jam was known for in the 1980s and early 1990s.
This may have been the greatest diss record of its time until Ice Cube later came along with “No Vaseline." Jack the Ripper was definitely the type of track that gave L.L. his reputation as one of the best battle rappers ever.
4. Mama Said Knock You Out (Mama Said Knock You Out)
“Don’t call it a comeback…” What’s wrong with a comeback? Before this record was released, many people thought L.L. Cool J was done. Much like “I’m Bad,” this track came across as a battle rap against the entire world, putting L.L. into an elite category of versatile emcees. The song also resulted in a Grammy win. Not too bad for a song inspired by his grandmother.
5. Hey Lover (Mr. Smith)
This one was geared for the ladies, but I could still appreciate it. Boyz II Men were really big at the time and all the ladies loved LL. I used to hope that singing the chorus could somehow equate me with LL or Boyz II Men in the eyes of the ladies. It didn't work.
6. Goin’ Back To Cali (Walking With A Panther)
Awesome horn riffs. Great scratching. Bass boom. "Bikini - small / Heels - tall / She said she liked the ocean." Rick Rubin on the production. Classic.
7. Doin’ It (Mr. Smith)
Even by today's standards, this song is massively sexual. In hindsight, the chorus is less than stellar: "Doin it and doin it and doin it well; Doin it and doin it and doin it well; Doin it and doin it and doin it well; I represent Queens, she was raised out in Brooklyn." Despite that flaw, this tune had an abundance of memorable lines and an infectious beat.
8. Loungin’ Remix (All World)
I was a bit disappointed with the clothing label name-dropping (Dolce Gabanna, Moschino, DKNY) in the first verse alone, but the collaboration with Total worked. L.L. mastered the art of making smooth tracks devoted to the ladies while still including lines that guys loved to repeat: "...Can't protect treasures when it's in a glass house / Soon as he turn the corner, I'm gonna turn that @ss out / Full blown, frontin' in the 6 with the chrome / Yo B, why you leave your honey all alone with me / Just because you blessed with cash / Doesn't mean your honey won't let me finesse that @ss..."
9. Ain’t Nobody (Beavis and Butthead Do America Soundtrack)
I can’t blame anyone for overlooking this song. Although there was a video with a few cameo appearances (Martin Lawrence, Gerald Levert, a couple of the Wayans, others), I’m not sure if anyone really saw it. Being a part of the Beavis and Butthead soundtrack probably did not help this song reach its target audience in the U.S. (The song was actually a #1 single in the U.K., thanks in large part to the Chaka Khan sample.)
10. Can’t Explain It (The DEFinition)
This song doesn’t necessarily have the reputation of the others. There was no video, but there should have been. This song was probably the best track on The DEFinition. L.L. plays the ladies’ man role on this track with his typical seductive lyrics. I guess if a formula works, you stick to it. The track is produced by Timbaland and would probably make my top 10 list of tracks produced by Timbaland.
Honorable Mention
Hush (The DEFinition)
Imagine That (The G.O.A.T.)
Boomin’ System (Mama Said Knock You Out)
Jingling Baby Remix (Mama Said Knock You Out)
Every Sip (The DEFinition)
Luv U Better (10)
Paradise (10)
Back Seat (14 Shots To The Dome)
I Need Love (Bigger and Deffer)
I Shot Ya (with Keith Murray, Foxy Brown, Fat Joe, and Prodigy) (Mr. Smith)
4, 3, 2, 1 (Phenomenon)
I Can’t Live Without My Radio (Radio)
Big Ole Butt (Walking With A Panther)
I’m That Type Of Guy (Walking With A Panther)
Rock The Bells (Radio)
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