 Believe it or not, there was once a time when even industry insiders assumed that an
artist would never find longevity in the world of hip-hop. Yet, with almost two decades of hits and his
tenth album ready to drop, LL Cool J has proven the naysayers wrong. "I consider this disc to be a milestone
in my life," says LL Cool J. "A tenth album for anybody is truly an amazing moment."
As one of the few commercially viable artists one can truly call a veteran, LL Cool J has
come a long way from his origins in St. Albans, Queens. From his early days of rapping in front of the mirror
in his bedroom while The Sugar Hill Gang boomed from his radio, LL Cool J has always been determined to be a
winner in the game. "I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home,"
says LL. At 33-years old, LL Cool J has received two Grammy Awards, penned his autobiography "I Make My
Own Rules" and is the first rap artist to amass six consecutive platinum-plus selling albums and six gold
singles.
Beginning his career with the masterful 1985 debut album RADIO, which was
the first Def Jam disc ever released, LL Cool J has refused to slow his roll. In addition to his music, LL
Cool J has also made forays into the world of film and television. Yet, while he has appeared in seventeen
films and one hit television series (the currently in syndication In the House), LL insists, "Doing
films will never stop me from treating my music with the utmost respect. Just because people see me in films,
doesn't mean that I'm not still trying to create hot joints in the studio."
While over the years LL Cool J has worked with a wide array of producers including Rick
Rubin, Marley Marl and Puffy, he says, "Part of working with great producers, whether it's Trackmasters or
The Neptunes, is finding people who can help me execute my vision as an artist." Although LL Cool J is
constantly writing rhymes in various notebooks, he confesses, "I do most of writing for record in the studio.
I like being in the moment, writing in the zone as the beat bangs in my ears. From there, I just let the
words fall where they fall."
As LL Cool J proclaimed on his last release, The G.O.A.T. he is still the
Greatest of All Time. A single from the album, "Headsprung" is played everywhere, from MTV to NYC clubs
and even sporting events. "As an artist, I feel I am constantly growing. It's not about money or power
anymore. There's just a special feeling you get when you complete a project and present it to the world."
With the release of 10, one is sure the world will still embrace the powers and prowess of LL Cool J.
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