'It was underdog music': LL Cool J on how hip hop has evolved (2024)

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic LL Cool J donned a black mask, dark shades and hoodie and rode the New York subway with no security, in an experience he describes as "amazing".

"What's so simple for most people, quite frankly, for me, is a very unique experience because it's been so long," LL told the ABC.

"People can think that they can relate to people because of where they come from.

"You don't realise you in a bubble."

The two-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, actor, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist is a hip hop icon, who first hit the scene in 1984 as Def Jam's flagship artist.

"Hip hop has always been, at least when I started, it was underdog music," LL said.

"And the reason why I bragged about having a gold chain or I bragged about having money in my early albums, was because we never had anything, and to have those things was a badge of honour.

'It was underdog music': LL Cool J on how hip hop has evolved (1)

"Now it's like it's been turned on its head, where it's almost elitist. And it's kind of like, you know, when people talk about money, it's like, 'I have more than you so you're not worthy'.

"It's like everybody's turned into a Marie Antoinette."

The last time LL spoke out about the state of hip hop today, he was trolled on social media.

He's leaned into that in the music video for Murdergram Deux featuring Eminem, the lead single on his new album The Force.

"It became like this homage to all of this hip hop history, and like a new interpretation of that," LL said of the various Easter eggs in the video.

"And then, one little, as they say in London, little cheeky thing I did was that back in 2017 I had told them, 'yo, if I hear one more terrible rap record, I'mma do it to these meatballs'.

"And Twitter was trolling me…so, in the video, in the black void, I got a plate of spaghetti and meatballs floating in the video.

"It's like little things we did just to let them know I remembered that."

'It was underdog music': LL Cool J on how hip hop has evolved (2)

The Force also features Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Saweetie and is produced by Q-Tip.

It feels fresh, and yet rooted in history.

"I wanted to do something new," LL said.

"And when I say new, I don't mean modern, because when people think new, sometimes they can think about dates, or they can think about current times. I didn't mean neither one.

"I meant new and innovative. New in that sense, pushing the envelope sonically."

He says songs like Basquiat Energy, Black Code Suite and 30 Decembers don't sound like anything else that's out there.

"It's just like taking colours and combining them in a new way to create… a new shade."

Life lessons from childhood trauma

LL was four years old when his father shot his mother and grandfather, almost killing them both.

"In that moment the world turned into a movie for me," LL said.

"I learned two things in that moment. I learned to follow advice and instructions, and I learned to think on my feet.

"And if you can follow advice, and if you can think on your feet and be innovative, you'll go a long way in life, and if you're giving on top of it."

LL described the scene in front of him that day.

"[I] come out, bullets whizzing, grandfather says, 'go back'.

"He's there bleeding. I'm walking towards him. The bullets are flying in front of me, hitting the refrigerator. I'm little, I'm short. You walk up the steps of the house, so the bullets are at head level. I'm walking, he's like, 'go back'.

"I listen. I go back. I go to the closet. I see he's bleeding. I grab towels. I go around the other part of the house, because I figured whatever was happening over there that he didn't want me to cross in front of the door. I went around the other way. It's like a circle…gave him the towels.

"So, the go back was the instructions, the towels is the thinking on your feet, and then the giving of the towels is the [generosity and caring about other people]."

'It was underdog music': LL Cool J on how hip hop has evolved (3)

The internet has changed rap battles

When asked about his 1990s rap battle with rapper Canibus and how it compares to the Drake versus Kendrick Lamar beef, LL said there's no comparison.

"First of all, you can't compare things that happen pre-internet with things that happen post internet," LL said.

"The Drake and Kendrick battle, by far, is more documented and will be more probably, discussed on that level, there's just no comparison, because the internet is a game changer.

"Now that doesn't mean that historically as a footnote, the LL Canibus, it'll be mentioned, and historically as a footnote, some of my other battles will be mentioned, but those battles didn't take place on the internet.

"So, because they didn't take place on the internet, it's not the same level of impact.

"I'm just keeping it real. You know what I'm saying?

"But that doesn't mean that the people that were involved weren't as impacted. It's just it might be, you know, 100,000 people impacted, as opposed to a million people impacted, or 10,000 people as opposed to 100,000 because of the internet.

"The internet adds a visual component. It adds engagement. There's an interactiveness. So, it's just a whole 'nother level.

"Now, does that make it better? No, it doesn't because just because you sold more hamburgers don't mean you make the best hamburgers."

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LL Cool J's The Force is out now.

'It was underdog music': LL Cool J on how hip hop has evolved (2024)
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