Why was LL Cool J able to stay relevant in music way longer than his 1980’s rap peers?

[Street Knowledge]

Just admit you not old enough to remember the era we talking about


It's business 101. Brand awareness. As a musician, the more people that know who you are, the easier it is to sell your product. Especially if your public perception is positive.

Starring in a nationally broadcast sitcom and being a supporting actor in multiple big movies gonna boost the public's awareness of you. Nobody saying he was anywhere close to Will Smith as a movie star. This ain't an all or nothing concept

Far as being a celebrity, LL was easily more famous to the public 1995-1999 than all but a small handful of rappers, even some that outsold him.

Combine that with his comfort in the pop lane and Def Jam putting up big budgets for recording and promo and there's a big part of your answer. Mr. Smith had three Hype Williams videos in major rotation. Those videos probably cost more a piece than KRS entire recording and promo budget for his 1995 album. LL had teenage females who ain't know who Kool G Rap or Rakim was buying his albums.

LL cool j was never a major star in Hollywood where you can argue that’s the reason his rap career extended compared to his peers. In the house never got great ratings, he never starred or was the driving force in any big movie. Some of these movies he wasn’t even the number 2 guy

 

[Street Knowledge]

Ice cube was in movies the same time LL was, where was his top 30 records in the 00’s?


Exactly

 

[JustCKing]

I don't think those movie roles helped LL remain relevant. I mean, look at Queen Latifah. Similar acting career, and possibly bigger, yet that didn't translate to her selling records or remaining relevant musically.

 

[Mike Wins]

LL cool j was never a major star in Hollywood where you can argue that’s the reason his rap career extended compared to his peers. In the house never got great ratings, he never starred or was the driving force in any big movie. Some of these movies he wasn’t even the number 2 guy

Who said LL was a major box office draw or that being on TV was the main reason his music was popular?

Point is he was way more visible and famous than any of these artists you comparing him to and yeah, starring in a TV show and being in major Hollywood films was a factor.

You mentioned Cube, his film career was absolutely a factor in him staying relevant and raising his profile. Now you mentioning top 30 singles, Westside Connection and War and Peace 1 both went platinum and had top 30 singles.

 

[Mike Wins]

I don't think those movie roles helped LL remain relevant. I mean, look at Queen Latifah. Similar acting career, and possibly bigger, yet that didn't translate to her selling records or remaining relevant musically.

Queen Latifah had two gold albums her whole career, one dropped in 1993, the other in 2004. Doubt the second one happen without her acting career.

 

[Street Knowledge]

I don't think those movie roles helped LL remain relevant. I mean, look at Queen Latifah. Similar acting career, and possibly bigger, yet that didn't translate to her selling records or remaining relevant musically.

Queen was out here getting nominated for Oscar’s and it did not one shyt for her music career

 

[O.Red]

Worked with relevant producers

Stayed in shape

 

[MJ Truth]

LL had a natural star quality that is probably as high as anyone in rap history. Pac and Will are the two I’d put up there with him. He was gonna succeed in any era he was put in, and likely was gonna be a star in any life endeavor he chose.

 

[tuckgod]

Probably the very first “industry plant”

Everyone before him got their name from the park jams, organically

He was the first with one of those label origin stories

Was in Krush Groove performing his first single as it hit radio

 

[M4T]

He had classic songs like doin it that the 90s babies remembered, so they checked for him in the 2000s, most of the 80s rappers were completely irrelevant by the 90s and the 90s babies were teenagers in the 2000's. I remember knock you out being parodied on a bill Nye episode actually. The biggest disappointment is bone thugs not being able to capitalize in the trap music triplet flo era. These dudes sound amazing on trap beats and could of easily made a much bigger comeback.

 

[Mike Wins]

Queen was out here getting nominated for Oscar’s and it did not one shyt for her music career

You dudes keep doubling down no matter how wrong you are.

First gold album of her career dropped three months after Living Single debuted.

Second gold album was the first one she released after the Oscar nomination.

Her acting career obviously raised her profile as a musician.

Fact is despite being an icon she was never that big a crossover star as a musician. But her two albums that got plaques came after her acting career took off.

 

[Street Knowledge]

Who said LL was a major box office draw or that being on TV was the main reason his music was popular?

Point is he was way more visible and famous than any of these artists you comparing him to and yeah, starring in a TV show and being in major Hollywood films was a factor.

You mentioned Cube, his film career was absolutely a factor in him staying relevant and raising his profile. Now you mentioning top 30 singles, Westside Connection and War and Peace 1 both went platinum and had top 30 singles.

1.)Being more visible on cancelled shows and background characters on movies does not explain the mass discrepancy between him and his peers when it comes to commercial relevance. Kane was done at like 27 while LL had major hits in his 30’s

2.)I’m talking about the 00’s.

 

[Art Barr]

Da God Art Barr think Da Art of Storytelling was huff, say it ain't so

Sittin In My Car a classic though

Yup.

Art of storytelling = huff

Sittin in my car remix = certified all time goat level b side classic



Art Barr

 

[The War Report]

Started catering to women.

 

[Mike Wins]

1.)Being more visible on cancelled shows and background characters on movies does not explain the mass discrepancy between him and his peers when it comes to commercial relevance. Kane was done at like 27 while LL had major hits in his 30’s

2.)I’m talking about the 00’s.

Basically everyone listed his acting career as a secondary factor not the main reason. But you seriously underestimating how big a deal it was in the 90s to have your face on millions of TV screens across the country 20 times a year for half a decade. And in movie theaters on top of that. There's a reason labels spent millions to get artists into the public consciousness and promoted the hell out of hip hop soundtracks associated with big Hollywood movies.

Far as Cube he dropped albums in 2000 and 2006 that both went gold. LL never did more than gold in the 00s and his last gold album was also 2006. LL had bigger singles but Cube's albums did just as well.