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

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

This is it...

It was like he went so far in the R&B direction, it was hard for him to come back over once he realized he had to tone it down some. That '93-'94 "I still got it" Kane looked crazy But that's because he had spent the previous three years trying to super-push the sex symbol stuff. Also the execution of his R&B joints was just bad. The "I Get The Job Done" joint was clearly his best mainstreamish record, but them ones he did after that? "To Be Your Man", "All Of Me", "Groove With It"... even as a little kid I knew the vibes were off. Bad thing was that he was still nice lyrically but it was being overshadowed by these slow jams and cheesy New Jack tracks. And also, by his own admission later on, he wasn't really in the loop with where rap was going musically and wasn't really adapting to the changes, so it was coming out sounding old. LL succeeded in being aware of the times and getting (or being connected with) producers who could help his sound stay current, even if sometimes it was too trendy.

Kane is one of my GOAT's, but he was straight up embarrassing himself during that '92-'94 run. LOL!!

He started getting mad corny. But the wild thing was, it was only a couple years after he was on top! Dude went from being a trailblazer and a leader in how influential he was, to looking like the weird uncle who just came home from jail and had been away from like 25 years. All within like a couple years. I don’t know if we've ever seen a fall-off a dramatic as Kane's. That sh*t was crazy.

I don't care, man. I still bump this shyt unapologetically.

Him & Sauce Money kill this joint

 

[Awesome Wells]

I don't care, man. I still bump this shyt unapologetically.

Him & Sauce Money kill this joint

Summer '94, I recorded this off of the radio when Kane was going around to the underground stations, trying to work on the comeback. I loved this track. And played it a lot, even now. But it was over for him by this time. He vanished right after this dropped. For like 4 years, and was never the same again. Easy Mo Bee said he tried to give Kane some of the beats he ended up giving B.I.G., for this album, like "Warning", and Kane turned them all down and got clowned for this album.

A lot of us loved this single, but the album was trash. This track did more for the featured MC's on it, than it did for Kane. Sad to say, but it was over by that time, for him.

 

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

Summer '94, I recorded this off of the radio when Kane was going around to the underground stations, trying to work on the comeback. I loved this track. And played it a lot, even now. But it was over for him by this time. He vanished right after this dropped. For like 4 years, and was never the same again. Easy Mo Bee said he tried to give Kane some of the beats he ended up giving B.I.G., for this album, like "Warning", and Kane turned them all down and got clowned for this album.

A lot of us loved this single, but the album was trash. This track did more for the featured MC's on it, than it did for Kane. Sad to say, but it was over by that time, for him.

Yeah, you're right.

BET tried to help him out by playing this and "In the PJs" a ton, but it felt like an old dude trying to "get with it" rather than a dude in his element.

Now thinking about it, dude couldn't have even been 30 at this point and we just looked at him like he was an out of touch old man

 

[Awesome Wells]

Yeah, you're right.

BET tried to help him out by playing this and "In the PJs" a ton, but it felt like an old dude trying to "get with it" rather than a dude in his element.

Now thinking about it, dude couldn't have even been 30 at this point and we just looked at him like he was an out of touch old man

Exactly.

He was only a few years into his career and everyone was already done with him. One of the best ever, and he kinda just killed his own career. It was too much of that "Dark Gable" sh*t, and trying to be smooth and then forcing the "street" look. He lost his touch to the point where the people started clowning him. It was crazy to see in real time.

 

[avon barksdale]

 

[boogers]

he was able to stay relevant because Ladies Love Cool James.

duh

 

[ReturnOfJudah]

 

[Spidey Man]

How old is this? LL still got it.

 

[Sean7]

he was able to stay relevant because Ladies Love Cool James.

duh

I came in to say this and you got it first......

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

LL Rakim same age. And Jay-Z is 2 years younger.

LL never had the Pre 88 simple rap flow. He was not dated when Ra and them flipped the game or Nas and then. He made music relevant to the times without desperately trying to fit in.

 

[Tommy Gibbs]

LL continued to stay relevant by aligning himself with the hottest acts every couple years. LL's first 4 albums had no features. Even on 14 shots, there were no major features as LOTUG weren't known yet. So starting with Mr Smith, he started aligning himself with the hottest mcs of the moment every album and that kept his relevance. Some guys won't do that, but it paid off for him, Jay, and others that did. Even in 1990, Mama said Knock u out was a make or break album and Marley was the hottest producer at the time. Some musicians are just too prideful to do that, but it keeps you relevant with each era. An era in hip hop may be only 2 or 3 years. Eras come and go fast.

 

[L. Deezy]

He just knew how to navigate better. Mt Rushmore career

 

[Art Barr]

The pop construct of rap as a draw.
After the roxanne wars is entirely based on the boy king, ll cool j.



Art Barr

 

[Art Barr]

I wonder if L woulda got away wit it if it was him

No.

What Kane did eas completely taboo. That if Kane as not Kane. No one would bring him up again.

It is because Kane is Kane. We still dust off Kane and give him props. Which only occurred after he ramped in the sonic landscape and technical rubrick of emcee'n.

If Kane and ll never re ramped.

It would be over over for both.
their attention to skill detail as a draw. Is why both are still regarded as the legends they are.

if both never re-ramped.

neither artist legend would have been rejuvenated.


Art Barr

 

[Bolzmark]

LL is a hip hop icon but let’s be honest he hasn’t been really relevant musically in over 20 years. Might have to do more research but I think he’s only had one big song in the past 20 years (Headsprung). But LL is basically a whole Hollywood actor and a consistent role on television. Being a sex symbol doesn’t hurt either PAUSE