The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: LL COOL J Talks New Album, Ownership Vs Artistry, New School Hip Hop More

Episode Date: September 6, 2024

The Breakfast Club sits down with LL COOL J to talk about his new album, ownership vs artistry, new school hip hop. Listen for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa filling in for Jess. Jess is on maternity leave. And we got a special guest in the building.

Yes, indeed. The icon, the legend. Queens gets the money. LL Cool J. What's going on, baby? How you feeling? Feeling great, man. LL always got action hero, superhero energy when he walk in the room.

Right? Yeah. Good great, man. LL always got action hero, superhero energy when he walk in the room. Right? Yeah. Good vibe, yo. I mean, I feel like one right now. I mean, this is like the good energy. You know what I'm saying? Like the, you know, year 40. You know what I'm saying?

And we having a conversation about my new album. You know, that's a really unique position. You know what I'm saying? So it's like. Never been done before. Yeah, no, that's a really unique position. You know what I'm saying? So it's like... Never been done before. Yeah, no, that's never been done. And it shows us that it's possible, right? Even more importantly, it just shows younger generation

and new artists as they, you know, are working on their careers and as they embark on what's possible. You know what I'm saying? That we can continue to, you know, operate at a high level. You know what I'm saying? And do things that are important culturally. And I just, I'm glad that I could set that example. How has it been being back on the road, on these promo tours, doing interviews?

How does it feel just to be out here? Because you're running like a new artist. Like, you're doing everything. I'm like, you ain't tired? Nah, nah. I've been tired for 30 years, bro. You kidding me? I work hard.

But you know what it feels like? It feels like, you know, in a lot of ways I am a new artist, you know, because there's a day one audience that grew up with me and then there's an audience that knows me for all of the other things I've done but don't really, aren't as familiar with my music when it comes to me like directly dropping records dropping records, so it's launching records. So it feels great, man. It feels fun. I'm just having a good time with it, you know what I'm saying?

Like, it's exciting to me, you know what I mean? And I think you being back out here, it shows people the reverence individuals have for you because everybody got an LL story. Like, we had Ed Lovell up here. Ed Lovell was like, he wanted to be a rapper until he heard you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's when he put the microphone down.

That's funny. That's funny. Now, Ed, man, Ed, I remember he was at my high school, security. But I would say what it does for me is it gives me reverence for the culture. You know what I'm saying? It makes me revere hip-hop. It makes me more excited about what's in store for hip-hop, you know, and what's possible for hip-hop.

You know, so many amazing artists out here doing so many great things, and it's wonderful to be able to show them what's in store for hip hop, you know, and what's possible for hip hop. You know, so many amazing artists out here doing so many great things. And it's wonderful to be able to show them what's possible. You know what I'm saying? Like that for me is like the really exciting part of it, because we're just so used to, we've grown so accustomed to like writing people off after a certain, you know, amount of time. It's just, it's beautiful to be able to say, no, you

can continue. And you don't have to pretend you're in year three when you're in year 40. You can actually be... Go ahead. Were you nervous about that? Because in hip hop, it seems like, definitely hip hop, they try to put you in a box, right? Yeah. Where they're saying, even though you got music now, they be like, oh, well, you can't

play on this station because he's more of an urban AC artist. But with you, I haven't seen that.'ve seen you you know you're on every station it's not just the the older quote-unquote older station yeah well you know what it is man is you know you have a responsibility as an artist sonically you know at the end of the day it's about what they when they press play what do they hear like we could talk about google we could talk about wikipedia's we could talk about your resume and your plaques on the wall oh that's great awards hall of fame sounds great but when they press play it's like when you're on the basketball court can you deliver right it's you know lebron can still deliver and yeah he doesn't have to be in year five

he can be in year 21 and deliver so can ll sonically deliver like it's like the lebron it's the idea of lebron in sports but it takes twice as long because it's art so instead of 21 years is 40 but the reality is it's the same idea of can you deliver on the court so to answer that question that's about the sonics it's about making joints that you love and people can appreciate you know i'm saying everybody's not going to love everything, but if you can create stuff that people appreciate, you know what I mean? Go get it.

This album is dropping on Def Jam, which is where everything started for you. A few years ago, I don't know where you were mentally about just making music and putting music out, but could you have planned this any better? What's that feeling like? Kind of like the full circle moment.

Well, it's more than a full circle moment, right? Because I was the first artist on Def Jam, right? And we launched a label together. You know, Tila Rockhead is yours. You are the circle. Yeah. I'm definitely part of the circle. You are.

And that's what I mean. It's like, you can't predict stuff like that. No, you can't. You can't. Listen, listen. God is great. And it's that type of timing, you know, being on Def Jam, seeing the excitement in the building, seeing the excitement in all of the people's eyes that work at the company,

you know, and even the support from Virgin and Republican, the way they all are rallying behind this project to make sure that it's seen and heard and gets an opportunity to be listened to by people is amazing. It feels like winning, you know what I'm saying, in the best sense of the word. You know what I'm saying? In the best sense of the word. You know what I mean? Does Ella know what losing is like though? Because you said it feels like winning but I don't even

I can't even think of what is losing Ella. Yeah well I put it to you like this. I don't pay a lot of attention to the idea of losing. I think about winning and I just focus on the win. My thing is if you do have a misstep it's an opportunity to get it right. You know, and my thing is, if you do have a misstep, it's an opportunity to get it right.

You know what I'm saying? So valleys are just an opportunity to find another peak that you're going to go after. Have you ever lost a fistfight, Ella? Huh? Have you ever lost a fistfight in life? No, I haven't. And hopefully I'd like to, I just want to keep getting my Floyd on.

And for the record, I'm not trying to talk tough because I don't want to go through a walkthrough with somebody. We go upside down real quick. They trying to TikTok viral you? Yeah, yeah. Because you know that's what they be on there. Well, be careful because it could go wrong for you too. You know, you might go viral.

Don't leave me alone. I ain't trying to play tough guy. Now, we're doing this project, right? It's been 11 years. How did you attack it, right? Because you got Eminem on it. You got Saweetie on it. How did you attack it to say, you know what?

I want to stick to who LL is, but I still want to keep it young, dope, and feeling good as well? You know, what you just said, I didn't really think about young, dope, and feeling. I thought about feeling good. What I more thought about was what do I love? And getting with Q-Tip. Q-Tip is brilliant. And Q-Tip is a genius. And he's very creative.

And so the idea was just sonically doing something that moved the world and just made us, made me respond. You know what I'm saying? And I didn't do like i didn't put saweetie on the song because she's younger or put em on the song i put them on it because sonically they i felt they would sound good we felt they would sound good on the songs you know what i mean so it was about the music it wasn't about stunt casting um and then you know like i said man like stunt cast yeah yeah you know what like stunt casting you know what I'm saying a bunch of stunt casting and all that

that's TV LL talking that's TV money it's TV experience for sure right so it's like I just wanted to do something that people would just vibe off of man you know like when you listen to the whole record front to back you know as a body and i

know we're gonna cherry pick and i know people pick songs and they go through that process i can't tell people how to consume the music but you know when you listen to it you realize like we did everything purposely was there any the one song that i was like and i don't know how difficult it was if it was able to do like you have a history of trying to pull together the toughest mcs and every m going at it, right? We've seen it with Redman, Met The Man. 3-2-1. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

3-2-1. I shot you. Who shot you? Yeah. I shot you. I shot you. You ever wanted to do that with this one and be like, let me pull all the MCs that's lyrical,

and let's have a straight up and down brawl. You kind of did with the Vow, but those are two artists. Well, see, what I did was I didn't repeat myself. I did go get great guys. Like, I went and did a joint with Em, and I did a joint with Nas, and I did joints with people

that really can bring it on the mic, right? I love doing that. Like, that's, like, my thing. Like, I'm not out here, you know, I want to be with the best and work

with the best. But in terms of the posse cut idea, I really wanted to get some kids who had never had an opportunity an opportunity. You know, I have so many stars on the album. Snoop is on the album and Busta and, you know, and different people that we've named, even Sona Joarbetta, who's huge, you know, in London and Africa and just an amazing musician. But I wanted to give some kids that never had an opportunity. I made a vow. I said, yo, I'm going to take some kids that never had an opportunity i made a vow i said yo i'm gonna take some kids so i got this kid um don pablito from south side queens and um shout out to him and uh uh mad squabbles from philly and jay sand from lafayette louisiana and put them on

the song so that they can have an opportunity so but that being said you know you know you never know there could be remixes you know i'm saying like you know i you never know. There could be remixes. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, I consider I would consider rocking with people. You know what I'm saying? It depends on what it is. Are those artists you working with? No, I didn't sign them. I didn't want nothing from them. I just wanted to give them an opportunity. I just want them to be on the

same album with Em and Snoop and LL and then give them an opportunity and, you know, you gotta make the best of it. You keep your head to the... I remember one time well, first of all, I want to know how you found those guys, but I remember one time hearing you know, you gotta make the best of it. You keep your head to the, I remember one time, well first of all, I don't know how you found those guys, but I remember one time

hearing you say your favorite rapper at the moment was like Pee Wee Longway. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he was funny, he was funny. But I like a lot of different artists,

like I listen to everything, you know, I was listening to the Young Nudie today, the daggone, then I was checking out, you know, I like the Lil Durk thing,

but I like the Cordae and then you know, you could, you know, flip it all the way to, you know, I like the Lil Durk thing, but I like the Cordae. And then, you know, you could, you know, flip it all the way to, you know, I like some of what Glowrilla's doing. And, you know, some of them, hey, all of some of them records. You know, and I listen to all artists. I love hip hop. You know what I'm saying? I love hip hop culture. You know what I'm saying?

People think that, you know, I'm like, you know, I go home and stand up in a corner and kind of melt into the wall. You know what the hell is going on in the world, but I'm actually paying attention. You know what I'm saying? 100%. So the song with Sweetie, right? Because Sweetie gets so much. People love to throw shots at her

because of saying she's not lyrical or whatever, and we talk about you working with lyricists. How did y'all link up? Is that somebody you had your ear on? What made you go for Sweetie? I thought that I liked her on Best Friend with that record. And I just thought she was cool. You know what I'm saying?

And I liked the name and I just thought it was cool. I was like, yo, let's put her on the joint. And that was it. And, you know, at the end of the day, that's an opportunity for her to be better. And she took her time and worked on that project and took her time and worked on that verse And made it right, you know I'm saying and you know if somebody else, you know wants to be on it then you know Shoot your shot. I mean good luck Little Duvall remixed it and called it Unctivities. He's rapping about doing grown stuff over the record. Okay. Well, good luck with that Duvall

Good luck with that bro. Good luck with that, bro. Good luck with your unctivity. You know what I'm saying? Good luck. We love that for you. Unc. Do you like being called unc? I don't care about that, man.

I mean, you know, what are you going to do? Because you're unc to a lot. And you're a rich uncle. You're definitely a rich uncle. But you know what? It ain't even about money. It's about character, right? Because, you know, a lot of dudes, like I say, a lot of dudes leave with their wallet,

but there's nothing else there. You know what I'm saying? So you can't really. It ain't always about the money. I know we're very bag-centric in our culture, but in order for you to be successful, you know, like Todd made LL. LL didn't make Todd. You know what I'm saying? So people kind of make Todd. Right. You know what I'm saying?

So people kind of could get that confused. You know what I'm saying? Like, I would have this energy regardless. I would just be, you know, I might be coming through your window or something, but you would get this same energy. You know what I mean? So it's like. You'd be the biggest burglar ever.

Yo, but it's funny though, man. We having a good time. Yo right be like yo where's that where's that where's that oh grammatically incorrect where's that you know what i meant to ask i was watching i i guess it came back up on social media it was a interview with jamie fox they were talking about you know y'all and in your situation when y'all were shooting that movie. I was just curious. He's laughing, funny. But now you got to clear up what actually happened

because he said it didn't happen that way, that you didn't knock him out. But I wanted to know, could that happen now? Because back then, I feel like... Whatever Jamie says happened is what happened. That's not what you really want to say because I saw your face. You digressed a bit.

Yeah, I did. Yeah, I did. Whatever Jamie says happened is what happened. I's not what you really want to say because I saw your face. You digressed a bit. Yeah, I did. Yeah, I did. Whatever Jamie says happened is what happened. I mean, I'm good with that. Because that's my man. I'll tell you what. Jamie knocked me out. How about that? Now you want to make us laugh? I'm just saying. I mean, you know. I mean, whatever

Jamie said happened, that's what happened. No disrespect to Jamie at all. That's my dude. When somebody says, nah, he knocked me out, he beat the shit out of me. Whatever Jamie said happened, that's what happened. No disrespect to Jamie at all. That's my dude. I'm just saying that. That's my dude. When somebody says, nah, he knocked me out, he beat the shit out of me. That means I'm done. I ain't got to prove nothing. Whatever Jamie said happened, happened.

That was a long time ago. It just came back up. I wanted to know, could that happen on movie sets now, or is it too protective? Because now it seems like if any little thing happens, you're going to human resources. Well, you're going to human resources if you get a hangnail and you express it wrong. I mean, you triggered me. You know, so I mean, it's triggering. Everything's triggering.

Back in the day, triggering was the trigger. Like, the trigger. Now the trigger's like, you know. You're being hangnail phobic, LL. I'm triggering. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly.

You have blue on. Does that mean you hate red? You know phobic, LL. I'm triggering. Exactly. Cut it out. Exactly. You got blue on. Does that mean you hate red? You know, like, you know. But I think it's. How does that affect the industry? Outside of, of course, the Me Too movement. But how does that affect?

Bro, you got to mind your business. You can't get your creative juices like. No, you get your creative juices. You better just keep, make sure they don't get on nobody else. Y'all better relax talking juices. Yeah, them juices. You better be real easy With them juices bro Be easy with them juices

Be easy with them juices You know what I mean No doubt No doubt We just have fun man Listen man I try to give I give the respect

I want to receive And I keep it there You know what I'm sayin' And just have a ball with it And you know what I mean Gotcha I saw you say songwriting Is what's missing

In today's hip hop climate Do you think it's because folks just want vibes like i think i think it's because a lot of times a lot of artists what they really want to say they they have an inspiration and then they make it they say ah but people don't want to hear that they make that decision so if i don't if you don't write proclivities, then you don't get unctivity. You don't get the, you know what I'm saying? If you don't write the sincere, inspired stuff, people don't respond the same way.

So it's safer. It's really safe to talk about the bag and, you know, ops and chicks. Like, that's very safe. Like, you don't have to worry about nothing. It's hard to, you know, ops and chicks. Like, that's very safe. Like, you don't have to worry about nothing. It's hard to, you know, mess that up. You know what I'm saying?

So that's the thing that kind of, I think people, whereas if you're going to get into something like 30 Decembers on my album, or if you're going to get into Black Cold Sweet, or if you're going to get into The Spirit of Cyrus,

or if you're going to get into some of these songs that I wrote on here, you have to be willing. You have to risk looking stupid in order to win. You know what I'm saying? We talked about it before. You know what I'm saying? You got to risk. You got to be willing to be vulnerable. The strength is in the vulnerability.

Vulnerability is where the strength comes from because you got to put it all on the line. Jordan, LeBron, Steph Curry, they take the last shot, right? There's vulnerability in that. You know what I'm saying? You can miss. Exactly.

But you can win. So that's kind of how music is. And I think a lot of artists right now, I think it'll turn the corner, though. I think that this album will inspire a lot of artists to do. You'll see more things happening. You'll see people taking chances creatively. You'll see. You know, we had MC Lighthead. She said you're the reason we got the audience yeah you're the reason she

decided to put out a new album oh word well this is what she said when she was here huh you haven't put out an album in 10 years but you got new outcome called 101. yeah why are you getting back into this crazy game ll challenged me yeah we did a umide chat with him. And in the midst of it, you know, he says, I'm putting out new music. I was like, oh, that's great. He said, when are you putting out? And I was like, well, I don't know. He's like, stop being scared. I was like, Eric, once he said that, I was like, okay, I got to get to it. I love that. How did that feel to still be an aspiring artist?

I love it, man. I love it, man. Listen, can't be scary, man. Like, what are you being scary for? There's always going to be great acts. Of course there's going to be new artists. Of course times are going to change. Of course there's going to be generational changes. That comes with the territory. But that's the opportunity for us to prove that we was born to do this.

You know what I'm saying? You don't stop doing it because times change. You know what I'm saying? You need your shorts to be a little longer on the court or a little shorter. They change the rules on the touch fouls. You learn the rules of the game, the new rules, and they'll play better than everybody else. You know what I'm saying?

It's simple. It's simple in the thought process. You know what I'm saying? Now, obviously, executing it is not as easy, but it's simple when you make the decision. You dig? When it comes to writing songs, when you got your pen, you got your pad,

does that make you dig deeper? Because a lot of these guys, they get high, they go in the studio and just rap. But when you got the pen and the pad, you actually got to dig a little deeper, don't you think? Yeah, so here's the thing, right? A lot of people, you know, rapping is not necessarily the thing. It's about are you an artist?

Are you creating art? So, you know, a lot of people can put words together. Like, I can bounce a basketball. But, you know, do I really want to be on the court with, you know, Curry and Draymond? You know, like, I can bounce a basketball. I can. And I can make a shot.

So, you know, I can get lucky and make a shot. But that's not the same at the level. So hip-hop is the same way when it comes to MCs. Like, yeah, you might can put a few words together, but you're not like LL Nas and Eminem and, you know, like there's a difference in skill level. I'm just being honest. So when I put pen to paper, I'm creating something.

I'm going into a world. I'm disappearing into this thing i'm trying to create i'm like looking at the marble and finding the statue inside of it you know i'm saying i'm not just putting any words together now mind you if i write something that's silly i'm doing it intentionally see that's the thing that people don't always get because when people judge hip-hop like i like the line i love to use as an example is my Head Sprung record because there are a lot of people who think that this guy wrote that song trying to make the best rap that he could, but that's not what that was.

The intent was to make it silly and funny and entertaining. And so it's like writing comedy. It's like like, so it's like writing comedy. It's like writing drama. It's like writing romance. It's like understanding what the intention is of what you're writing. So what happens is in hip hop,

a lot of things get judged by the same metric. You know what I'm saying? You can't judge, you know, somebody's got to die. You know what I mean? By the same standard as, I don't know, you know, juicy. You see what I'm i mean by the same standard as i don't know

you know juicy you see what i'm saying bismarck you're picking boogers or something exactly so you can't picking boogers is picking boogers all right you know what i mean and and hypnotizers hypnotize and they're different and so when when artists understand that i think that it'll help them with it when they craft these albums when they craft these songs you you understand what i'm saying you never got nervous because you were probably one of the first artists that say, you know what, I'm going to be very emotional on the record. I'm going to say I need love.

I want a roundaway girl. At the time when hip hop was so focused on I'm the best, what made you say, you know what, nah, I'm going to go F with the chicks over here. I'm going to let y'all do this. I'll be back, but I'm going to go F with the chicks right here. Well, I'll put it to you like this. It's like a guy, you know, showing up to the projects to see a girl.

What does that say about him? He really want to see her. He really likes the girl, and he can fight. Or he's willing to risk it, regardless of whatever. He's willing to risk it, right? So, me doing I Need Love or me doing these romance records, that's because I wasn't scared. Not because I was soft.

I wasn't scared. That's why I could do that. You understand what I'm saying? So sometimes people, they misconstrue. It's like the guys that I meet, they'll be the nicest guys in the world. The toughest guys I know and the toughest guys I've known growing you know, they'll be the nicest guys in the world. The toughest guys I know and the toughest guys I've known growing up

have been like some of the nicest guys. The most dangerous guys I've known have been some of the nicest guys. You came up with some killers. Oh, man. Oh, absolutely.

So it's like, with the music, it wasn't about trying to have an image. It was about what I want to do as an artist, period.

What do you want to say as an artist? What do you want to do as an artist. Period. What do you want to say as an artist? What do you want to do as an artist? That's what I'm going to do. And, you know, peer pressure makes me laugh. He's like, really? You know, I remember being 14, standing in the garage, you know what I'm saying? We playing hooky and all the dudes are standing around

and they were sitting in chairs and the garage is dark. the windows are taped over in queens right and i and i remember watching them they were smoking weed in this particular day i'm like i'm not i'm not so i stood over in the corner and i remember just sitting in a standing in the corner watching them and watching everybody's brain change and the conversation change i was saying to myself there's got to be something more to life than this but the point i'm making is not that i was too cool or too good because that's not what i'm saying the point was that i made it i said i'm not smoking and i didn't care who cared and who had a problem with it that's my point so when you comes to the music it's the same idea it's like

yo you do what you want to do man like i do what i want to do creatively i do what i want to do creatively not what people say i'm supposed to do right because what you know a lot of times what people want like right now they're like oh you're supposed to sit down or like you have people like they're on the internet oh how could he have the whips and chains and um and then this and that and the video because people are freaks and that really goes on. And I know you want to pretend that everybody's like having, you know, missionary with a sheep, but I got news for you.

There's some freaky stuff going on out there and I'm rapping about it. You know, oh, I can't believe that you're at my age. What? When did I sign up to not get... What? Yo, I never signed that piece of paper. I don't remember signing that contract.

Yo, you got to stop liking, freaking off. I don't know when that happened. Those are people that are new, though. Because I remember you pouring the chocolate syrup on the girls' kneecaps. Bro, all day. In broad daylight. All ridiculous. On Jamaica Avenue.

On Jamaica Avenue. Yo, it was a dude. On the hood of a car. Absolutely, bro. Absolutely. Wilding out. Completely out of control who says like yo we need to sit right here and pour the chocolate he's at you he's a me i said got you okay heard you lauren all right put it in the car put it right here cross your legs yup you like that

uh-huh you like that don't you yeah yeah yeah okay all right see yeah director's cut oh no no that ain't even the wildest one one of the wildest one is the most subtle one Got you. Okay, all right. See? No director's cut. Oh, hello. Oh, no, no. Don't hurt you. That ain't even the wildest one. One of the wildest one is the most subtle one. Which one? In the doing it video. The way you bite the apple. When you bite the apple.

We know that video. The girl must be the best apple in the world. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Show them that you really are auntie. Yo, but I love that, yo, you know what, man? I gotta tell you, man, I love, like, I love doing funny stuff like that and ridiculous. Like, I really, like, I had jeans on in the Paradise video.

In the water. I know that. That's right. Like, but what's funny is that, what's funny is people will point it out to you like I didn't know I did it. Like, you do know I filmed that, right? Like, you do know that I know what I'm... How many takes in the wet jeans did you have to do? Because it's a little rough once your jeans get wet.

As many as it takes, baby. As many as it takes. Okay. You know what I mean? How many takes we need? You know what I mean? Let's have some fun with it. But a lot of that stuff became fashion, like the one leg up.

Yeah. I got that from the bike messengers in New York. What? Yeah, because the bike messengers be riding around. Think about it. They be in the city. They have their pants leg up because they don't want it to get in the chain. Excuse me.

Spewing. Get it in the chain of the bike. I saw that one day. I pulled my joint up. I'm like, yo, this is a vibe. I start wearing my joint like that. Everybody. Everybody start wearing my joint like that.

I said, yo, do it cool. You know what I'm saying? Like, I love the idea of just having fun, not taking it too serious. There's a time to be serious. The time to be serious is when you're going after your goals. The time to be serious is when you have dreams. The time to be serious is when you're dealing with frustration, but you want to take it to the next level and fight through it.

But the other side of it is when I'm making music, I want to be silly. And I want to do stuff that's ridiculous. And I want to do stuff where we can laugh about it want to do stuff that, where we can laugh about it. You know what I'm saying? Like, let's have some fun with it. You just grabbed a woman's leg and started playing the guitar. Absolutely, bro. Absolutely.

Absolutely. That was on YouTube? Oh, on me, baby. On me. On me. You know? You know, it's, you know. Yo, I'm telling you, B.

I'm the wild out, man. How much did you lose to do this album? Because you had to put a lot of focus. I'm sure you put acting stuff to the back. I'm sure you put a lot of the other stuff to the back. How much did you lose to actually? I only gained. I only gained because I gained fulfillment.

I gained inspiration. I was able to take time out of my life to focus on the thing that I love the most and when you put your energy into what you love and you truly believe you was born to do it you never lose there's no way to lose

I already won because I love it dog see it's not see okay I'll give you an example. May he rest in power. Someone like Fat Man Scoop. Rest in peace. The joy that you bring to people through your music is incalculable.

See, we really, people are really, look i got money i'm a wealthy guy people really put a lot of and i understand it put a lot of emphasis on money money money money money and status status status status status and i get it image is important people i i get it but what people don't put enough value on is the joy of life and living well and having a good time and enjoying what you're doing. And that means something. That's a different type of wealth. You know what I'm saying? That's like, that's really, really important. Like I give you an example. If you have a great relationship with your mother, it's not transactional. But you still love her.

Right. And it's still the most important. You know, when you see that smile, when you see that joy, when you see the warmth of your mom, when you walk in that door, you know what I'm saying? Or maybe it's your dad or maybe it's your big sister or it's Unc or it's Auntie, whoever it is. Like, that matters too. So if you can find that joy in your life, in your career So if you can find that joy in your life and your career, and you can find that joy in other areas of your life,

that's a true beautiful thing. So I didn't lose nothing. Nothing. I gained everything. So, you know what I'm saying? Like, all of the money comes, all of the fame and the force, all that stuff comes, but you still got to enjoy the moment for the moment's sake

that's right you know what i mean yeah going back to the um the fashion stuff yeah so the one leg up but the hat the the fubu hat in the gap commercial yeah what was your thought process behind that or was that even intentional like what was the okay so talk because all the guitar the chocolate on the girl now we're talking about the hat so talk us through that decision to do that in that day i felt like they we needed that exposure they needed that exposure and you're a huge company and it's not gonna hurt you and i'm gonna give you what you need but you're gonna give me what i need and it's win-win and nobody gets hurt and you know it ended up at that time taking FUBU to 400 million a year and increase the audience by 300 I mean and that's what I'm

supposed to do you know when you roll with somebody you roll with people there was no push back on the set from the yeah there was there was they was like oh you know the hat and this I said no I'm my owner oh so I can clear it you said nobody gets hurt and everybody was like oh you know the hat and this i said no i'm an owner oh so i can clear it nobody gets hurt and everybody was like okay absolutely yeah yeah yeah and i'm an owner and this is it and boom and now we you know i'm saying you were the owner of football of course i don't think i ever knew that i thought you just did it because you rocked with them i mean of course you rocked with them but i didn't of course you rocked with them, but I didn't know. When you even just said that, I thought that was just you like, they were going to listen to you anyway.

I never thought you were holding me down because he was from Queens. I was. And they was holding me down because I was from Queens too. We was holding each other up. Are you kidding me? Let's talk through that.

So at what point did you become an owner of FUBU and why haven't we heard more? I never heard this. Because, well, what's funny is that I just didn't really talk about that. Why? Because it wasn't important.

Why was it important? You got the job done. Why was it important? See, like, everybody, like, I'm a rapper. I'm an MC. I'm okay. Let's stop right there. Yeah, I act.

I do other things but I don't like I don't like have to be other things in order to feel like I'm kind of impressing the world in some other way I'm good with being an MC I'm okay with that because I know what I do you understand what I'm trying to say

like so we're kind of in this space where like like you you hear guys talking, like, as if. Like, I heard a guy say the other day, he was like, oh, you know, I don't want to just be an artist. I want to have an artist, and I'm going to be a CEO. As if being an artist is some sort of lower-level thing. Yo, Stevie Wonder's an artist. Michael Jackson's an artist.

Miles Davis is an artist. Bob Marley was an artist. Marvin Gaye was an artist. Prince was an artist. LL Cool J's an artist. Miles Davis is an artist. Bob Marley was an artist. Marvin Gaye was an artist. Prince was an artist. LL Cool J's an artist. Like, I don't know what this idea, like, CEO. CEOs want to hang with artists. You know, Pablo Picasso was an artist.

Salvador Dali was an artist. You know, Alex Haley was an artist. Like, art is art. This is art. So I don't need to tell you about my business life in order to impress you. I do have a business life. I have lots of investments. I got all kinds of stuff I could just rattle off and could inflate my net worth and give you a different valuation.

I could show up a lot. Trust me. I'm a rapper. That's what I am. I'm an emcee. I love the art. I love making up a lot. Trust me. I'm a rapper. That's what I am. I'm an emcee. I love the art. I love making hip hop. I don't need to pretend to be nothing else.

So for those little kids out there, because see, some kids, some people are using hip hop as a stepping stone. Okay, you got that opportunity. I can't begrudge that. I can't knock the hustle, right? The flip side of that is for those little kids out there who want to paint, who want to do hair, who want to do botany, who want to grow plants, who want to build things, like, be what you are. You're an engineer being an engineer. You know what i mean like like if you if you you know now with ai you don't have to write code but if back in the days if you were going to write code you write code like you

understand what i'm saying i understand everything you're saying it's interesting because there was a time i don't know if it was probably in the mid 90s maybe early 2000s where everybody started ranking their artists their mcs based on what else they were doing outside of rap. And so when I think about the fact that not only did you make Def Jam what it is, clearly made FUBU what it is. If all of that, if we knew all of that, I think they would be ranking you way different. Even though you an icon already.

He had a part of Def Jam, part of FUBU. All the people have no idea about you. God damn. Did they approach you or did you go to them and FUBU? FUBU came to me. Okay. They came to me. Damon and them came to me. They stood outside my house for two weeks or something.

And I, you know, love them and appreciate them and respect them. They said, let's do it. You know what I'm saying? They know it. They'll come on here and confirm it. You know what I'm saying? It's what it is. I believe it.

It's just now I want to hear the story. Like, I just want to. It's like, my thing is that, you know, look, you do some things, you succeed. Some things don't work. Some things work. I mean, even Rock the Bells is, look, Rock the Bells, you know, I know people like to pretend that they don't know that Rock the Bells brought timeless hip hop back. It did. Absolutely.

This is the reality. The Rock the Bells Festival, the Rock the Bells Cruise, me doing that channel, me bringing all these artists out, me putting all of that energy into it, is the reason why there's more of an even playing field for artists that have been around a lot longer. I bought it up at a meeting yesterday. You know what I mean?

I literally bought that up yesterday. Use that as an example. You know what I'm saying? But at the same time, it's like, okay, cool. But I don't need to beat people in the head with that. Like, I think that, you know, sometimes you got to let your game speak for itself. You know what I mean? And there are certain artists who are entrepreneurs and who are crafting their business image.

And if that's what you're interested in doing, great. There's nothing wrong with that. I think that's very cool. Me, I just, yes, I invest. Yes, I have different things I've done, but I like making music. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm good with that. I wanted to ask you about something you said on Club Shay Shay

because you got, I don't know why, but you got so much flack for your Def Jam Mount Rushmore. Yeah, yeah. And I feel like nobody can debate you on that except for Russell, except for Rick Rubin, except for Chuck D, and maybe the other people that you named. I just wanted to know why Slick Rick. I love Slick Rick, but I just wanted to know from you, why did you put him on there? They were mad at Slick Rick

being on there? They were just mad the whole list. Well, they were mad because they don't understand. They want me mad at the whole list. Well, they were mad because they don't understand. They want me to talk about skin and lips and hair, but they want me to ignore the bones. You know what I'm saying? I gave them the bones of the label. They want to talk to me about cosmetics, but guess what?

I don't care how you look. You can get 14 BBLs, 35 lip injections, but if you don't have no bones, you're going to be a pile of flesh over there on the floor. So that's the way I make, that's how I built my Mount Rushmore. So when I said Beastie Boys and myself and Public Enemy and Slick Rick, that's because that is the foundation and the bones of the company. I didn't say that they were the most famous.

I didn't say they sold the most records. I didn't say any of that. But you wouldn't have any of that if you didn't have these these people that was my point so and then you have people respectfully you know I'm not even gonna be condescending about it there oh why didn't he put run DMC that's what they were never on Def Jam homie you don't know what you're talking about run DMC was on profile records they weren't on Def Jam and they're my favorite group.

I love them. Of course I would have put them on there. But they weren't on Def Jam. Oh, I didn't know that. I know you didn't know that. That's why you shouldn't write on the internet so much. You know what I mean? You know what I'm saying?

You know what I mean? So that was what the thought was. It's not that I know that other people came later and made huge strides. I know, look, I put DMX on. I know DMX did huge numbers in those years, you know, when he came out. I understand. When I say put him on, I didn't mean put him on, period. I meant put him on my song and introduce him to the world.

You know what I'm saying? I want to be clear about that. Like Foxy, putting on my song. I know that all of these artists that came, it's obvious what Def Jam became. I mean, that's self-evident. But if you want to know how it was able to be there, you got to look at those founding fathers. This is what you got to look at. Absolutely. Since you always, you know, you're in the movies and doing that, would you do your own movie from the start,

from growing up in Queens and farmers and starting to rap and the battles and the beefs and everything to where you at now? Would you do that? I mean, I would. It needs to be told. I would. You know, I think about it sometimes. People ask me that. You know, I just get a hard,

I have a hard time getting my mind around being that interested in me. I'm too excited about the future. I get really excited about doing new stuff. It's probably a flaw of mine. You got too much history not to, man. But that's so crazy to hear because I feel like the music, especially music for us, for the ladies, it gives that you would be the opposite,

that you would be really invested in you. Yeah, but see, there's a difference between confidence and arrogance you know i'm saying and you know yeah i'm confident but the i just i just feel like i'm more interested in other people you know i'm saying but that doesn't mean i wouldn't do the movie like i get it like i'm open to it i'm open to the idea of it um but what i put my energy into doing walking down that now maybe a documentary you know maybe we could you know but i just i don't know man like only you could tell your story and you're my story too long story would you put discreet stuff in there would you put the poison clan in there oh man oh yeah i put a lot of you know mean, I couldn't put some stuff in it, but I put what I could.

You know what I mean? It's interesting, right? Because all of the people that you hear about that's really tough really don't make that kind of music. Like, when they say that about you, they say that about Nelly. They say that about Hammer. Yeah, Hammer. Or OGs like Lil Sean.

Like, they never made that kind of street music. It was always. Because you got sense enough to get away from it. Let me tell you something, man. I never met... Every now and then you meet a purely evil gangster, but there's not many. But I've never met somebody who was in the street life

who didn't want to get away from it. Who wouldn't much rather have 19 laundromats and a daggone McDonald's and something else. You know what I mean? So it's like you learn early on that it's about having manners and it's about not talking about that stuff. It's about staying away from that stuff. It's not about, like, trying to be a tough guy

and, you know, he thinks who he is and all that you know i mean trying to like you want to stay away from like talking about that stuff so when i was hanging out with the dudes that was like running the city i was i need love you know what i'm saying like yo i'm like you know i mean like the complete opposite because we do we do that like i'm around there for real. I don't need to, you know, it just feels different when you're around it for real. You know? It really feels different.

You know what I mean? It's like, it's like Vietnam vets or war vets. A lot of people that really were in the military that went to, that were on, you know, that saw a battle, they don't talk about it.

Now, my pops will tell me nothing about it. See? If you really notice it. If you ask, he'll answer. But he's not going to come in Thanksgiving and be like, I remember that time. He just don't. And you know why?

Because it's not cute. That's right. It's only cute to the people. I think Colin Powell said, only people who enjoy war are those who don't understand it's horrors. I'm paraphrasing. You know what I'm saying? But so it's something like that.

It's like the idea of if you really seen some things, it's nothing to talk about. Let's have some fun. Head sprung. Head sprung. Head sprung. What is your biggest record to perform? Is it head sprung or is it Around the Way Girl? Is it doing it?

It depends on the audience. It depends on what country I'm in, what city, what state. And what was the mind frame of Around the Way Girl? Because that's probably one of my favorites. That's why I always ask. It just feels like a New York love story. I'll tell you. It's about the girl next door.

It's like as much as everybody wants it to be about the celebrity female and or the female with the money or the female who is the most well known in the world there's something i think every guy knows that there's something about the girl next door the around the way girl that's very special and i always had a certain reverence for that you know i'm saying not i ain't talking about chasing with my tail between my legs i'm just saying i had a reverence for that like you know that appealed to me like i didn't really i wasn't really as interested in like the the famous girl or the superstar girl or the the girl even with the most nowadays like the most followers it was the most, nowadays, like the most followers. It was the person, a normal person.

Like, I just thought that was, I found it more interesting. You know what I'm saying? And quite frankly, like, more attainable. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's just like, like, I see you. You know what I'm saying? Like, when i make songs like proclivity even proclivities even though proclivities is a much deeper layered song and over the years people will realize that because i'm dipping into the shadow world of people's thoughts it's like i see

you you understand i'm saying like i see you like i'm not looking at the image of a woman. I'm not looking at the trappings. I'm looking at her soul on a roundabout girl. I'm looking at her soul on proclivities. When I talk about, you know, like, I love to see you make the O face. You know, like, that's a real thing. Like, I'm looking at her face, like, you know, morphing. Like, I'm like, I'd like to see you make that face. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? Like, it a face like you know morphing like I'm like I'd like to see you make that face you know what I mean

like you know what I mean like it's crazy you know so I got a few more questions you wrote MC Light's verse on self-destruction yeah wow

yeah yeah Scott's tape with a razor blade taped to a collar I did how much of that did you used to do back in the day

a lot a little bit a little bit I did it more than people know you know what I'm saying more than people know but I wouldn't go around like talking about all the different things but I did some of that yeah I did it more than people know. You know what I'm saying? More than people know. But I wouldn't go around talking about

all the different things. But I did some of that. I did some ghostwriting for people. And when we talk about writing, I wanted to ask, how much do you think Biggie and Jay contributed to people not taking writing as serious? Because both of them said they didn't write. And I saw you having a conversation on Sway about

Big one time. Well, look, Biggie's my man, and I love Big. You know, sometimes, and look, everybody's different. Everybody's process is different, right? Like some people, they just, you know, got a bunch of rhymes that they wrote at home, and they just remember them. And then they just got something for the beat. So you don't have to see me, necessarily see me write.

That doesn't mean I didn't write. I'm not going to, what I i'm not gonna do is say anything that will go against what somebody how someone wanted their career to be laid out but i'll say this um ultimately it's about the song period whether you write it in your mind whether you memorize it because see you got to remember the skill is not in how you get there the skill is in how the song affects the world so whether you write it on paper a phone in your head that it doesn't matter what how does it affect people did the ball go in the basket whether i called it chucked it whether whether I, you know, fade away,

whether I finger slammed it, reverse slammed it. You know what I'm saying? But, like, I've seen dudes write, and I've seen dudes, you know, come off the top. I mean, whatever. You know what I'm saying? I don't – what I would say, though, is that, like, I would say, like, these guys are legitimately talented enough some of them

to do that that doesn't mean you necessarily need to be doing that you might need a pen and pad you might want a pen and pad and do some editing ernest hemingway editing bro like it's all right like don't be embarrassed you know what i mean my who wrote for Who the Bell Tolls? Huh? Metallica. No, no, no, no. Not the song. Metallica.

No, no. The Raven. Who wrote The Raven? Alfred Hitchcock. Huh? No. Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe.

So it's like you got Ernest Hemingway. You got Edgar Allan Poe. They wrote. They edited. So there's no shame in writing. But if you are able to do it without it fine me i like to write i want to be able to look at what i wrote and change it and edit it until i like it period can i come up with something like could i come up with something in my head right now of course i could of course you know i mean and you was on the shop and you uh you was talking about 103 000 saying he didn't want to rap again because he said he didn't have anything to rap you know what I mean and you was on the shop and you was talking about Andre 3000

saying he didn't want to rap again because he said he didn't have anything to rap about and so Andre responded to that and said if you can you should rap until you die of course he has things to say but if he can't say it in a fresh innovative way then it's not enough for him to do it and I respect that

and you know in that sense I would agree but that's what I would agree. But that's what I look to do on my new record, right? Like on the force, like say it in a fresh, innovative way. He's talking about not repeating flow. Look, he's one of the greats. He's unbelievable.

Like I'm thoroughly impressed with Andre. And the only reason I even said anything is because I like him so much as an artist. I'd love to hear him again. I just miss hearing the guy. You know what I'm saying? Like I want to hear Outkast. Like personally, I'd love to hear him again. I just miss hearing the guy. You know what I'm saying? I want to hear Outkast. Personally, I would love to hear Outkast's album. I don't know about the world, but I would want to hear that. But I do respect

his feelings, and I cannot speak to his artistry. You know what I'm saying? I love him. I don't know if it's lyricism. Has lyricism peaked? I don't know if there is any more flows. Are there any more deliveries? How many more ways can you deliver rhymes? There's always a way.

That's like just when you thought every single patient was done. I mean, Miles came and changed the game. Charlie Parker came and changed the game. We can go half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes. I mean, there's always a way to change and approach it differently. You know what I'm saying? There's always a way to. It's up to you, though.

It's combinations. It's like flavors, right? There's only bitter, sugar, salt, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But you got, at the end of the day, there's always a different way to make a good meal. You know what I mean? You can always get another great meal. So, yeah. Yeah.

A hundred percent. I mean, like some of the stuff Em's doing on my new song, some of the tripling, that's new, kind of newish stuff on Murder, Graham do i mean a lot of it even the flow i did on murder graham do is like you know there's some new moments in it you know what she said earlier yeah i was like where because i was like how do you play this in the car like where do you listen she's young so what she said was nobody said she goes he don't sound old because one of y'all in the room said that it sounds old. And when I heard it, I said, this doesn't sound old. It sounds like what I know him to sound like.

But then I said, but where do you play this? Because I don't know if I would play this in the car. It's hip hop. Yeah, but music, songs go places with you. I can't describe it. I know where I'm going to put on Around the Way Girl. I know what my outfit is. With that song, I couldn't figure it out.

Yeah, good. That's good. Why is that good? Because it's new. I remember the first time I heard Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. I didn't understand it. I told my man.

My man was like, he played Planet Rock. I'm like, I don't like that. He said, why? I said, because it's different. You catch up. It just takes time. Well, I do not like it. I told my man, my man was like, he played Planet of the Wild. I'm like, I don't like that. He said, why? I said, because it's different. You catch up. It just takes time. Well, I don't not like it. I just didn't understand. No, but you're not saying a bad thing. You're not saying a bad thing at all.

It's like, it's actually and truly, that's not, it's really not a car record. That's not what it is. It's a live performance record. It's a record that shows the display of MCs showing lyrical skill. It's a record that shows you the art form of rapping. That's really what the song is about.

Now, Proclivities, I could play in a car. I could play Proclivities in a car. I could play Black Cold Sweet at a cookout. I could play some of those records. Some of them are car records because I love car records. I made a song called Boomin' System a long time ago. It was a car record. I'm very familiar with the difference.

But that particular song, you're right. It's not for the car. It's for those who really are fans of hip-hop and fans of the art of hip-hop. It's like watching N1. It's like watching basketball players get busy with the ball and do things that you didn't even know they were capable of doing with a basketball. That's what that song is.

See, that's kind of lost on the artists that I love because I feel like when I hear a new song, what makes it go for me, like when you mentioned Glorilla, first thing I think of is putting it on in a car, I'm in the club, and it dropping. I don't get the sportsmanship on this song. Yeah, exactly. And that's okay too right it's like that's the beauty of it it's like we need both

we need the vibe that's why i made like head sprung head sprung at that time was that kind of thing you're describing it was just silly a vibe we just getting in me and timbo to win the studio we're making a wild out I get it but there's a time for that and then there's a time for the other thing so on this album it's like a combination there's some songs that are like that but then there are other songs where it is really more about lyrics rapping the sportsmanship that you say you couldn't relate to as much and that kind of stuff like that that's kind of like the whole idea. The whole idea is for you to make unique things.

You know what I'm saying? Unique stuff. And then we get the vibes, and we dance to Glorilla, and we dance to Sexy Red. Like, I love the record. Hey! It's 7 p.m. Friday.

Hey! That's my song. Hey! Wait, what's your favorite record out of all your catalogs? Headsprung, clearly. Yeah. Nah, nah.

I like Headsprung. I use, like, there's a few songs. I think Doing It is one of my favorites. Classic. I think Doing It, you know, so you can relate to that one. Oh, I love that song. That's my song. Oh, you can.

That works in the car, huh? Yeah, oh, that works anywhere. Oh, I that song that's my song oh you can that works in the car yeah oh that works anywhere oh i know yeah yes yeah i know i know um yeah i like the one you and scratch did too ilbom oh ilbom yeah i like ilbom i like ilbom i'll tell you this one i got with naz is crazy the praise him joint is wild it It's hip-hop. You know what I'm saying? But it's right. It's a lot of joints. 30 Decembers. I like 30 Decembers. I like Black Hole a lot.

Black Hole. Black Hole Sweet is, you know, look at mama. She in the kitchen. She dipping the chicken in flour. She got the music is bumping. One or two step in the shower. Well, balanced potato salad and hot sauce, collard greens. Yeah, that joint is hot.

That black coat sweet is hot. Hold on, I got one last question. And I would ask LeBron this too. Is it easier or harder to do what you do, in this case music, when you have nothing to prove or do you feel like you have something to prove? I definitely feel like I have something to prove.

Wow. Definitely, because the proof, what I'm looking to prove is that you can keep going. And, you know, to keep going, you got to come from the heart. You got to come from the soul. And you can't swag your way into 40 years of success. It's going to take more than that. That's right. You know what I'm saying? And so, yeah, I definitely got something to prove.

I definitely look at this as a fun challenge. It's a fun challenge. You know what I'm saying? It's like, yo, can you do it? You know what I'm saying? You know, will I ever have another song where she's like, oh, this is my joint. I'm turnt up in the car. Like, can I do that is that possible right

those are the questions that you know you look to answer you know what I'm saying like that's the part that makes this thing like worth doing you know what I'm saying you know what I mean well let's get into a joint off the album the album is out today it's called Force what you want to hear

um well I need to look at the to a joint off the album. The album is out today. It's called Force. What you want to hear? Well, you know, I need to look at the... I need to see the track listing. You got the track listing? Okay, yeah, let me see the track listing. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. Hmm.

Let's play Murdergram just because of her. Why not? Murdergram? Yeah, let's play Murdergram. Let's play Murdergram. Murdergram. Yeah. Why not? Let's play Murdergram. Let's play Murdergram. Let him hear it in five.

I'm playing Murdergram. All right. Let's get into it right now. Murdergram featuring Eminem. Featuring Eminem. The fourth is out right now. We appreciate you for joining us, LL. Appreciate you.

And you used to work out every day? I do. Well, four times a week, minimum. Yeah. Show me one day you get in the gym with LL. Nah, I'm good. I mean, I work out with day? I do. Well, four times a week, minimum. Yeah. Show me one day you get on the gym alone. Nah, I'm good. I mean, I work out with him. I train with him.

Do his workout one day. Just one day. I would train with him. Okay, good. I did it one day, and I almost threw up. I think I did throw up. Did I throw up? I threw up.

You might have. I don't know. I threw up. He does some weird-ish, man. No, he don't. He does what he does. You should have did what you do. I didn't know Jim ever saw you

come in when did that happen watch your mouth say this with me murdergram murdergram there you go it's the breakfast club

it's LL Cool J y'all wake that ass up in the morning the breakfast club