According to rap legend LL COOL J, he is “the most important rapper that ever existed” and believes “one day, people are going to wake up and realize it.”
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During a recent interview with Apple Music’s ‘Le Code,’ LL COOL J discussed the possibility of his decades-long career being turned into a film, at which point he dubbed himself “the most important rapper that ever existed,” adding that he believes “one day, people are going to wake up and realize it.”
LL COOL J said, “I’mma say this humbly, but I really mean this. I think one day, people are going to wake up and realize that LL Cool J is the most important rapper that ever existed. I truly believe one day people will say that. They’re gonna look and they’re gonna say, ‘Wow. When it comes to the jewelry, this is the guy who introduced all the diamonds, and the ice, and the champagne.’”
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He continued, “They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to the love songs, this is the guy who introduced us to all the love songs and love sh*t.’ They’re gonna realize, ‘When it comes to the ‘bad boy vibe,’ this is the guy who introduced all of the rebellious ‘bad boy vibes,’ before it was done.’ They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to the ‘G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time)’ terminology, this is the guy who came up with the ‘G.O.A.T.’ stuff.’ They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to Def Jam, wow, this was the first artist who was on Def Jam.’ They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to [being] a solo artist, this was the first solo artist to take it all the way around the world.’”
LL COOL J added, “Like, I can go on and on and on. They’re gonna say, ‘Yo, when it comes to the FUBU, this guy introduced the whole idea of putting clothing lines… Even before that, he did TROOP. They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to endorsements, this is the guy who did the Kangol, and made the Kangol popular before people even did that. They’re gonna, ‘When it comes to television, this is the guy who did the credible stuff on TV and at the same time was still making credible records, [and he] wasn’t just doing TV and using Rap as a launchpad. They’re gonna say, ‘When it comes to business…’ Like, I can go on and on and on and on.”
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COOL J said, “I feel like, that’s why in a lot of ways, it’s hard for me to get into the movie thing, honestly, sincerely, and I mean this sincerely. That’s why it’s not really that interesting for me, because I’m doing so much and I’ve done so much for the culture that it’s almost, like, it’s unfathomable. I mean, Run-D.M.C. wasn’t even on Def Jam, bro. Biggie [aka The Notorious B.I.G.] made ‘Going Back To Cali’ because I made the song first. Every artist that you can name, the biggest artist, the billionaire artists that launched on the label that I launched…”
COOL J boasted, “The biggest names in Hip-Hop that come from the ’90s… and I’m saying this with love, I’m not trying to be funny style. I’m not trying to be arrogant. I really, sincerely, am just saying, [that] when you take the guys like JAY-Z, these guys were launched off of Def Jam. That’s a label that I birthed. You talking about these guys like Kanye [West], and all the things he’s done. They were launched on the label that I birthed. When I look at the epicenter of what it really is, come on, bro. It’s almost unfathomable. I just really believe that. When I look at it, for what it is, factually, it’s almost like, how do you make a movie about that?”
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When asked if he can basically be labeled “The G.O.A.T,” LL COOL J shook his head and repeatedly said, “No,” adding, “Because that’s still subjective. Because there’s still a kid who the Tupac [Shakur] album is the most important album to them and that changed their life. There’s still a kid who thinks Snoop [Dogg] made the records and it changed their life. There’s still a kid that loves Biggie or Nas for their music, and they should, and have the right to do that.”
COOL J then countered, “Do I call myself ‘G.O.A.T.’ on the record? Yes, of course. I will say a lot of things on record. It’s just like swinging punches in the ring, or kicking a soccer ball on the field, or shooting a basketball on the court. Yes, on the record, I will say ‘G.O.A.T.,’ I’m this. I’m that. I will say all that. Off the record, no. Because, off the record, outside of being on the microphone as an emcee, there are too many important rappers that have done too many important things for me to claim that I’m ‘The One.’ I can’t do that. I would never do that. But, on the record, as an emcee, F**k yeah. Hell yeah. G.O.A.T. all day.”
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