LL
Cool J signs an autograph for a female admirer
during an in-store visit while hundreds of
fans look on. The star was there to promote
his latest project. |
“But
on a deeper level it’s nothing new
for me. On my second album, I said ‘When
I’m bad I’m the baddest rapper
in the history of rap itself.’ On
my first record I ever made (“I Need
A Beat”) I said ‘I predict this
jam will hit the highest plateau in the
world of music.’ I go with these things
when I feel ‘em, and I just felt this
is where I wanted to be. It’s time
for me to take a stand, dig my boots and
heels in and get busy. Sometimes you gotta
go to war to have peace.”
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There
is, however, a small segment in the rap industry
who’s been recording hits almost as
long as Todd has. Guys like KRS-ONE and Rakim
have also earned the right to label their
projects The DEFinition.
“Well, I would hope they respect it,”
Cool James explained, after being queried
about the possible reactions of the aforementioned
rap stars.
“And
I would hope that they feel that they’re
the greatest or that they’re good. Hey,
this is LL talking about LL, not me discrediting
everything that they’ve done. I’ve
always loved Rakim. I’ve bought most
of his records. KRS the same thing. I’ve
known all of them. We’ve toured and
came up together.
"I have a lot of respect for both of
them so it’s not an issue like that.
But at the same time, I’ve still gotta
be me. I can’t worry about somebody
else’s feelings on that level. It’s
still Hip-Hop. But as man-to-man I respect
them and I would hope that they feel the same
way about me.”
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Fans
dine on pieces of Cool J cake, top pic, while
a young woman swoons over the music/film star.
"Uncle L," above, greets hundreds
of supporters during his in-store visit.
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Moreover,
Uncle L fans respect his long list of hits.
Cool J’s track sheet is filled with
more hits than misses, but the most distinguishing
aspect of Cool J’s career is his widespread
popularity. His very acronym is a testimonial
to that appeal -- Ladies Love Cool James.
In fact, they can’t seem to get enough
of him.
“I
think his music gets better and better,”
says Janet Rousseau, a 24-year-old clothing
stylist who worked with James Todd on “In
The House” and the fiscally deficient
film “Out Of Sync.”
"He should have a one-hour special [that
highlights his career] from day one to today."
Call it The DEFinition.
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