"There has to be more to it than that" - LL Cool J on what he feels is missing from today's Hip-Hop music

James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J recently revealed what he felt was missing from today's Hip-Hop scene. In his interview with The New York Times published on Saturday, August 31, 2024, the rapper discussed his thoughts on the current state of the industry,

When questioned about what was missing, the Loungin' hitmaker gave Melena Ryzik of NYT a one-word answer, stating "songwriting." He explained:

"There’s nothing wrong with rapping about money and success, and there’s nothing wrong with rapping about pure s*x — I love them both. (But) there has to be more to it than that, to me, in order for a project to be compelling."

LL Cool J is a rapper, songwriter, and actor, who made a name for himself in the hip-hop scene in the 1980s as a solo emcee when the industry was dominated by groups. Some of his hit tracks include I Need Love, Going Back to Cali, and I'm Bad.

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"I do it because I love it. I love a fresh beat"- LL Cool J remarks he was never in the industry for fame or money

During his interview with the New York Times, LL Cool J explained that his rap career was never about, as stated, "money, the trappings of celebrity or the cultural prestige." He explained:

"I do it because I love it. I love a fresh beat. A new lyric, a chord, the feeling — and then sharing that. Putting that on the easel of life, so to speak, for people to walk through the sonic gallery and listen to this, these vibes. I love that. I wanted my voice to be heard, and I wanted to share."

In a sitdown with Gold Minds podcast in August 2023, LL Cool J told Kevin Hart that he was attracted to rhymes because he "never heard young, black men sound powerful before."

He explained that anytime he saw them on TV it was either a "bad story" or they were "handcuffed and being put in a police car." He remarked it was about dreaming big and being heard, adding:

"To a certain extent, it was overcompensation for what wasn’t happening for us in the community... it made me feel like it was possible to make it. I was inspired. And that’s why I love it so much and why I still do it."

In the early 1980s, he signed with the then-recently founded Def Jam Recordings at the age of 16. Smith dropped his debut landmark studio album, Radio in 1985 (it was Def Jam's first full-length studio release).

The project sold over 500,000 copies within the first five months of its release, a significant deal for a hip-hop record, earning the rapper commercial and critical acclaim.

The Mama Said Knock You Out hitmaker has since platinum-certified albums like Bigger and Deffer, Mr. Smith, and G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time). He boasts two Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and MTV VMA among several others.

LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. In addition to his music career, LL Cool J has appeared in films and shows like Deep Blue Sea, S.W.A.T., Mindhunters, and NCIS: Los Angeles.

The rapper is currently gearing up for his upcoming album The FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy). This is Smith's first official studio release in eleven years.

It features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Saweetie, Nas, and Rick Ross among others. The FORCE is scheduled to drop on September 6.