While Common mentioned it back in '97 on 'Real Nigga Quotes', you could probably blame LL Cool J for popularising the acronym that everyone is tired of hearing in 2022! I wouldn't rank him as highly as the G.O.A.T., but given what he was doing around the genesis of hip hop breaking into the mainstream, he deserves to have a special place in the history books.
Anyway, after the poor previous pop rap album, 'Phenomenon', I remembered enjoying this a lot more. Hopefully, I still do as I revisit it many years later.
The intro is a good sign with LL just spitting for two minutes about his legacy and why he deserves respect in the game.
'Imagine That' should be considered pop rap, but it toes the line nicely and is entertaining enough with its unique production that definitely sounds like a Rockwilder beat with the signature electronic sounds.
On the next, 'Back Where I Belong', LL takes shots at Canibus and does his thing on the verses. The beat is decent at best though and I don't like Ja on the hook at all. It has an exciting, building first 40 seconds, but then it's an anti-climax. With a good chorus this would probably be one of my favourites from the album based on LL's verses.
Like 'Imagine That', 'LL Cool J' and 'Take It Off' are pop rap but not to the bubblegum-pop degree as many of the songs on 'Phenomenon' making them better crossover tracks. I think Naughty by Nature were the kings at this. They made catchy, chorus focused tunes, but the songs still fitted in with a hip hop audience. 'Phenomenon' didn't do that, they were too pop. This album gets the balance closer to where it needs to be. On 'LL Cool J' the 'I Put a Spell on You' by Screamin' Jay Hawkins sample works well with Kandice Love's sultry vocals. The best song so far.
'Fuhgidabowdit' is a big letdown based on the features. The verses are okay, but the hook is just "fogetaboutit" repeated in a possibly offensive Italian accent. It's a lazy hook. The production is far from award winning either.
'Can't Think', produced by Ty Fyffe, with its short catchy keys, has fairly basic production, but LL's performance is fire. This is one of, if not the best songs here. It's just hard from the first 10 seconds. I wish there was more of this on the album. It seems like "hell" is censored here... With all of the vulgarity on the album, let's not offend the religious folk by saying hell? Amazin'!
'Can't Think' and others have moments of consciousness, but 'Homicide' sees LL getting conscious for a whole song for pretty much the only time on the album. "I don't mean this in a disrespectful way / But Columbine happens in the ghetto every day / When the shit goes down y'all ain't got nothing to say." The acted police communication in the song make it seem like they care more about rescuing a cat from a tree than black murder.
'U Can't Fuck with Me' is pretty dope. While nothing is groundbreaking, DJ Scratch handles a lot of tracks here and offers lots of variety. From this banger to the poppy 'You and Me'.
The Prodigy assisted, 'Queens Is', has some menacing high keys, and the next two, 'The G.O.A.T.' and 'Ill Bomb', first on Funkmaster Flex and Big Kap's album, 'The Tunnel', are decent hip hop songs before the album finishes with more pop rap. Case brings a catchy hook to 'M.I.S.S. I'. This is the hook that will get stuck in your head.
Some versions also have 'Shut 'Em Down' from the 'Any Given Sunday Soundtrack'. LL spits like he is trying to beat Twista's world record and the beat has a darker feel to it than anything on the album. This is one of the better songs on here. I tell ya, there are many artists who have hidden gems on soundtracks. I'm still discovering them.
Other versions also have bonus tracks:
'Fo Sho' - Decent east coast hip hop song. 'Mirror Mirror' - Pretty weak beat here. 'Queens Is (Remix feat. DABO) - Adds Japanese lyrics from the featured artist from the Japanese release of this album.
Circling back to my introduction, I don't enjoy this as much as I remembered and as I've been revisiting LL's discography this has taken the most thought about what to rate it. I don't think there is a top 20 LL song here. Kind of like with Mr. Smith, the production is good a lot of the time, but it just doesn't excel. The pop rap songs are his best for a while though. Songs like 'You and Me', 'LL Cool J', 'Hello', 'Take It Off', 'This Is Us' (that Carl Thomas kills) are all well put together. A consistently good album, but the high points aren't here, and the straight up hip hop songs aren't great enough. I'm leaving this at my original rating of 3.5/5 because I can find something to enjoy in every track, but it's a light 3.5.
Beats: ★★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★★
Hooks: ★★☆
Best Tracks: LL Cool J, Can't Think, You and Me, U Can't Fuck with Me, Shut 'Em Down
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