April 03, 2006 @ 1:59 pm

LL Cool J - Todd Smith (Def Jam)

by: Michael A. Gonzales

And 21 years after his exhilarating debut album, Radio, made young James Todd Smith a household brand, this chief rockin’ rapper is still trying to prove that he’s better than you. Like that middle-aged uncle at the family reunion who insists on shooting hoops, and then—much to your surprise—proceeds to spank that ass, LL still has a few tricks up his sleeve on his 12th disc, Todd Smith. Forget that he’s nearing 40—the brother from Hollis still has enough youthful arrogance to step behind the microphone and morph into a savage street talker. Indeed, the proof can be found in the cross-generational collabos. On “It’s LL and Santana,” Uncle L joins Dipset standout Juelz Santana for a swaggering, hard-core, one-two alliance that bridges the gap between hip hop’s yesteryear and the new era. Even more appealing is the aggressive braggadocio of the Freeway-assisted joint “What You Want.” Having discovered long ago that if he wanted to stay popular, he had to keep the soul sisters jiggling, LL Cool J has never strayed far from the musical formula that made the ladies love him and the girls adore him. On the hyperelectro-funk club anthem “Control Myself” (with undercover B-girl Jennifer Lopez giving us her best Madonna/femme fatale impersonation on the hook), LL is still doin’ it and, doin’ it, and doin’ it well. Meanwhile, the saccharine, Track Masters–produced wedding song “Down the Aisle” sticks to the safer side of the ladies-first template. In addition, there are moments on Todd Smith that express a rare pathos, simultaneously strange and raw. Creating a perfect blend of rugged rap and retro soul, LL and Lyfe Jennings construct “Freeze,” a stellar track detailing the life of a mack. Reminiscent of the Time’s R&B classic “Gigolos Get Lonely Too,” Uncle L strips off the vanity and boasting (“...please don’t change the locks on the door”) to reveal his “I Need Love”–style vulnerability over liquid grooves and sparse production. Still, this reworked sensitivity hardly prepares us for the mental crack-up that occurs on the maddening “I’ve Changed,” a Fatal Attraction–like tale that explores a volatile relationship gone awry. As new jack singer Ryan Toby harmonizes like Curtis Mayfield in the background, “I’ve Changed” proves as disturbing as it is fascinating. Becoming more and more paranoid as he breaks his ex-girl’s new man’s headlights (“Call the po-po, I ain’t afraid....”), the lyrics are complemented by haunting Track Masters production that contrasts with their usual commercial sheen. What’s most puzzling is Todd Smith’s excessive reliance on collaborations. “We’re Gonna Make It,” a hip hop–gospel hybrid with Mary Mary, is the kind of track best left to choirboys like Kirk Franklin. There’s no denying, however, the sonic beauty of “Preserve the Sexy,” which could be the scorching theme song to a blaxploitation flick, with hot girl Teairra Marí riding shotgun. All in all, though many rap fans may believe LL hasn’t been relevant since he stung like a bee on his 1990 masterpiece, "Mama Said Knock You Out," this offering proves the G.O.A.T. is still swinging.

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Article tags: LL Cool J And Juelz Santana, LL Cool J And Freeway, LL Cool J And Lyfe Jennings, LL Cool J's Todd Smith 12th Studio Album Def Jam