In the past twenty-years there have been many
historians who’ve captured the birth and re-birth of hip hop and R&B, but
authors Cameron Lazerine and Devin Lazerine has taken his time to create the ultimate guide
to the tumultuous art form in his newest book, “Rap-Up: The Ultimate
Guide to Hip-Hop and R&B.”
Published
by Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group, “Rap-Up” features a
foreword by T.I., and is set to hit bookshelves today. Check out an
exclusive excerpt from the book only on VIBE.com:
CHAPTER 1
Back In The Day
80's Solo-Rap
In a decade so closely associated with bad sitcoms, cocaine, terrible fashion, and the ever-present idiocy of the U.S. government, it's hard to believe that something good came out of the '80s. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find the debut records from some of the most classic MCs ever. Finally starting to come into its own, hip-hop in the '80s was still trying to find its footing, hence the varying (but all amazing) styles that came about: LL Cool J's ladies'-man persona, Biz Markie as the class clown, Slick Rick with his street tales and portable jewelry store . . . the list goes on and on. These men and women lived hip-hop before hip-hop was a lifestyle.LL Cool J
Back in the day haters said rap music was a here today, gone tomorrow fad. Somebody forgot to tell LL Cool J. The veteran superstar has enjoyed the longest career in hip-hop, releasing CDs since the '80s and since then having hits in every decade.
Another Queens child who done real good, LL Cool J (government name James Todd Smith III; the nom de rap stands for "Ladies Love Cool James") started laying down raps as a kid. When he turned eleven, LL, who had been living with his grandparents since he was four (owing to a rocky, often violent home situation), got a DJ system from his granddaddy. The budding B-boy started making tapes, one of which ended up at Def Jam's offices, specifically in the hands of Ad-Rock. The Beastie Boy hipped Def Jam's founders Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, and in 1984 the upstart label signed young Mr. Smith.
Def Jam released LL's "I Need a Beat" that same year. The sparse, hard-hitting 12-inch was not only LL's maiden vinyl experience, but also the first single to bear the Def Jam imprint. It would sell an impressive 100,000-plus copies and also put Def Jam, and of course LL Cool J, squarely on the map.
Encouraged by the almost immediate payoff, LL left school, entered the studio, and came out with 1985's Radio. Pushed by singles "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells," the album went platinum. In 1987 Bigger and Deffer went number three. Much of that success was because of the ballad "I Need Love," one of the first rap songs to cross over to pop and in addition the first rap love ballad. "I Need Love"'s sentimental, sweet lyrics appealed to the ladies and, along with his looks, helped make LL a heartthrob.
LL had proven that he had the smarts and songs to enjoy some pop love, but because of that some of the hardcore fans felt he was selling out. Although 1988's "Going Back to Cali" kept both camps happy, the hiphop faithful gave an overall thumbs-down to '89s Walking with a Panther, which, even though it was top ten and contained the gold "I'm That Type of Guy," was dismissed by many as too soft. Another issue was rap's changing climate and sonics.
With the more bombastic Public Enemy and the Native Tongues scene catching hold, LL's Kangol-rocking, sex-symbol, B-boy bragging was now bordering on outdated, so much so that at a show at Harlem's famed venue the Apollo, LL got booed. Understandably LL took the criticism hard, but it must have spurred him on because he came back harder—and swinging. His answer to his critics was 1990's Mama Said Knock You Out. Not only was the album the rawest and roughest LL had ever made, it entered the genius lyrical challenge "don't call it a comeback" into hip-hop's lexicon.
Fierce LL brought his unrelenting album to television with a historic acoustic performance on MTV Unplugged, holding it down with deadly intent. Thanks to top ten R&B singles "The Boomin' System" and "Around the Way Girl" (number nine on pop and maybe one of LL's dopest cuts) and the hit title track, Mama Said Knock You Out was a triumph, the ultimate f-you and LL's biggest album. It also securely established him as a pop star, reestablished his status as a rap superstar, and shut down any and all beefin' from anyone. Speaking of beef, LL then took his newly pumped-up profile and body to the screen, appearing in forgettable flicks The Hard Way and Toys. His album 14 Shots to the Dome came in 1993 and had a gangsta-esque street edge, something that LL didn't really do all that well.
It sold nicely, debuted top ten, but was a bit of a letdown after Mama and yielded no major hit singles. In fact, 14 Shots never went beyond gold and almost killed the love LL had recouped with his "comeback."
After 14 Shots, LL went back to acting (the sitcom In the House) and then returned to making music with '95's Mr. Smith. Proving that he had more lives than a cat, Mr. Smith ended up being a big seller—going double platinum and delivering two of LL's biggest singles, the Boyz II Men duet "Hey Lover" and "Doin' It." At the close of 1996 came a greatest hits collection, which was followed by Phenomenon a year later. The CD's title was a significant hit, and while LL's importance might have faded a bit, he was still a player and more than capable of pulling a burner out of his hat. That point was proven when LL (no stranger to a good battle rap) took on then much-hyped rapper Canibus on "4, 3, 2, 1."
After several verbal volleys, LL remained the champion. To kick off the Y2K, LL gave fans the modestly titled G.O.A.T. (The Greatest of All Time). The egomania paid off and the CD hit the top spot. Two years later LL celebrated his tenth album, and by extension his sometimes contentious tenure with Def Jam (that sort of label longevity is unheard of in most music). That milestone featured The Neptunes-helmed "Luv U Better," one of LL's biggest singles in quite some time. Although Uncle L kept making CDs, he sure wasn't getting Snoop/Jay/50 numbers.
Yet even so he was far from over. The DEFinition of 2004, boasting the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung," which found LL in sexy, party-hearty mode and featured a subtle shift in style, worked. To coincide with the album's release, LL, who had long been associated with the popular FUBU line, launched his own Todd Smith collection. Outside of its founder, not too many kids were seen rocking the clothes. But like the Energizer bunny, LL kept going. He was by now a cultural icon and talk show staple (the guy's got a winning way with words, and by hip-hop standards he's a brilliant public speaker). Yet for anyone thinking that this happily married father of four was looking to retire, "Control Myself" put that to rest. An all-out smash, the single, produced by Jermaine Dupri and featuring J.Lo, had a healthy sample of old-school jam "Looking for the Perfect Beat." The single was the lead in for '06's Todd Smith album. Despite that huge single, the CD didn't sell well and LL openly trashed Def Jam, going so far as to hang with crosstown rival 50 Cent at that year's MTV VMAs.
As 2007 kicked off, LL was teaming up with 50 to executive produce his final album on Def Jam called Exit 13 and was promoting a workout book. If you can't rhyme like the G.O.A.T., at least you can look like him.
What was the first single released by Def
Jam Records?
Run-D.M.C.'s "It's Like That"/
"Sucker MCs"
Beastie Boys' "Cooky Puss"
LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat"
Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"
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