August 02, 2004 @ 8:36 pm

Interview: LL Cool J - Bigger and Deffer

Patrick Taliaferro

LL Cool J (nee James Todd Smith) is pissed that people are always in his ear about his impeccable and almost unbelievable shape. "I made 11 albums," states the Queens rapper pausing contemplatively, "I do a lot of things people don't do." Truer words may have never been spoken. The 35-year-old rapper, who is well on his wa

What's interesting about LL Cool J's eleventh album, The DEFinition, is that it may prove that hip hop fans aren't as flaky as the Billboard charts would have you believe. Longevity and hip hop usually aren't synonymous - considering most labels build hits, not careers. On September 14 when The DEFinition - a surprisingly clean album, produced generally by Timberland and consisting mostly of club bangers and those requisite moist panty joints - hits retailers shelves fans will discover whether LL's rhymes are still as tight as his abs. Can I call it a comeback? Sure, why not It's hot outside, why should people leave their air conditioned homes to buy your albums? If they want to party and hear a LL Cool J record, and if you want to hear some 1:15 am party music where people are dancing on the bar, having a good time, then this is the record to listen to - it's a moment in time. I'm not reminding you of some of the horrors going on in life, I'm trying to give you an opportunity to forget about all of that and get into a good mood. I've always tried to make records that give people an opportunity to escape the drama and the "ookiness" of the world. That is why I have songs like "Apple Cobbler", "HeadSprung", and "Hush". I have a lot of faith and confidence in the music. I feel it, that's why I would go get it. Why don't you have a clothing line? Or do you? Well, I actually do have a clothing line coming out called Todd Smith. It's not the first, its actually my third venture. First time I was involved in a clothing line it was many, many years ago in the mid-eighties with a clothing line called Troop. Then we left that Â… So you're an originator? Yeah, the second clothing line was FUBU, which did very well for me. I look forward to this one as well. Clothing for me has always been an important part of what I do. I want a person to feel fly, to feel wealthy when they put my clothes on. I think that's important. That is why people pick certain clothing because of the way it makes them feel. I noticed that there was no profanity on the album, was that a conscious decision? It just didn't come up. It is conscious in the sense that, I don't look to do it. It wasn't necessary for me. I don't accomplish anything by doing it. I don't leave any quality on the table. What record needed it? There are plenty of records that I love that has cussing in it. You can get that too, there is nothing wrong with that, but this is me and this is what I do. You're in the best shape of your life, people are saying that it's due in part to plastic surgery. How do you respond to that? Let me tell you something [LL gets excited]. People have to get to the point and realize, it's not that I am taking steroids or anything like that. People always have an excuse for why they aren't doing what they should be doing. They see me in shape and it reminds them of the fact they aren't in shape. So rather than admit that they are too lazy to do it they want to blame my success in getting in shape on something else. No, I work hard. I go to the gym. When I am running around Central Park in the hot sun, nobody is their for 12 _ miles. When I am lifting weights in the gym, doing squats, dips, boxing, cardio and eating right, nobody's there. But they want to figure out some other reason for my success. If Puffy told everybody he ran 26 miles and if it wasn't on television, they would tell him he is lying too. The reality is this, people have got to learn to stop being so lazy. Anybody who says that about me is giving themselves a reason to fail. But I did it, just like I made 11 albums. I do a lot of things people don't do. What would today's LL tell the LL of Radio? Keep doing what you doing. That's it? Today's LL is a result of that. What's in your iPod? I didn't get the Lloyd Banks yet but I'm really enjoying his songs right now. I'm listening to Jimi Hendrix, Joe, R. Kelly, Usher, a little Mary here and there. I go back-and-forth with hip hop because I have a lot of blend tapes. So everything from 50, to Jada, to Mobb Deep, hip hop wise I am listening to everything. How have you changed the game? I don't knowÂ… I would have to remove myself from it and see how it is in order to really know. I know people say, 'Oh he made the first love song.' I'm like to love songs what Dre is to Gangsta rap. I know that people say that. I guess that's the stamp, I brought love. I hear your're doing a movie with Justin Timberlake, Why would you do that considering what he did to Janet at Nipplegate? You are hilarious; I don't have anything to do with that. That is him and her. Actually I didn't say anything to him because we were in character. When I'm on the set I leave LL at the door. I trained for eight years and studied very hard. The last thing I would want to do is waste an education on all of that. I feel what you're saying, but that wasn't the time for that. He was trying to get into character, I wouldn't want to break his concentration and ruin my movie. Anything else on the acting front? I'm producing some films, creating some jobs for other young actors. Acquiring material and creating jobs and giving people the opportunity to get into films, I look forward to that. I have a couple films in the can. I play a tormented cop in Edison. It's about a bunch of corrupt cops that are in bed with these local politicians terrorizing the city like you wouldn't believe. They are shaking down and busting big time gangsters and keeping the money. A journalist (Justin Timberlake) is attempting to expose them and he doesn't know who he is messing with. I saw an hour of it yesterday, and it's looking really good. What exactly does "Headsprung" mean? Just going to party, going crazy. Timb and I were running around Miami on South Beach. Tim just came into the studio with the "HeadSprung", and I was like absolutely. Since there is a trend of rappers heading to Broadway, do you see a stage career in your future? I have something on the table for Broadway. Right now I am focusing on film. But Broadway is something that I have thought of, I have offers on the table now. Jay-Z did it and Too Short does it all the time, do you plan on retiring? No, because this is art. This ain't sports. Will you still rap at 50? I don't know. Can you be Steven Tyler? Would anyone have thought that thirty years ago. Would anybody have thought Mick Jagger could be who he is today? I don't know when the artistry leaves off. We found out how much of it is manufactured pop-ism and how much of it is artistry. I guess if you're a true artist then you can be 50. But if you're manufactured it's based on your physicality. When you're Paul Simon and Elton John the answer is yes. But this is hip hop, the music is only 25 years old, so we don't know. I know one thing for sure there will be 50 and 60-year-old rap fans. You ain't going to stop liking it when you 60. How do you stay relevant? I just really believe I am built for this. I am just now getting into my mid-thirties. People think I am older than I am. My career is older, but chronological I am not. They don't know I started out like Bow Wow, they not getting how young I am. Tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear these wordsÂ… J. Lo. Talented, Charismatic John Kerry Don't Know Kool Moe Dee Artist Maia Campbell Smart Girl Whitney and Bobby Different Check out music from The DEFinition To listen to "Feel The Beat" click here To listen to "Headsprung" click here To watch the video for "Headsprung" click here

Article tags: Interview, LL, Cool, J, Bigger, And, Deffer 

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