LL COOL J once had a collaborative album with 50 Cent. Hip-Hop has become the home of collab albums, and LL and 50 Cent will be the NYC collaboration we will never see. Appearing on The Breakfast Club, LL revealed that he wrote an album with 50 that he ultimately scrapped.
“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent,” LL revealed. “And we were writing together on this album. And when it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out.”
LL would provide more details, “It was nothing against 50, I love 50. I just wanted to try something different. It didn’t work.”
It’s hip-hop’s 50th birthday and to celebrate, LL Cool J and The Roots appeared on The Breakfast Club to talk about the genre’s culture and impact while sharing anecdotes from their own pioneering careers. One detail revealed by LL in the course of the interview was that he and fellow Queens native 50 Cent once recorded an entire album together — but that LL decided to shelve it himself.
The album was first announced in 2006, right around the height of 50’s reign, with LL saying at the time, 50 reminds me a lot of the things that I used to do and the places I used to be in my life, and I think we can have a good time together. He’s talented and I feel like I have something I want to say — I think he can help me get it off my chest.”
Unfortunately, he wasn’t so fond of the end result. As he tells The Breakfast Club in the interview above, “When it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out. It was nothing against 50, I love 50. I just wanted to try something different. Maybe we collaborate, write together … It didn’t work.” The collaboration did produce one of LL’s later hits though.
“50 wrote the chorus on ‘Paradise’ for Amerie, which she sung,” LL notes. “He didn’t write my rhymes … when that happened, I didn’t even know 50 was involved. That was The Trackmasters, they got that done.”
The annual Rock The Bells event occurred at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. The 2023 festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with an incredible lineup featuring legendary artists such as LL Cool J, The Roots, Queen Latifah, and more. From electrifying performances to surprise guest appearances, Rock The Bells truly paid homage […]
Prepare to embark on a captivating journey through the annals of Hip Hop history as A&E Network introduces its latest series, Hip Hop Treasures. Premiering on August 12 at 10 PM ET/PT, following Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday, this groundbreaking show takes you on a quest to uncover lost and iconic Hip Hop memorabilia, guided by none other than Ice T and LL COOL J.
Led by two legendary figures of the genre, alongside field collectors and museum curators, Hip Hop Treasures delves deep into the stories behind some of Hip Hop’s most illustrious artists and the cherished items that defined their legacy. Imagine seeing The Notorious B.I.G.’s iconic jersey from the “Juicy” video, Flavor Flav’s iconic clocks, DMX’s Aaliyah car, and more, all meticulously preserved and showcased in the birthplace of Hip Hop culture – The Bronx.
This exclusive partnership between A&E, Pulse Films, LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells, and The Universal Hip Hop Museum pays homage to these music legends by returning their artifacts to where it all began. “Hip Hop Treasures” offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the originators and artifacts that birthed the global phenomenon of Hip Hop.
With LL COOL J and Ice T at the helm, joined by field collectors Cipha Sounds and Yo-Yo, alongside Chief Museum Curator Paradise Gray and curator Pete Nice, elusive artifacts find their way back to The Universal Hip Hop Museum’s archive. The museum, set to become “The Official Record of Hip Hop,” is diligently assembling the world’s largest Hip Hop memorabilia collection, with its permanent home scheduled to open worldwide in 2024.
Throughout the series, you’ll be treated to poignant personal narratives from LL COOL J and Ice T themselves, along with unparalleled access to Hip Hop luminaries like DMC (Run DMC), CeeLo Green, Flavor Flav, Fat Joe, Treach (Naughty by Nature), Master P, Soulja Boy, and many more. Moreover, “Hip Hop Treasures” will honor the legacies of The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Biz Markie and feature Coolio’s final on-camera appearance before his passing in 2022.
In conversation with The Source, Ice T discusses being a part of Hip-Hop Treasures, the growth in Hip-Hop, and why our memorabilia is one of the most rich entertainment components.
What initially drew you to be a part of this series, and why do you think it’s important to highlight the search for lost Hip-Hop memorabilia?
Well, I didn’t start off as a host. I started off just as one of the characters. We were donating stuff to the hip-hop museum, and we shot our episode, and the people from A&E said, Ice, you are so well-spoken. Would you like to come in and, you know, co-host this? So that’s how we got put on. It’s a good concept. It’s a great thing. Hip-Hop being 50 years old man, Hip-Hop has gray hair, and a lot of the stuff that we never thought would be valuable is valuable. It only takes 20 years for something to be an antique. So you go and meet these people like me, and you’re like, man, you got stuff from day one, and now there are collectors out there, and there are people that are really appreciating it. And that’s a great thing.
Can you share a particular moment or item that resonated with you personally during this filming?
No, I can’t say anything personally. Every time I see something, it’s dope. Like when Flavor Flavor tells the story about his clock, I’m like, I didn’t know that story. So a lot of times you see the item, but then the story that goes along with it is so dope. Everybody’s looking for the Holy Grail. On my end, my gold gun got lost in the mix of me and my ex breaking up. I don’t know where that is; she probably sold it. But it’s a lot of things. So it’s an amazing show, and just cool to kick in with people. We went and talked to Coolio, and we had no idea that that would be the last interview with Coolio. So, it’s a lot about getting Hip-Hop while it’s still alive.
You mention these artifacts and also contributing to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum. How does it feel for you to be almost like a scientist who gets to find, preserve, and celebrate these items for other people in the future?
It’s cool, man. When Rocky Bucano and the team started the Universal Hip-Hop Museum up in the Bronx, I donated a lot of stuff early in the game, but it’s just taken fire. I’m with Afrika Islam, and they do auctions at Sotheby’s, the most prestigious auction house, and that’s where I learned a lot of this stuff is extremely valuable. See, collectors are interesting. There are baseball cards that are worth millions of dollars. Now to somebody, that’s not valuable, but to a collector, that’s valuable. So there are people that really respect Hip-Hop to such a level. I heard Biggie’s Crown went for hundreds of thousands of dollars, you know? So it’s a very interesting thing, but it’s something that I don’t think, as a rapper, we ever felt that these things would have much value. You’re gonna be amazed at some of the stuff we got. They got stage props from Digital Underground that are two stories tall.
You mentioned Coolio, and throughout the series, we also have moments of tribute to Biggie, DMX, Biz Markie. People who are associated with the legend tag like yourself. How does that personally feel inside?
When people throw legend around, I always try to throw living in front of it, you know? I’ve lost so many people, man. The thing we do with Biz Markie’s wife is crazy, and I think all our legends would be proud to know that pieces of them are being immortalized on a TV show and museum. My thing was always, even dating back to my film Art of Rap, I wanted to make Hip-Hop respectable. I think this show will give people on the outside to understand where different parts of the culture came from. Culture is just a bunch of people who bring something to the table.
What do you want viewers to take away from this show, and what message do you send to those excited about the upcoming Hip-Hop museum?
It’s a place to go and see things you remember from your era. Take your kids and see where Hip-Hop was born. You have a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, some of my stuff is in the Smithsonian. When items are respected enough to be in museums, it gives credibility. Believe me, some people still don’t want to give Hip-Hop its credit even though it’s a multibillion-dollar industry. They want to aim at the negative stuff because it gets more views. But this is a totally positive show that will only show the best. One of my favorite shows right now is Tales From the Territories, highlighting wrestlers, it’s also on A&E, and they sit and talk about wrestling. What makes it dope is that you only see them in the ring, but you don’t hear from them. It’s not like sitting down and talking about beef; it’s about the actual work. So I think this will humanize Hip-Hop more to where children can look at their mothers and say, “Okay, Mom, I understand why you love Salt-N-Pepa so much.”
With Hip-Hop hitting it’s 50th year. What do you see in the game now and enjoy most?
I like the fact it’s still around and still called Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop has gone through many phases that I wasn’t fond of. I made it clear I wasn’t too fond of the ringtone phase where no one was rapping. As a person like me, a rapper, I like rap. I like bars. I really feel right now, we’re in an era where the rapper is about to return as freestyles are getting popular and the lyrics are starting to push forward. Any culture is going to go through phases, though. It can’t stay the same. It has to morph and go into different zones. So ultimately, I’m happy it’s still alive. I’m happy kids can learn from it. I’m happy Hip-Hop billionaires are showing you can take this anywhere. You look at JAY-Z, you look at 50 Cent, these guys started rapping, but there’s no limit to what they can do. Ice Cube has a basketball league. Do you see what I mean?
One of Hip-Hop’s biggest stars of all time, LL Cool J, pulled up on Kevin Hart’s Gold Minds podcast to reflect on his career and the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. During his conversation, LL reveals what drew him to music.
“I started writing rhymes at 11, 12 years old. I started writing my own rhymes. Why was I attracted to it? Because I had never heard young, black men sound powerful before. Every time I saw black men on TV, they were like being handcuffed and being put in a police car. Or it was a bad story. Or they were somebody that I couldn’t relate to that was way far away somewhere. But these guys were right there where I was from. And they were dreaming big… back then, it was a dream and that bragging and that macho stick your chest out pride was really about ‘I want to be somebody, I want to be heard, I don’t want to be invisible.’ 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.”
Mary J. Blige, along with her business partner and LL Cool J’s wife, Simone I. Smith, have come together to introduce a jewelry collection that pays tribute to the essence of 90s hip-hop. Mary J. Blige & Simone Show ‘Sister Love’ The brand, Sister Love, is a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary and its impact […]
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York is honoring East Coast rappers in a very special way. In conjunction of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the MTA is issuing special edition cards featuring rappers who hail from New York City — the birthplace of hip-hop.
On different versions of the Metro Cards are rappers LL Cool J, Pop Smoke, Rakim, and Cam’Ron. The cards arrive as part of a partnership with Universal Music Group.
The LL Cool J and Pop Smoke cards are available beginning today, at stations in their respective neighborhoods. LL Cool J’s will be available to purchase at Forest Hills-71 Av and Pop’s Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy (L) & New Lots Av (3)
4 new commemorative MetroCards are dropping as part of a collaboration with @UMG in celebration of #HipHop50!
Grab yours at full-service vending machines at these stations starting tomorrow: @llcoolj: Forest Hills-71 Av Pop Smoke: Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy (L) & New Lots Av (3) pic.twitter.com/Ta0Z38Gspc
Cam and Rakim’s will be available for purchase later this month, throughout the entire MTA system.
“From standing on top of the Empire State Building to grabbing a slice at the corner pizza shop, NYC creates iconic moments that are recognized around the world,” said Rakim in a statement. “But it doesn’t get closer to real city life than swiping a metro card and standing clear of the closing doors. It’s an honor to be celebrating the 50th Anniversary on the streets…and now below them…of the city where hip-hop was born.”
In similar New York-related news, the Brooklyn Public Library also recently announced that it would be offering a selection of Jay-Z inspired library cards, as part of its ongoing The Book Of Hov exhibition, honoring the rapper’s inspiring career.
LL COOL J stopped by the SiriusXM studios and appeared on SiriusXM’s Sway In The Morning to talk about the Rock The Bells Festival this upcoming Saturday in Queens, New York, as well as his upcoming tour THE F.O.R.C.E. (FREQUENCIES OF REAL CREATIVE ENERGY).
While talking with SiriusXM’s Sway Calloway, LL also discussed his comments on the rumors that Biggie dissed him on “Who Shot Ya?,” his upcoming album, and freestyled live on the air.
LL Cool J still got it and will never lose it. LL COOL J made a special appearance at the SiriusXM studios, joining Sway Calloway on SiriusXM’s Sway In The Morning. During the interview, LL discussed Saturday’s Rock The Bells Festival in Queens, New York. He also shared exciting details about his upcoming tour, THE F.O.R.C.E. (FREQUENCIES OF REAL CREATIVE ENERGY).
Addressing the rumors, LL Cool J discussed his take on whether Biggie dissed him on the track “Who Shot Ya?” Furthermore, he gave fans a sneak peek into his forthcoming album.
As a treat for listeners, LL Cool J showcased his iconic skills by freestyling live on the air, reminding everyone why he is considered one of the greatest in the game. You can hear the entire freestyle and interview with LL below.
Miranda Lambert has been in the headlines quite a bit lately after calling out fans at her concert for taking selfies while she was in the middle of performing. Though many gave her slack for embarrassing her own fans, it was reported that these “fans” were a group of six women turned away from Lambert and blocking the view of other fans while using flash.
However, LL Cool J gave his take on the controversy while appearing on the radio show Mercedes in the Morning. He was asked if he would call out a fan for taking a selfie at his concert, and he laughed and answered, “No,” and added, “Miranda, get over it, baby. They’re fans. It’s fans.”
He continued, “I can’t speak for her. I’m not gonna judge her. I have nothing unkind to say about her. I wish her the best. She has the right to her feelings. But to me, I let the fans be the fans and do what they want to do.”
Lambert would probably disagree. When calling out the fans, she said, “I’m gonna stop right here for a second, I’m sorry. These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song, it’s pissing me off a little bit. Sorry, I don’t like it at all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country damn music.”
