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Join the conversation as LL Cool J sits down with Sway for an exclusive interview on "Sway In The Morning," delving into the secrets behind his enduring success in hip-hop. With candid insights into his journey, LL Cool J reveals how he stays relevant in a rapidly changing industry.
From his early days of financial struggles to becoming a savvy entrepreneur, learn the pivotal moments that shaped his legendary career. Get an insider's view on the making of his latest album, produced by the brilliant Q-Tip, and discover the creative process behind their groundbreaking collaboration.
This interview is packed with wisdom on business acumen, staying humble, and the evolving landscape of hip-hop. Don't miss out on this captivating discussion—subscribe for more exclusive content from Sway's Universe and be part of the conversation!
CHAPTERS:
02:47 - LL Cool J's Business Savvy
08:37 - LL Cool J's Mother's Investment
12:51 - Producing LL Cool J
17:09 - Q-Tip's Vision for LL Cool J
23:45 - LL Cool J’s "Manifesto"
26:15 - LL Cool J - "Spirit Of Cus"
31:00 - LL Cool J & Q-Tip on "Black Gold"
34:54 - Listener Calls
39:06 - Collaborating with Eminem
41:00 - Stick to Your Guns
45:39 - Greatest Freestyle of 2023
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0:00
Todd's a hip-hop guy
0:02
rock and roll. Who said rock and roll? Who says that
0:12
Who says rock and roll? Shit's hilarious. Yo, and he's a rock and roll hall of fame in that day
0:22
How do you do that? Yo, man. Who wears football? Who does that
0:34
Rock and Roll. I'm saying. Multiple Grammy Award winning hip-hop icon
0:40
first artist to be a Kennedy Center honoree, author, actor, producer, NAACP Image Award winner
0:47
entrepreneur, philanthropist, founder and CEO of Rock the Bells, the one and only
0:52
the legendary, my idol, LL Cool J is here again. What up
0:57
What up? What up? What up? What up? What up? What up? What up? It's good, it's good, it's good
1:02
It's my brother right here. It's good, man. Like we went to high school together. No doubt
1:06
Come on, man. No doubt. out of here. No doubt. So I truly love you, LL, to the max
1:11
No, it's love, man. It's mutual, too. Hey, man, I talk about you when you don't even got nothing to talk about
1:18
My man. I find reasons to talk about L. My man. L, it's good to see you
1:23
You too. And it's good to see you out and about. Yeah, yeah
1:28
You are out and about. Yeah, you know, I want to, you know, you can't be lazy when it comes
1:34
Look, we live in a different world now, right? It's real fast-paced. So I got to let people know about the project
1:39
I can't just assume, oh, because it's an LL Cool J album, everybody's going to know what's coming
1:43
It doesn't work that way anymore. I love it, man. I think, too, in this day, because journalism is different
1:49
from when we all started, right? Definitely. It ain't the same print magazine, you know, guy interviewing you
1:56
They want to know everything about you. They want to know what lotions you use on your skin and shit
2:02
Besides socks, does LL wear? You got to get almost readjusted for this new form of journalism
2:09
Did you find that? Well, you know, I just said, you know what? They want to have conversations
2:13
I mean, we could talk, you know what I'm saying? We could have a conversation if you really want to go there and talk like that
2:18
We could talk like that, but I'm not going to be, you know, you know, you know, do we
2:22
wipe from the front to the back of the back? We're not going to get that deep. You know what I'm saying
2:26
But, you know what I'm saying? But, you know, we can have a conversation, and it's all love
2:31
You know what I'm saying? I don't mind. Look, I don't mind sharing with the people, man. You know what I'm saying
2:35
I got something to say about, you know, life. I don't mind sharing. You know what I'm saying
2:39
I'm not going to just be talking and be talking and all that. I'm out here because I have an album, but since I'm here, I don't mind talking
2:45
You know what I'm saying? Having a conversation. Okay. Well, let me ask you this question, because you've been very successful for a long time
2:51
right? And I remember when I've had, not comparing mine to yours, because yours motivated my success, right
2:59
Watching you as a teenager come out and just say box. And that audacity is what's in my DNA
3:06
A lot of it, oh, he's shit. He could be like that. He could be that bodacious. it
3:10
I could be that bodacious. Absolutely, 100%. And then as success came, I realized there was a lot I didn't know
3:16
I didn't know how to properly put away money, invest money, what to invest in, what works
3:24
Is it that stock market? Is it real estate? Is it creating other business outside of rap
3:31
I'm curious at what age, because you made a lot of money, six Gs for 20 minutes is the pay I earn
3:36
You said that it rocked the bells. You since went on and made a whole lot more money
3:41
When did you get business savvy? Did you get a business manager? At what stage did you realize, oh, shit, I got to do something with this
3:49
Well, it's a couple of things, right? I mean, the first part was that one time I had an accountant
3:54
and I gave an accountant $50,000, and I gave my mother $8,000 to hold
3:58
And the $8,000 was there longer. The $50,000 was all over the place, and the $8,000 just stayed there
4:03
I said, something ain't matching with that. That was the first moment
4:07
So it told me to ultimately I ended up signing my own checks. That was the first thing. Okay
4:12
Secondly, you know, you got to pay your taxes. So, you know, no matter what, I always pay my taxes
4:19
Thirdly, you know, I just kind of, I just realized that I'm not going to live above my means
4:26
So, you know, yeah, when I was a little kid, 10 cars outside the house, I'm living, you know
4:31
aboard my mother's house, I got 10 cars outside and I'm, you know, in my room, but I got 10 cars outside, but I'm still in my room
4:36
I'm just, you know. Playing video games. Some Soulja Boy shit. Like, you know, I was like, you know what I mean
4:41
I'm like, I got to take ours outside. But I just never lived above my means
4:45
So I never bought like, you know, a 30, 40, 50 million dollar mansion or, you know, any
4:51
even if even if I could afford it, I never pushed the envelope. Yeah
4:55
You know what I'm saying? Like, I never like went crazy in that weight
4:59
So I always kept things pretty simple. You know what I'm saying? Buy a crib
5:03
I'm good. I'm gooch. Like, that's my house. What am I doing
5:08
I need a goddamn. I mean, what do I need? I don't really know what, you know
5:13
Like, I see how the dudes, they got the crazy house and all that. I got a nice house
5:17
It ain't, you know, it ain't, you know. Your house is nice, bro
5:22
We've seen the house. Like, I just don't kind of, you know, to be honest with you, Sway
5:28
I just never put that much emphasis on, like, overdoing it with my lifestyle
5:36
Yeah. Does that make sense? That makes a lot of sense. That wasn't really what I got into it for
5:40
Yeah, yeah, you know, I make a lot of money and got money
5:44
Yeah, I have fun and I got things, but I never really put the emphasis on that, bro
5:50
Like, I just really like making music. I like creating art. I like doing my thing
5:55
And I'm just having a good time doing it. I can get what I want. Whatever I want, I can get it, B
6:00
That's it. You know, everything else is kind of like whatever. That's a blessing, though. If I want something, I can get it
6:05
Yep. I'm good with that. Like, I don't need to, you know, and mind you
6:10
Money comes and things come and people offer me things and I just, you know
6:15
That's not true. I just, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, I get it and that's it
6:19
You know, I get it. You know, tuck some away. Use some. I ain't afraid to spend it
6:23
You know, if I need to use it, I use it. Yeah. And if, you know, because the thing is, like, with a lot of money is that people want to have so much money because they never want to use it
6:34
They just, they want to have so much that they think they'll never run out. That's really the idea
6:38
So in reality, what you're saying is I want so much that I'm not going to use
6:43
Yeah. That's really what you're saying. Which is a form of hoarding. Yeah. Yeah
6:47
So what you're really doing is you just want to have so much money that you're not going to use it
6:52
So it's kind of like, and I get it. Look, I'm from the hood. Yeah. Like, I understand. Like, I'm not in no way, shape, or form of fashion saying that I'm answering
6:59
In fact, I like to get money. I'm all about abundance. I'm all about prosperity
7:04
Yes. However, however, I just don't worship it to the point of like, um, it's all that I
7:13
it consumes me all day. The money comes, money, money comes, man. It's like, you know what money
7:18
is like money is the equivalent of a trophy in, in basketball, you know, like winning a championship
7:25
If you do the right things on the court and if you do the right things on the floor and if you put the work in and if you play hard and if you do the right plays and you run the right plays and you execute and you win you get the trophy
7:36
You get the trophy. That don't mean you're not. You do it, though, because you love what you do
7:41
Then the trophies come. You know what I'm saying? You get out of the way and allow those trophies to come
7:46
but you're not in it just for the trophies. Just for the trophies. People think that, like, you can't just love basketball because you want a trophy
7:53
Like when you see a little kid, little gangly kid walking around the hood
7:57
and he's sitting there bouncing the ball. Yeah, he wants a trophy, but he loves bouncing that ball
8:00
Absolutely. You know what I'm saying? So I love doing the things that I do, and then the money comes
8:06
So, you know, I'm not – I have no needs and wants in that area
8:12
That's true. But it is what it is. You know what I'm saying
8:16
You know, whatever. You know what I mean? I'm good. Like, whatever. Let me hold something else so you don't care about the money
8:20
You don't care? No, I can't, bro. I can't, man. Let me hold something
8:27
I can't. All right, all right. Let me hold something. Let me get $40. Thank you
8:31
I'll set that shit to the lunch. $40. Come on, man. Let me hold $40. Let me hold $40
8:35
Glad we pay you Tuesday. In the song Postmodern, Elle has this album on The Force
8:42
It's like a hodgepodge of a lot of great messaging, sounds. I'm hearing you over sound
8:49
sonically I never really heard you over. And I'm going to say salute to Q-Tip
8:54
one of the most brilliant producers out there. 100%. In the song Postmodern
8:59
you actually talk about your mother taking her tax returns and investing in you
9:03
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I said my mother took her tax return and invested it
9:06
She bet it on the kid and look at what he did with it. Yeah. $2,000 in 84. $2,000 in 84
9:11
That's 100,000 X multiple from keeping you on the floor. Wow. And it's like what I was basically saying is
9:18
here's this black woman who worked really hard, who got a tax return
9:23
And just for the record, the majority of people with a lot of money
9:27
don't like tax season. So if you like tax season, you got some work to do
9:33
And that's okay. But I'm just letting you know that if you're happy about tax season
9:38
you probably make a lot of money. So my mother loved tax season
9:45
My mother was like, Yo, I'm going to get my tax return. She had other things to do, but I had gotten rejection letters from Sugar Hill
9:53
and rejection letters from different labels. Wow. And so, you know, from sending my demos out
10:00
And she knew she saw me and she came in the room and I was depressed and I'm miserable
10:05
And, you know, mothers, they like to look out for their kids
10:09
She's like, what's wrong? Because she found the letter. I had crumbled it up and thrown it in the corner
10:14
You know, I was frustrated. You know what I'm saying? because I'm, because you know. Young girl
10:18
Yeah, I've been trying to make, you know, I became a fan at eight, nine years old
10:22
I've been writing since 11 or 12. And you know, I started trying to make demos at 14
10:28
And you know, that took me two years from 14 to 16 to get till we started Def Jam
10:33
But in the process, I had sent demos out to anything, any label that seemed like they was into rap or hip hop
10:39
So my mother found a letter and you know, she came in there and I'm in the room
10:44
and I'm just sulking, you know what I'm saying? It's like a movie. You know what I mean, man
10:48
I'm sulking. And she's like, what's wrong? I'm like, oh, you know, I don't have no equipment
10:53
I can't, you know what I'm saying, make my music right and this and that
10:56
And so she just happened to get her tax return. Wow. And so she went
11:00
She said, what kind of drum machine do you want? She's surprised. She went and bought me
11:04
She bought me the wrong one, but she bought me one. Wow. So I took that drum machine, and I went over to my man Frankie's house
11:13
I was going crazy. You know what I'm saying? And we were so excited that we didn't even bother to read the instructions and learn how to program it
11:21
We did it manually. Wow. So I was playing the beat over the tape
11:26
And then he would scratch. And then I would play the beat. And then he would scratch. We would do pause tapes
11:30
And then I would rhyme on it. And then we would do pause tape and rhyme on it and all this
11:34
And I made the song, I Need a Beat. It was different rhymes. But the hook was, I need a beat
11:39
It was just different rhymes. And so I took that. And I sent that in to Rick Rubin
11:44
because Def Jam had Def Jam Productions, right? It was a label called Party Time Streetwise
11:50
but it was Def Jam Productions. You know what I'm saying? And Teela Rock It's Yours was that song
11:56
It's Yours. It's Yours. So I went and bought that song, and I saw Def Jam Productions
12:01
So I'm like, okay. I didn't even think about Party Time Streetwise. I said, I'm calling Def Jam Productions
12:06
So I hooked the tape up, sent it to Rick Rubin, and it was at his dorm in NYU in the dormitory
12:12
and he heard it. Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys used to be in the dorm
12:17
going through all the tapes and all that with Rick. He heard the tape and he played it for Rick. And I was calling
12:23
him every day for like a week straight. Yo, this L, you get the tape yet? Nope
12:26
Hey, this is Jay, you get the tape yet? Nope. And finally they got it. They called me
12:31
and you know, the rest is history. Shit, man. Yo, mama. Shout out to that tax return
12:38
And that's because my mother with her tax return. So she, you know
12:41
my mother I love her so much and she really that was like a you know
12:45
you know that was like incredible incredible moment for me yeah you know
12:49
that was that that's beautiful um when you listen to this album I feel like as well as I think
12:56
I know you I feel like I know you even more right
12:59
just a story like that and I think Q-Tip you know Q-Tip
13:06
is brilliant to me he's one of those unsung people know he gets
13:10
his props but I don't think he gets enough self-acknowledgement for what he brings to the culture
13:15
And even working with someone like you who's a juggernaut, like how do you produce LL Cool J
13:22
Right. How do you get LL open to your vision as LL has his own new vision
13:27
and make this mesh happen, especially after you made so many attempts prior to this
13:34
Well, I'll tell you. I can tell you. You know, first of all, whenever I go in the studio
13:39
I go in the studio like I never did anything. Okay. Okay, so the first thing, what I'm not bringing with me is my resume
13:47
That shit is outside. Okay. You know what I'm saying? You check your ego at the door
13:52
You know what I'm saying? It's corny, but it's true. Ego's not your amigo, especially when you're trying to create, right
13:57
So you check your ego at the door. So when I walk into that room, I'm fresh clay
14:03
I'm a new artist. Ain't no, yo, I did this, I know this
14:07
No. so that's the start then it's about like trusting each other
14:13
you know he's playing with the keyboard we get to know each other he's playing the keyboard
14:18
he's messing around with beats I'm sitting there writing and we start to learn
14:22
each other and learn our taste and you know find out you know common ground
14:27
then we taste test things and kind of just feel each other out and you find out
14:32
that like with me I'm one of those dudes that you could tell me
14:37
yo, that shit ain't good. I don't get butt hurt. Okay. See, some artists, you know
14:40
you can't tell them nothing. Uh-huh. You tell an artist, yo, you know, and that's a really bad habit
14:44
for artists, for young artists. Like, you know, if somebody tells you the shit, that's not
14:48
that doesn't work. Like, unless you are absolutely passionate about it, you should probably listen
14:54
Hear it out. It's okay. Yeah It not going to kill you to admit that you made some bad I had bad songs I made shit that wasn right It just like in that regard it like sports right Sometimes you have a bad season
15:06
Sometimes LeBron, you twist your ankles. Sometimes I had an off night. Maybe I had an off album
15:11
Maybe I, you know, it happens because that's just the nature of being a pro
15:14
But when you go into these processes, you have to be humble
15:19
So that being said, I would just be like, yo, Tip, this is what I'm thinking
15:23
He said, what kind of album do you want to make? I said, yo, I want pickle juice, hot sauce, pimentos, and a potato salad
15:28
I said, I want, God damn it. You know what I'm saying? Yo, I want, yo, I want, yo, I want, yo, I want this
15:34
I want crispy. I want yams. I want crispy yams, crispy skin on the chicken
15:38
You know what I mean? I want smoked turkey in the greens. The Kool-Aid. Yo, I want the, yo, I want all that
15:43
That's what I want. I want the Kool-Aid with the chewed glass. The glass is a little chewed on the joint
15:48
The extra ice in it, right? And it's like, we went through that process, and once we went in, that was it
15:55
And then we was, yeah, then we just went hard. You know what I'm saying? And just, you know, I just, you know, it was just what we do
16:02
Yeah. You think it was a Queens thing too? The Queens connection? I think the Queens thing definitely helps because we have a similar DNA in terms of the things that we were exposed to musically
16:13
However, it really is about being kindred spirits artistically. Because, see, an artist can be a rapper, but not all rappers are artists
16:22
Yeah. Right? And when people say artists in this world, most of the time what you're thinking about is somebody who has a deal and is signed to a label or signed a contract to work with some company
16:35
I'm an artist, and I'm not talking about my contract that I signed
16:40
You see what I'm saying? You was that with or without a contract. Right. So whether it's I Need Love or Spirit of Cyrus or Mama Said I Knock You Out or Hey Love
16:48
where if it's, you know, like, I really write these songs and really think about these concepts
16:53
and really, like, dream this shit up. And then, you know, my job with Q-Tip
16:58
it was to give me a sonic landscape that could really bring this vision to life
17:02
You know what I'm saying? So that's the thing. It's about injecting the art into the music
17:07
and not just phoning in it. Let me ask this question. As you vividly explain your vision in this project
17:14
which I think you touch on so many different chords, I want to get from Q-Tip
17:19
what was his vision when he first found out he was gonna, you guys were gonna go
17:23
in the studio together and guess what I got him on the line right now we got Q-Tip
17:27
come on L where you at man yo Tim talk to him man yo that's hilarious
17:33
that's hilarious yo that's hilarious I'm gonna be talking about you and shit
17:39
you hiding in the cut and all that what up B Hey, I was listening to you talk about money
17:50
Yeah. And I was like, man, I know yesterday was Sunday, but my man is on some Reverend Floyd's flake right now
17:59
He's telling us all my dollars. I love it. He was hitting me with the ogy like, yo
18:10
Yo. Yo, what is it? Yo, hey, it sounds great, though, don't it? It sounds great, Tim
18:15
Come on, man. It sounds great. We got Q-Tip on the line, man
18:18
Give him a big round of applause, man. I told Tip, you know what I'm saying
18:23
I told Tip, I said, Tip, I said, you're going to be on the cover of the magazine. And I said, what
18:28
You said, yeah, yeah, big bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sub-ups, sub-ups and all that
18:33
But yo, yo, this dude is. What did I say? How do I sound
18:38
What did I say? Sub-ups, sub-ups. Yo, Tip, let me tell you something
18:44
Tip is brilliant. And the thing about Tip is he is not just a producer in terms of like, yes, he samples
18:52
Yes, he uses technology. But he's also a musician. And he's a master musician
18:55
And he's a guy who cares about his craft. And he knows how to instruct and guide other musicians
19:01
And so when you think about production, when we make these records, musicality is a big part of that
19:07
And I think that he brings that in spades to the process. You know what I'm saying
19:11
but I let him go ahead, man. What was your thought process? Like, what did you see for L as a producer
19:19
Um, I don't know. You know, he just, he just hit me up and it was just like
19:28
you're like, Oh, what up, miss? You know, it's like, I was saying
19:33
um, it's funny. I was talking. I was not talking. I may have been nod
19:38
I think I was talking to her the other day. You forgot you was talking to Nas
19:43
That's some bullshit right there. No, no, no. Come on. That's my heart right there
19:49
You know, that's the bro right there. But I don't know if I said this to him
19:56
But, you know, I was like, man, you know, it's like the hip-hop orb
20:02
You know what I mean? Yeah. And, you know, the cats like us, you know what I'm saying
20:06
from that generation, the orb is LL, Rakim, G-Rap, Kane, and Rick
20:14
You know what I mean? That's the orb for MCs, you know what I'm saying
20:20
So if one of them is hitting you, Jack, it's like an alert to your phone
20:27
you know what I'm saying? So when he hit me, I was like
20:31
oh, I'll be telling, tell you. I just told him the other day
20:37
I still can't even believe I did an album for LL Cool J
20:44
That's kind of crazy. That's a round of applause. You know, it's like he's such a..
20:50
So when he called, you know, it was just like, he explained to me
20:56
you know, you know what I'm saying, B, I need that, you know what I mean? I need that, you know
21:01
that pickle juice, you know what I'm saying? We figured that out
21:12
We went in and it just started to happen. Heather, you made a good point because we just hosted the, oh shit
21:22
Elle should do this too, the Blue Note Jazz Festival. It ain't what you think
21:26
Black radio experience. Black radio experience. I know it says Blue Note Jazz Festival. It ain't what people think. Right. Right
21:31
You ain't. Yeah, because it's really a Robert Glassman show. Yeah, so you got Common, Pete Rock
21:38
You got Andre 3000, John Legend. Yeah, right. This would be great for Elle
21:45
I'm just going to throw that out for both of y'all, Tip, for both of y'all to come out because we saw Pete Rock
21:49
And Heather, you was talking about this, seeing Pete Rock and Common out there
21:53
Yeah, because to me, I don't think in a million years Pete ever imagined something like this
21:59
This is Mount Vernon, New York. You know, it started out with CL Smooth, you know, have Rest in Power was his cousin
22:06
That's a whole, you know, unique sound in itself. And then to see your career fast forward, you did an album and doing albums with Common
22:16
You know, it's like to see P and Common together, to see Tip and L together, it's just beautiful to me
22:24
Like it just not what you may have imagined but when it came together you like oh shit It works It works It works And it was just dope The stage show was incredible
22:35
Sway pointed out the comment. He brought Broadway to the stage, his Broadway experience
22:41
It was like a theater show right in the middle of a jazz festival, right in the spirit of hip-hop
22:47
It was all the things. It was all of those years that you mentioned earlier. Common and Pete figured it out and was able to make it visual as well
22:54
It was so dope. And I just see that for y'all as well. That's dope. It was dope
22:58
Yeah, I just spoke to Pete the other day, man. And I was, you know, we were going back and forth. And I was telling him congratulations
23:03
Yeah. And it was just exciting and how happy I was for him and, you know, his journey and everything
23:08
I mean, look, these producers, man, these hip-hop producers, you know, when you think about Q-Tip, when you think about Pete, when you think about Dre, when you think about, you know, a lot of Primo
23:18
When you think about these producers, a lot of them, it's good to see them shining the way they're shining
23:23
It's good to see Q-Tip getting the garden that he deserves. Not just the flowers, the garden
23:31
The whole harvest. The harvest, yeah. And then Child Court Quest will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
23:36
We were campaigning for that. We campaigned hard. We were the Hall of Fame campaign right there
23:41
I was too. You were too, right? 100%. I saw you doing it. 100%. Yeah, man
23:45
100%. Let me ask you guys this because I was on social media and there was a comment that said
23:52
LL Cool J has one of the blackest albums of 2024. The album is unapologetically black
24:00
But he's always been that. He has a song called Black Cold Sweet
24:04
And he has a song I want to get into right now to go over the lyrics
24:08
And I want to ask you guys about this direction. Let's do a lyrical breakdown real quick
24:13
It's the lyrical breakdown. I can break you down like whatever you want
24:18
Unsway in the morning. Breakdown. Now, the album starts off incredibly strong with a song called Spirit of Cyrus
24:28
Now, if you were born in a certain era, you would know who Cyrus is
24:32
Can you dig it? Right from the movie The Warriors. Did you play Cyrus at one point
24:40
You were like a Cyrus? I played Cyrus in a music video before I did the whole can you dig it shit
24:46
That was the moment of my life. But the lyrics, I want to go over the lyrical breakdown
24:53
And Elle, I want to find out where were you when you were writing? Like, where were you mentally
24:57
What was your purpose in writing some of these lyrics, okay? The first lyric is, this is my manifesto
25:03
The reason why I did it. The press will call me evil. Can I interject
25:08
Yes. Yes. You know, it would be dope to add to your wonderful part of the show
25:16
called The Lyrical Breakdown? Yes. And I would hope that this would be an innovation of mine
25:23
Absolutely. To your already brilliant set. You should play the song, right
25:28
And when the verse goes, then pause it. And say, yo, what the hell did you mean by that
25:33
Okay. And then say, okay. No problem. And then pause it. Yeah. And then go to whatever and then play it and say, yeah, what was that
25:40
Why'd you say it like that? Let's do that. Let's do that. Okay. We on it
25:44
Let's do that. I like that idea. Thank you, Tim. Just right here. Stop it
26:15
Yeah. So, so, so, so, so it all started with this, this LAPD cop. His name was Christopher Dorner and Christopher Dorner was going around. He was, you know, unaliving his own officer, fellow officers, their families. He was going crazy
26:36
and I got a call at the time I was doing the show
26:41
I got a call from high level law enforcement people in the, you know, just friends of mine
26:45
because you do the show for so long you meet a lot of people and have friends in a lot of different places
26:49
You gotta say the show, L NCISLS So I got the call
26:54
he was like, yo hey, I want you to stay in the house
26:58
I'm like why do you want me to stay in the house
27:02
he says because there's a manhunt on right now for a guy who looks just like you
27:12
And he's very, very dangerous, and the odds are that it will be not end well
27:18
So you need to stay in the house because they're not going to be asking questions. And I was like, well, what do you mean
27:24
So I Googled him, and then it was so funny. At that time, for those who remember
27:28
there was a little bit of a running joke about L.L. looking like this guy, Christopher Dorner
27:33
on the internet. There was a little bit of a joke just floating around
27:38
And so I look, I'm like, damn. So then I went down the rabbit hole. Now, okay
27:42
So I go down that rabbit hole and I see he has beef between, it's black and blue
27:48
But then I'm comparing his gripes to the gripes that I see in society
27:53
happening with black people in general. And it like, I got inspired
27:58
because it became like a metaphorical situation, so to speak for for some of the bigger and wider ranging problems that we face in the country um
28:07
and that inspired it so i wrote it from that place and then it's up to the people you decide
28:13
but i kept it a thousand percent real you know i'm saying black blood you're quick to spill it
28:18
justified rape and pillage hide behind your image and terrorize my village your life you won't live
28:24
it your death will be horrific a 147 grain bullet to be specific my nine i'm lifting it to execute a Stop
28:32
Yeah. My nine, I'm lifting it to execute a hypocrite. Yeah. That could be taken controversially
28:39
Well, it's really not controversial. This is what he did. Okay. These is facts
28:44
This is what the guy did. Now, it's up to you to decide how you want to apply that
28:49
But this is what he did. Okay, go! Drop a little bit and squeeze, I'm sick of it
28:55
I walk away slow as the people gather round. Quick change of clothes, blend back in the crowd
29:00
Let the paramedics work, right? That's not your job. Now you dead up in the dirt, right
29:04
Because that badge is the mob. Stop! Yeah. It's dead up in the dirt because that badge is the mob
29:10
This is how that guy felt. This is what he said. He said, you know, you guys are a mob
29:16
I mean, this is the life that this guy, you know, he really believed this
29:20
This is my manifesto, the reason why I did it. It's an unbelievable story
29:25
And then the question becomes, okay, what do you got to say about that
29:32
It's there for you. What are you going to say about it? You know, I'm like, seriously, like this is what he went through
29:39
It's a true story. It is a police officer who made this decision and went in this direction
29:46
Okay. Now, what does that mean to you? What does that mean as a metaphor for what's going on in the world
29:52
I mean, you know, what does it mean? You know what I mean
29:57
Yeah. Tyreek Hill was on the ground in front of a... You know, football stadium like on its way into a game
30:04
Like, really? Yeah. Like, really? You get pulled over in handcuffs. Like, really? Yeah
30:08
Like, bro, like, I'm going to play football. Like, thousands of people are screaming my name
30:13
I'm the cheater. I run. You know me. I'm the best. I'm one of the best in the game
30:17
You got me on the ground. Like, you're trying to, what's the problem? You want to, like, you see what I'm saying
30:22
Yeah. So it's like, and this particular officer, he was feeling those feelings
30:26
So it's like it makes you wonder, like, what's going on in there
30:31
You know, it's not about like – because what we know is that there's good and bad in every part of the world
30:36
We know that. We're clear about that. So we're not saying that everybody's bad
30:42
We're not saying – but this particular guy was dealing with these particular guys, and he had this particular issue
30:48
Right? This particular officer had a particular issue with Tyreek. Right? Like, so that's the thing
30:54
It's the specificity of it that makes it universal. You know what I mean
30:58
Absolutely. I love this. Let's play the song from the top. We got LL Cool J is here
31:05
Bam. That's a true story. All true story. Fact. That's a true story
31:11
Based on a true story. Wow. Hey, Tip. Tip, you reached new heights with this production, brother
31:20
I know it was always in you, but salute to you, maestro
31:26
for what you've been able to put together. Man, you make me want to rap again, Tip
31:30
I'm about to go get my book out, Heather. Yeah, man. You already know I was messing with all your shit
31:38
but I appreciate it, bro. Nah, man. Here's the thing, like that old narrative that we can't keep making music
31:46
that's done. I don't want to hear no more about that shit. Right. That's yeah. What it is, you know, when you hear people say what it is, is it's not that it's a young man's game
31:55
What it is, is it's a fresh idea game. Yeah. And a lot of times the younger ones are the ones who have the fresh ideas
32:02
Yes. So you have to have fresh ideas. What you can't do if you want to continue to make art is rest on your laurels creatively
32:10
Yeah. Like tip is always educating himself and always practicing and always working on his craft
32:15
That's why I respect them so much. Like when I tell people, yo, I had to learn how to rap again
32:20
I know I can rap. I know I can rhyme beat. But I wanted to go in deeper and figure out new couplets, new ways, new approaches, new ways to address a song, new ways
32:30
Because times change, the arts evolve. And you want to be state of the art and you want to respect
32:36
See, that's the thing a lot of artists that have been around a long time don't do
32:40
You got to respect generationally how things evolve. A Tim Hardaway crossover is different from Kyrie
32:47
Yes. So you have to understand that and respect that. It doesn't mean that you can't keep going, but you can't play by old rules
32:55
It's just like that NBA debate where they talk about the 90s rules and these rules
32:59
It doesn't matter. These are the new rules. You have to learn the current rules of the game and then play better than everyone else
33:06
That's it. Within the current rules. Did Q-tip at any point, Tip, did you have to tell L, that verse ain't it
33:13
Um No I didn't have to say it I didn't have to say it
33:24
I didn't have to say it because I would scrunch up my face
33:27
And walk out the room And not come back for like five hours
33:35
Did that happen? And then when I get back When I walk back in he would go
33:41
Was it something I said? Yeah, that was real. But how did you take that
33:49
I mean, that was encouraging to you, I would imagine. I loved it. I loved having a creative partner that I respect who, oh, by the way, is also an MC and can rhyme himself
34:02
And if it ain't moving him, it's like, yo, do better. Like, I'm good with that
34:09
Like I told you. if you're an artist, it's like you have to be coachable
34:13
Like, and this goes for anybody. I don't care if you're in hair school
34:17
if you're trying to be a lawyer, if you're trying to be a, like you have to be coachable
34:22
People that aren't coachable, if you're trying to learn how to use cameras, like it's not just about hip hop and me and Tip
34:28
it like they bigger life lessons Be coachable You know what I saying So when he tells me something I not gonna hit him with the big bro and the yo I was doing this when you was you know Come on man He ain like it
34:41
Change it. Boom. That's it. That's beautiful. LL Cool J is here
34:45
Q-Tips on the line. A new project is to force. Do yourself a favor if you haven't sat with it from beginning to end
34:53
This is conceptual. I got to take one or two callers because they've been waiting so long
34:57
All right. Let's go to Canada. Nah Rob that's a long question
35:01
We're going to go to Detroit Go ahead Damon Wow Wow you're going to do that
35:04
It's a long question He's about to ask Shorten it Shorten it for him
35:08
Give him an opportunity to Eddie Can't do that to Canada First Kendrick
35:12
Oh Canada Kendrick gives him A lifetime show And you sitting on Canada
35:16
Okay my bad Alright Rob Rob Rob you there Yeah what up Sway
35:22
What up Heather V What up Al How's everybody Come on Tip Come on real quick
35:26
Go ahead Rob And, you know, big fan, just wondering over your long and fruitful career
35:32
what do you think was one of the more definitive moments that's left a lasting impact on your life professionally and or privately
35:40
Well, I would say, I mean, I mean, obviously just getting on in the beginning was huge and being able to continue
35:48
Look, anytime you get the opportunity to do what you love, man, it's up to you to be able to continue that
35:54
You know, nothing can last forever, but it can last a lifetime. Right. So it was just getting on, you know, being introduced to hip hop, being, you know, yeah, a kid from Queens, but being in Long Island and being at an age where I could hear the first Herc tapes and Bambaataa tapes and force MCs because it was forced to kids next door
36:13
So I got exposed to hip hop like right when it was really right in generation one
36:19
Like it's kind of weird, like in that regard, because I got it sooner than I should have
36:24
Yeah. Right. Yeah. So like, you know. That's why a lot of my peers that are my age, which would be like the Biggies and the Pox and the Jays, those guys, they weren't out yet
36:36
Because a lot of them weren't exposed at the same, just a little bit more exposure a little earlier, and I was already ready to go
36:43
But yeah, that would be it, man. Just getting put on, baby. And that's the interesting thing
36:48
All about the same age, right? You just started earlier. Yeah, yeah
36:52
So L was a young dude for a long, still is. I was like Bow Wow or something, but I just never was a kiddie rapper
37:00
You know what I mean? You know you were 6'6", 6'1", or whatever. You know, that didn't help
37:05
Yeah, linguine. A piece of linguine. Yeah, I was tall, 6'2", 3", whatever it is, but 5'4", whatever it is
37:15
But I was a piece of linguine. Yeah, man, but to move like a giant
37:19
That's the thing. That's the thing. Damon, what up? You in Detroit. What's your question for El
37:24
Hey, Damon. What up, though? What up, though? What up? Thank you for having me
37:28
Listen, I just wanted to say, I've been listening to this album all weekend
37:32
20 times from beginning to end. It was dope. And it exceeded expectations
37:37
Tip, LL, the best of both worlds. I have been a fan of you guys from day one
37:42
By the time I got to Black Coat Suite, I caught the Holy Ghost about five times
37:47
But that song, I just want to say this because I came up in the Detroit hip-hop scene in the 90s
37:53
I felt the spirit of Dillard there, and it was just like, it was perfect for me as a Detroiter
37:58
Oh, wow. So I just wanted to give you guys props. I love this album
38:02
so much. Thank you. Losing my voice. Thank you, man. So I just want to
38:06
and now, you know, now I can scratch something off my bucket list because I feel like I've officially met both of y'all
38:10
at the same time. Thank you. Wow. That's amazing. I'm glad I took this call
38:14
And Tip, you know, that's crazy because Tip put Dilla on. Put J. Dilla on
38:19
Yeah, Tip. Mm-hmm. I mean, Tip is the one who introduced, you know
38:24
dealer to the world. Like Tip is a special dude. Like a lot of these guys
38:29
a lot of the producers, like and I could say it, he's not going to say it. But the Kanye's of the world
38:34
and the Pharrell's of the world and the Dillers of the world, they come from Tip. They come from Tip
38:38
They come from his lineage. Tip is the one who, you know, who laid all that groundwork
38:43
for a lot of these producers. You know what I'm saying? He can't say that
38:47
Yeah. I can say it. You know what I'm saying? Because they know I ain't going to be beating on the drum machines
38:51
no time this week. So he, you know what I'm saying? tip did that you know i mean and it's it's history yeah you can look at the history the history will
38:59
tell it to you i was there too we were playing all the music on the west coast no doubt no doubt so
39:04
salute the q on that one too man you say in the song let me just say this that one producer that I just You didn get to work with I didn get to work with that I think was absolutely phenomenal
39:15
And I also want to say, I got to say this. And this is just a personal thing of mine
39:19
I love Detroit, B. I think Detroit, the Detroit MCs and the Detroit hip-hop scene
39:25
I have like a special place in my heart because they love hip-hop
39:31
and lyricism and emceeing and DJing and really like to the core
39:37
You know what I'm saying? Philly and Detroit are two cities that really go hard
39:41
when it comes to the rhyming and the bars and the emceeing. If you know hip hop, you know
39:45
It doesn't mean that the rest of the country does it. We know everybody does. But I'm just saying Detroit and Philly
39:50
those two cities, yo, they go hard. They go hard. They live by it
39:55
It's interesting to see you and him collaborated on this project. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We did the murdergram and we just shot the video
40:02
Y'all shot the video of the murdergram? Yeah, yeah, we shot the video. It's crazy. What's it like working with him
40:07
He produced that track? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, Q-Tip produced the track
40:13
M did some additional production. Okay. All right, so he made a few changes
40:17
added some little breakbeat parts and some little sections to it, and together it just turned into something
40:23
that I feel really, really, really good about. You know what I'm saying? But Q-Tip produced it, and M did additional production
40:29
What's your thoughts of M as a rapper? I think he's brilliant. M is brilliant
40:33
M is brilliant. He's dope. You know what I'm saying? I mean, he's a student of hip-hop in a big way
40:41
He's cut from that Detroit cloth, you know what I'm saying? Just like Royce. Royce is the same way
40:46
They are students of the game. So, yeah, I loved him. Love him, man
40:50
That's my man. M is my man, you know what I'm saying? And Royce is my man, you know what I'm saying
40:55
and that whole click. So it works for me. I love it, man. Hey, LL is here
40:59
Q-Tip is here. We got him on the line. Have you think Q-Tip ever going to come in person
41:04
Tip said he was coming, so I'm taking his word. Yes, he'll be here. Let's ask him
41:08
We asked him already. He said he going to come up. He was going to DJ too out there, right
41:12
You know I'm with him. Tip, what? Look, you let him slide for that rack
41:16
and now he giving you a hard time. I told you to get your money
41:20
Man, hey. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to have to come up here and like tap Duke's pockets
41:26
You know what I'm saying for him. Sway with that rack at you
41:31
Where my money? Damn, Queen. Just give me my money. My bad, my bad, my bad
41:39
Nah, nah, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Yeah
41:43
Nah, I'm going to get up there, man. You know, I just, I pick and choose my outings
41:51
Take your time, brother. As long as I got a platform. After the induction tip, you really need to come up
41:56
Yeah, perfect. Seriously. That's another fun fact about it. I love the fact that it's three Hall of Famers on that record
42:02
I think that's real cool for a new joint, a new hip-hop. Yeah, right. Yeah, because me, M, and Tip, all three of us in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
42:08
Oh, my gosh. Wow. That's like a cool little fun fact. I don't know that I've seen that in hip-hop before, at least in that way
42:16
where there's three separate entities that came together, and all three of them in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
42:20
That's a first. That's kind of new. That's a first. You're going to do a lot of firsts with this album
42:26
Congratulations. Thank you, bro. How ironic is that? It's right there. Yo, man
42:33
This is an amazing project. Come on, Preeze. Huey in the chair
42:37
Busta Rhymes. Praise him with Nas. Yeah. It's just a lot of food on this project, man
42:46
You can sit and listen to it. It's conceptual. but sonically I'm hearing sounds I've never heard
42:53
Crazy. Meshed before. L, you sound awesome on it. Thank you. Q-Tip, you did a brilliant job
43:00
He'd be down there crawling through bongos and crawling over furnaces with bongos and tambourines and all type of instruments I can't pronounce
43:11
You know what I'll say, though? I'll say to everybody out there who's pursuing a career in music
43:20
But you know specifically hip hop or whatever music it is you know I would say you know in social media in particular there a lot of you know it a lot of judgment going on you know whether it be ageism genderizing you know sexism all this stuff People are pretty mean sometimes
43:52
A lot of times on social media, there's a lot of bullying and all this stuff
43:57
You may have aspirations of doing something creative and artistic and you may feel like you want to be
44:04
popular and all this stuff and it may go against what your
44:08
creative deal is. I'd say stick to your guns, everybody out there
44:14
You know, we need to have a little bit more, I would think
44:18
diversity in the musical palette. Now getting back to hip-hop specifically, I think that everybody out there needs to just stick to your guns, you know
44:31
and try to do your own. I know it becomes cliche when people say do you or be yourself
44:38
I don't follow my vision A lot of times we don't get
44:42
pressured by people online or peer group or friends or boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever to try to
44:52
fit in and be popular but just be who you are and pursue
44:58
your passion with a vigor that's just unwavering Because we definitely need, and specifically in hip-hop, we need more diversity in hip-hop and the music
45:14
We need more diversity in the choices that we make musically, the choices that we make subject matter-wise
45:23
So I don't get this opportunity to talk to the nation like this
45:29
So I just figured I'd leave everybody with a little Monday thing. Like, just diversify it, you know
45:36
I love that, man. That's the legend. I don't know if that makes sense. The Hall of Famer
45:40
Makes a lot of sense. That's the Hall of Famer right there. That's right. That's the Hall of Famer
45:44
I know you got to jump, but just to quantify my little statement there
45:52
and I hate to use this, but, you know, you would be able to hear a NWA, a Public Enemy, a Diggable Planet
46:06
a Daylight Soul, a L.O. Couger, you know, and, you know, you'd be able to hear, you know, Compton's Most Wanted
46:15
and it all was just different. You know what I'm saying? But they were all ringing off
46:20
You know what I'm saying? So that was just my only little example
46:24
No, I love it, man. I think it needs to be said often. I want to say congratulations to you, NLL, for producing this project, man
46:32
It's a beauty, man. It's a beauty. Thank you. And I'm definitely enjoying it
46:36
B.B., you want to say anything in closing? I just want to thank you for my new nickname, my new alias
46:41
You know, Mr. Slow It Down has been doing really good. The ladies are going to love it. Play him the drop
46:46
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We took your voice and made a whole segment out of it. I like it
46:50
Oh, okay. Hold on. You're killing MTV, but it's time to slow down a little bit with Mr. Slow It Down
47:05
I love it. I love it. No, it's real cool just to have that moment because I've never seen a response from a freestyle greater than the one that you spit here
47:14
And just to have to share that with you and Sway, I still kind of replay it in my head and think to myself, like, holy shit
47:21
I was a part of that, not just witnessing it. You could have played the wrong beat
47:25
El would have got through a book at you or something. Oh, boy. You could have got ugly. But that was the top freestyle of 2023 to me
47:34
I think you at the top. You definitely was the top of our platform. I don't think anybody in the world expected to see that
47:41
Yeah, yeah. Except for me. Caught me out there. You definitely caught me out there
47:48
I got it. Yeah, you caught me out there, too. I only did it one, El. You hit it right in there. Because he just kept, like, the crack of light
47:53
Boop. I was like, ah, okay. He got me. I couldn't really say no
47:58
You know, I was mid-project. My mind, I had stuff in brain ready. Yeah
48:02
All right. That was beautiful, man. Give it up for LL Cool J. All right, y'all. Go. What's love? Greatest of all time
48:06
Get up for Q-Tip. Another go. Greatest of all time, man. All right, baby
48:10
We'll be back tomorrow. God willing, on that note, we have nothing left to say
#Arts & Entertainment