Kurt off them percs
With Booker T wife
Plus getting good TV/Movie roles didn't hurt either.
Why was LL Cool J able to stay relevant in music way longer than his 1980’s rap peers?
- Thread starter Street Knowledge
- Start date
Omerta
All Star
This is gonna sound as hating but either y’all are forgetting, don’t know or haven’t done the math.
LL should get credit, but it’s blatantly obvious that from the mid 90’s onwards until he finished up there, Def Jam packaged most of those radio singles for LL…like they would for Rihanna. shyt they would get rappers sometimes to write it for him specifically.
LL should get credit, but it’s blatantly obvious that from the mid 90’s onwards until he finished up there, Def Jam packaged most of those radio singles for LL…like they would for Rihanna. shyt they would get rappers sometimes to write it for him specifically.
Bondye Vodou
Proud practitioner of the "High Science"
Pop rap
Ghost Writers
Ghost Writers
Wasn’t KRS going Gold up until 97 or so? Thats a pretty great run in and of itself for an MC like Tha Teacha who never even attempted to make a pop hit.
As far as LL is concerned. He was just a superstar plain and simple. Ladies wanted him and guys wanted to BE him. Some people just have that “it” factor and LL happened to be one of the first people stemmed directly from Hip Hop to be THAT. Dude was signed when he was 15 years old, dropped out of High School to record his debut album, and had the FIRST album ever for Def Jam records.
Some people are just born with the tools to be great, not that it doesn’t take hard work and dedication as well but LL was destined for what he became
As far as LL is concerned. He was just a superstar plain and simple. Ladies wanted him and guys wanted to BE him. Some people just have that “it” factor and LL happened to be one of the first people stemmed directly from Hip Hop to be THAT. Dude was signed when he was 15 years old, dropped out of High School to record his debut album, and had the FIRST album ever for Def Jam records.
Some people are just born with the tools to be great, not that it doesn’t take hard work and dedication as well but LL was destined for what he became
Mac Ten
Class of 97 !!!
No it didn’t…
LL is very clean cut and marketable.
Everyone loves LL !!
His character let the single Mom on In The House live there and didn’t charge em an arm and a leg for rent either. Babysat the kids and built a good rapport with him.
If PAC was alive, him and LL would be making movies together since they both had the Quincy Jones connection
That’s literally not true
Mac Ten
Class of 97 !!!
KRS makes the kind of records that red alert doesn’t play…
Back then, they didn’t wanna be accused of selling out especially when cats like him were calling out MC Hammer for goin pop while promoting the “Real Hip Hop” mantra.
Idk why people naming movies and tv shows like LL was some big star in that regard. Also we have seen rappers from his era be on screen and it not help their rapping career.
Perhaps you live in an alternate timeline but this man was doing films co-starring with Robin Williams (Oscar winner) , Al Pacino (Oscar Winner) , and James Woods (Oscar nominee, Golden Globe winner) worked with legendary directors like Debbie Allen (Golden Globe winner) and Oliver Stone (Oscar Winner) while playing a starting role in his sitcom which ran for five seasons
LL was DEFINITELY a big star of both music and cinema, there’s no argument against it that makes any sense
He was not a big star in movies, if he was a big star what was will smith
Since when does being next to an actual star in movies make you a star 
He was not a big star in movies, if he was a big star what was will smith
A superstar.
There’s levels
He was not a big star in movies, if he was a big star what was will smith
Just admit you not old enough to remember the era we talking about
It's business 101. Brand awareness. As a musician, the more people that know who you are, the easier it is to sell your product. Especially if your public perception is positive.
Starring in a nationally broadcast sitcom and being a supporting actor in multiple big movies gonna boost the public's awareness of you. Nobody saying he was anywhere close to Will Smith as a movie star. This ain't an all or nothing concept
Far as being a celebrity, LL was easily more famous to the public 1995-1999 than all but a small handful of rappers, even some that outsold him.
Combine that with his comfort in the pop lane and Def Jam putting up big budgets for recording and promo and there's a big part of your answer. Mr. Smith had three Hype Williams videos in major rotation. Those videos probably cost more a piece than KRS entire recording and promo budget for his 1995 album. LL had teenage females who ain't know who Kool G Rap or Rakim was buying his albums.
Da God Art Barr think Da Art of Storytelling was huff, say it ain't so
Sittin In My Car a classic though
Several factors:
1. Being on Def Jam (much better than being on a trash label that was on its way out, or a label that didn't support hip-hop)
2. Branching out into acting. It made his name that much bigger.
3. Adjusting his style to stay with modern trends.
4. Being a sex symbol.
5. He was more successful in the 80s than most of the guys listed in the OP, so he was starting off from a higher place anyway. LL was going single or double platinum while Rakim, Kane, KRS, etc. were going gold at best.
1. Being on Def Jam (much better than being on a trash label that was on its way out, or a label that didn't support hip-hop)
2. Branching out into acting. It made his name that much bigger.
3. Adjusting his style to stay with modern trends.
4. Being a sex symbol.
5. He was more successful in the 80s than most of the guys listed in the OP, so he was starting off from a higher place anyway. LL was going single or double platinum while Rakim, Kane, KRS, etc. were going gold at best.