Why was LL Cool J able to stay relevant in music way longer than his 1980’s rap peers?

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

This is it...

It was like he went so far in the R&B direction, it was hard for him to come back over once he realized he had to tone it down some. That '93-'94 "I still got it" Kane looked crazy But that's because he had spent the previous three years trying to super-push the sex symbol stuff. Also the execution of his R&B joints was just bad. The "I Get The Job Done" joint was clearly his best mainstreamish record, but them ones he did after that? "To Be Your Man", "All Of Me", "Groove With It"... even as a little kid I knew the vibes were off. Bad thing was that he was still nice lyrically but it was being overshadowed by these slow jams and cheesy New Jack tracks. And also, by his own admission later on, he wasn't really in the loop with where rap was going musically and wasn't really adapting to the changes, so it was coming out sounding old. LL succeeded in being aware of the times and getting (or being connected with) producers who could help his sound stay current, even if sometimes it was too trendy.

Kane is one of my GOAT's, but he was straight up embarrassing himself during that '92-'94 run. LOL!!

He started getting mad corny. But the wild thing was, it was only a couple years after he was on top! Dude went from being a trailblazer and a leader in how influential he was, to looking like the weird uncle who just came home from jail and had been away from like 25 years. All within like a couple years. I don’t know if we've ever seen a fall-off a dramatic as Kane's. That sh*t was crazy.

I don't care, man. I still bump this shyt unapologetically.

Him & Sauce Money kill this joint

 

[Awesome Wells]

I don't care, man. I still bump this shyt unapologetically.

Him & Sauce Money kill this joint

Summer '94, I recorded this off of the radio when Kane was going around to the underground stations, trying to work on the comeback. I loved this track. And played it a lot, even now. But it was over for him by this time. He vanished right after this dropped. For like 4 years, and was never the same again. Easy Mo Bee said he tried to give Kane some of the beats he ended up giving B.I.G., for this album, like "Warning", and Kane turned them all down and got clowned for this album.

A lot of us loved this single, but the album was trash. This track did more for the featured MC's on it, than it did for Kane. Sad to say, but it was over by that time, for him.

 

[The Amerikkkan Idol]

Summer '94, I recorded this off of the radio when Kane was going around to the underground stations, trying to work on the comeback. I loved this track. And played it a lot, even now. But it was over for him by this time. He vanished right after this dropped. For like 4 years, and was never the same again. Easy Mo Bee said he tried to give Kane some of the beats he ended up giving B.I.G., for this album, like "Warning", and Kane turned them all down and got clowned for this album.

A lot of us loved this single, but the album was trash. This track did more for the featured MC's on it, than it did for Kane. Sad to say, but it was over by that time, for him.

Yeah, you're right.

BET tried to help him out by playing this and "In the PJs" a ton, but it felt like an old dude trying to "get with it" rather than a dude in his element.

Now thinking about it, dude couldn't have even been 30 at this point and we just looked at him like he was an out of touch old man

 

[Awesome Wells]

Yeah, you're right.

BET tried to help him out by playing this and "In the PJs" a ton, but it felt like an old dude trying to "get with it" rather than a dude in his element.

Now thinking about it, dude couldn't have even been 30 at this point and we just looked at him like he was an out of touch old man

Exactly.

He was only a few years into his career and everyone was already done with him. One of the best ever, and he kinda just killed his own career. It was too much of that "Dark Gable" sh*t, and trying to be smooth and then forcing the "street" look. He lost his touch to the point where the people started clowning him. It was crazy to see in real time.

 

[avon barksdale]

 

[boogers]

he was able to stay relevant because Ladies Love Cool James.

duh