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
simple was always creating hits for women,
People thought Kane was trying too hard to crossover.
It wasn't that the music got wack at first, but he kept doing really weak R&B songs on his own albums. The thing where he was trying to be mad smooth, on some Luther Vandross sh*t was what really did him in. Doing nude photoshoots with Madonna and wild sh*t. He bought into the "sexy" lane, and started doing tracks with Barry White and Patti Labelle. So it got to the point where you felt like is he even an MC anymore or an R&B crooner? Then after that, when Hip Hop got more hardcore, he started popping up with bandanas on and with one pants leg rolled up and he just looked crazy.
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. it was always weird when jay z made girl songs bc he always looked so awkard and ugly to me
This is the most brain-dead obvious question I’ve seen in Coli history 
prophecypro
Hollywood North
He had the radio hits for the ladies, knew the formula and the look for it.
But also lowkey, he knew what was popping on the East Coast and always brought in a collabo or posse cut with the popular rappers the dudes fukked with (Hence why we got Who Shot ya, 54321 etc)
But also lowkey, he knew what was popping on the East Coast and always brought in a collabo or posse cut with the popular rappers the dudes fukked with (Hence why we got Who Shot ya, 54321 etc)
Yeah. Also, "Guess Who's Back" was used in the beginning of the new Spider-Verse movie from earlier this year.
MegaTronBomb!
Power is in my hair nikka
That's why song cry was a believable cut, cause it's literally what a ugly dude who got money and a good girl would do. That type of introspection could only come from a guy who knew he was ugly and the girls wouldn't touch him...but needed to get everything he felt he missed out on before he got money.
Awesome Wells
The Ghost of Jack Tripper
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
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.
Hoodoo Child
The Urban Legend
@cozy carl would've LOVED this thread 
DreamyKnights
Sweetie pie by day and night 💓
very smooth rapper that appeals to not only women but men too. Classic and timeless sounds and lyrics.
DreamyKnights
Sweetie pie by day and night 💓
Where is he?@cozy carl would've LOVED this thread
- sex appeal
- never got washed
- adapted to whatever era he was in
- linked with rappers who were his peers (X, Redman, Meth) even tho he was out way before them, but they were in his age range
- did other stuff besides rap (films, TV)
- Def Jam machine of the mid/late 90s actually did its job for him and his label mates
- won his beefs
- stayed alive at a time when real violence got too close to the industry
- knew when to hop off one wave (grimy stuff like 14 Shots) and slide into another (Mr. Smith)
- never got washed
- adapted to whatever era he was in
- linked with rappers who were his peers (X, Redman, Meth) even tho he was out way before them, but they were in his age range
- did other stuff besides rap (films, TV)
- Def Jam machine of the mid/late 90s actually did its job for him and his label mates
- won his beefs
- stayed alive at a time when real violence got too close to the industry
- knew when to hop off one wave (grimy stuff like 14 Shots) and slide into another (Mr. Smith)
