LL Cool J

Released: June 9, 1989

Songwriter: LL Cool J

Producer: LL Cool J Dwayne Simon

{*Judge talking*}

[Verse 1]
Twenty-five years in the state penitentiary
Tried to pull off the biggest crime of the century
Pulled out the ten-side nine millimeter
Went out to rob, sticking up sweeter
Never had a job you gonna work for ya
Major escape but a basehead saw ya
You got it under control, you rock and roll
Crime is in your soul, you go on for the goal
Comin' home late with your trigger finger aching
Got in the beef for some buckwilds (?) they making
Drivin' fast, I can lay in the lane
Caught with a kilo, now explain!

[Hook]
Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time
(Crime Stories!)
Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time
Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time
Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time
Don't do it!

[Verse 2]
Uzi's, nines, forty-fives and Macks
Cocaine on the brain, gold chains and jacks
Hitman for hire, big contracts
In fact he got macked cause the eye-contact
Bought a .38 so now he's a wanna-be master
Come on, baby, I eat steak and lobster
I got a Mercedes-Benz, I be as double-(?) as your friends
But what about the hidden camera lens?
Cortex-style, but you're countin' that money
Then the brothers who diss think they sooo funny
They took yours - you thought you was nice
But now pay the price - they put you on ice!

[Hook]

{*Judge talking*}

[Verse 3]
Guilty! You get paid for crime
I get paid to rhyme on time and in my mind
I see I might have to find a even harder groove
I got a smarter move
No crime no time, now that's smooth
Who wants to play a cell and waste time as well
I'd much rather be L than in hell
Cause I might never go and stick up sell
And end up like them with dry pistol smell
I'd much rather earn mines and get mines
Make up stacks and cracks and write def rhymes
He cuts so quick and I'm sharp as a knife
I got sentenced to rock, 25 to life!

[Hook]

[Verse 4]
Cut-throat killer, proud of the fact he kills
He got in the beef, he said stand back to chill
Pulled out the gun, the crowd started to run
BOOM! (?) boy is done!
Went around braggin', yeah boy I dit it, I admit it
The description of the killer - I fit it
If the cops wanna catch me, they better come with it
I shot the bullet and homeboy bit it
Like a (?), I put a pounder
I'm fond o' kill or be killed, long as my pockets get rounder
I'm on my own, I'm alone, and I roll for me
Caught with a pistol -1-2-3

Deriving his name from the statement “Ladies Love Cool James,” LL Cool J became a superstar rapper after his Def Jam debut in 1984. He mixed a hardcore hip-hop style from songs like “I’m Bad” with R&B style on songs like “I Need Love,” which led him to multi-platinum success and several awards. He would later venture into movies and television, write several books, and start different business ventures.

Born January 14, 1968, Queens, New York native James Todd Smith began rapping at the age of nine and started to seriously pursue rapping when he was 16 years old after his grandfather bought him music equipment, which he used to create a demo tape that was sent to numerous labels. He was signed by upstart independent label Def Jam, working with founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to release his debut single “I Need a Beat” in 1984, which sold over 100,000 copies. This success helped Def Jam secure a distribution deal with Columbia Records.

LL released his debut album Radio in 1985, which achieved platinum status with help from the hit singles “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” After working exclusively with Rick Rubin on his debut, LL worked with the West Coast production crew L.A. Posse on his second album Bigger and Deffer, released in 1987. The album featured two of LL’s signature the hard-edged “I’m Bad” and the “rap ballad” “I Need Love,” which was a Top 20 pop hit, helping the album achieve double platinum status.

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