LL Cool J

Released: January 27, 1988

Songwriter: LL Cool J Rick Rubin

Producer: Rick Rubin

[Verse 1]
Milky, and I'm back
My ace in the hole was this brand new track
I'mma slow it up and speed it up and now you're gonna eat it up
Listen to the funky beat, my tongue is gonna beat it up
I did it, but the devil didn't make me
I did it for the suckers who tried to shake and bake me
Proving a point that I'm a serious joint
You can roll me up and puff me, and then I'll anoint
Your head with oil--lots of oil
Make it run like water, watch it boil
Cause I made 'em play it, made 'em say it
Made 'em okay it, made 'em obey it---HUH
Prince of the growl is on the prowl
How You Like Me Now punk? You living foul
Here's what my game is, kill is what my aim is
A washed up rapper needs a wash up, my name is--

[Chorus]
Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack-Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack the Ripper
(King Hercules!)

[Verse 2]
Back for the payback, I must say that
I heard your new jam, I don't play that
It ain't loud enough punk, it ain't hitting
This year you tried, next year you're quitting
Last year you thought I was dying out
But again, and again, and again without a doubt
It's the gangster boogie, the earthquake sound
Pump it up and play it so they hear it all around
I do it up rough, tough, I don't bluff
And this is an example of funky stuff
When you wanna make hits, you make 'em like this
They ain't like this they don't hit, they miss
It's a strong record, a record for the strong
For those who appreciate real rap songs
Listen how I won't allow myself to go off track
Stay back, I got the power, I'm--

[Chorus]
Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack-Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack the Ripper
(King Hercules!)

[Verse 3]
Jack the Ripper, a man, not a myth
A-k-a James Todd Smith
Hard like penitentiary steel
Breaking necks while I flex my sex appeal
Homegirls in the house, c'mon
Homegirls in the house, give it up
You gotta want to get hotter
Moving and grooving, and always improving a lot'a
People don't know how nice I am
He was sleeping, so now I gotta slice my man
Like ham in a pan, wrap him up in Saran
Kidnap him and slap him up inside of a van
While you're doing your dance I want you to make moves
No one out there thought you could do
You know my name and my game and what I'm here to do
Party people, lemme see if you can dance to--

[Chorus]
Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack-Jack the Ripper
Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack-Jack, Jack the Ripper
(King Hercules!)

Break it down! x3
Yo Bob, show that old school sucker punk what real hip hop is boy
[Scratches]

[Verse 4]
"How Ya Like Me Now?" I'm getting busier
I'm double platinum, I'm watching you get dizzier
Check out the way I say my, display my fame, my
'J' on the back, behind the Cool, without the A-Y
I love to ride the groove because the groove is smooth
It makes me move and I'll improve
As it goes on, as it flows on
When you see me, don't ask if the show's on
How that sound? Don't came around, playing me close, brown
Pull on my jock to be down
You need to stay down, way down, because you're low down
Do that dance, the prince of rap is gonna throw down
Aiming to please while I'm killing emcees
I'm gonna keep on hitting you with rough LP's
Day after day after day
You're smacked in the face by the bass of Cool J
I'm--[scratches]

"Jack the Ripper!" "The baddest around!"

[Verse 5]
I'm a beast on the microphone, a night stalker
A killing machine, a savage street talker
Jason with an axe, but I put it on wax
To eradicate the suckers who thought I had relaxed
The prince of Hip Hop, straight from Queens
Kicking it mean, keeping it clean
And you've never seen anybody rock the party
All you funky beat-aholics, this beat's Bacardi
I go to the show, and terrorize emcees, don't you know
Moving my hand like I'm playing the piano
Don't touch the dial, don't change the channel
Don't let me hear you say I ain't debonair
I'm better than any emcee out there
As a matter of fact, suckers can't compare
When I'm rocking the mic people stop and stare, at..

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.

more tracks from the album

Walking with a Panther

From the albums

LL Cool J popular songs

Jack the RipperLL Cool J

LL Cool J

Walking with a Panther