LL Cool J

Released: June 9, 1989

Songwriter: LL Cool J Dwayne Simon

Producer: LL Cool J Dwayne Simon

[Verse 1]
Yeah
Smokin', dopin', keep your ears open
Put me on the flier and I'm guaranteed to rope in
Twenty-thousand people to the place that I play at
And have em even sayin', "How could someone say that?
They're as good as the man who just saw
{*scratched "Cool J"*} Please give me some more
Of those hoopin', scoopin', rhymes you be troopin'"
If you don't know the new dance, Patty Duke 'n
Clap your hands, stomp your feet, snap your fingers
I'm snatchin' airplay from all you AIDS catchin' singers
It's a special delivery on your front step
My picture's on the cover and the rhymes are in effect
Cause, I love to lay down joints for the playground
And have you O.D.ing saying, "Y'know, J sound righteous
The brother did what he had to"
I didn't talk about this, so I had you
Sleepin', breathin' sayin', "Yo, he ain't keepin'
His promise to astonish, from weekend to weekend"
But here it is, the jam of all jams
And from this day forth, MC's are gettin' slammed
With the

[Chorus]
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah!

[Verse 2]
I'm the wise wizard of the microphone swinging it
Here's a mean joint, all the hip-hoppers are singing it
Doin a dance in tight bike pants
So get up on it (HO!) you'll only get one chance
To work out the soreness in your muscles
Do your own thing, even the hustle
MC's I'ma torture, that's already known
But while I'm torturing them, I'ma leave you alone
So you can bump, grind, and rub up against your partner
And look wild like you're trying to get a part in a
Dirty movie on the hip-hop tip
Now tell me (tell you what?) that brother L ain't trying to flip
With the

[Chorus]
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah!

[Verse 3]
Movin, groovin', admit that you've been
Shocked and rocked and I'm on top and it's been proven
I'm self-reliant, on stage I'm defiant
All those rumors are small things to a giant
I'm not a cool, calm, collected type of brother
I'm kind of hype that's why I'm a good lover
In bed I'm energetic, kind of like a freight train
Going so crazy I have the girlies saying, "Wait James!"
I do damage - use the beef to build a sandwich
And when I'm done, she'll be saying, "How did you manage
To make me feel pleasure from my toes to my head?
On top of that, you ran laps around the bed"
So bust out the pumped up funk that I'm revealing
And listen to it, while you're in your car wheeling
Or on your Walkman as you're starin' at the ceiling
Or when you and your love is sex-appealing
To the

[Chorus]
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah!

[Bridge]
It's like a smooth joint, you know what I mean?
Real mellow, on the love tip, check it out

[Chorus]
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah, uhh - ahh
Uhh, aww yeah!

[Outro]
Marvelous!

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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