Week 12.docx - Jan 7th 2013 FIRST CLASS OF WINTER SEM LL...

Jan 7 th , 2013 FIRST CLASS OF WINTER SEM
 LL Cool J – stands for  Ladies Love Cool James
 He says hes been rapping since 9years young
 Skeptical people states In hip hop – artists have a short career in 80s and 90s
o What rises usually falls
o Public enemy is an example (they have their time, but longevity is a concern
 People are doing demos at this time in casket tapes (hoping to get signed by a record label)
 LL cool J sent a lot of demos to a lot of record label but only Def Jam accepted him
 In the beginning, he was so significant
o 1984 when we first heard LL Cool J - I need a beat (single)
 He was only 16years old
 100,000 copies sold
 This also helped Def Jam
 Def Jam labels sounded better compared to other record labels just like Sugarhill
record labels
o 16years old first album called RADIO
 In order to do that he decides to drop out of high school
 Unlike Run DMC who decided to go to university
 LL first rapper to release an album and a single in DEF JAM
 This first album went platinum (sold over 1M)
 Help shaped hip hop into something more significant
o LL COOL J – I CANT LIVE WITHOUT MY RADIO (single)
o The boombox was a big thing, it showed your identity, you made friends that way.
Hearing music is not common so people liked it. It also showed that you were strong
b/c boomboxes are heavy
 He was a sex symbol at a very young age.
 17years old, first movie appearance called Fresh Groove? Fresh CREW?