bigted

:yeahthat: That's what they get for talking smack :fencing:

I've been peeping out the Olympics every moment I get, Phelps is doing his thing and the Team USA basketball team lookin' strong in the opener against China :wickedwisdom:

Damn, we lost 2 legends in one weekend, RIP

Whoah, I can't believe it, this sucks to see another legend leave us so soon, RIP :shakehead: Friends, Colleagues Pay Tribute to Bernie Mac Jovie Baclayon Sun Aug 10, 5:32 AM ET Los Angeles (E! Online) - Hollywood woke up this morning to the news that actor-comedian Bernie Mac has passed away due to complications from pneumonia. He was 50. ADVERTISEMENT As word spreads, tributes are pouring in from the funnyman's friends and colleagues. Brad Pitt: "I lament the loss of a ferociously funny and hardcore family man. My thoughts are with [his wife] Rhonda and their family. Bernie Mac, you are already missed." George Clooney: "The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed." Chris Rock: "Bernie Mac was one of the best and funniest comedians to ever live, but that was the second best thing he did. Bernie was one of the greatest friends a person could have. Losing him is like losing 12 people because he absolutely filled up any room he was in. I'm gonna miss the Mac Man." Cedric the Entertainer: "It's hard to put into words just how I feel and what a painful loss this is. Bernie was a brother, a friend and one of the comic masters of our time. Sharing the marquee with him during the phenomenon of the Kings of Comedy tour bonded us like family, and created a unique moment in comic history marking some of the most meaningful, memorable and fun times of our lives. His comedic approach was his own brand and will definitely stand the test of time. The level of his talent always inspired me and other comedians to 'bring their A-game.' I promise you that you never wanted to be the guy who had to follow Bernie's set! As a husband and father, he was THE MAN and my thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will truly be missed, but so well remembered." Don Cheadle: "This is a very sad day for many of us who knew and loved Bernie. He brought so much joy to so many. He will be missed, but heaven just got funnier." Kelly Preston and John Travolta: "We are heartbroken. He will be deeply missed. He was a wonderful, kind and gentle man." Ocean's Eleven costar Carl Reiner: "It's a tremendous loss because of his age and the fact that he was such a vital, original human being. When I use the word 'original' I really mean it. He was like no other person I knew. He lived his life to the fullest, even when we were on the set of Ocean's. He had his own little apartment and he cooked and invited people to lunch every day and he had food that was for everybody. He made very exotic things. His conversations were always different than any conversations I had with anyone else. They were very family-oriented; he talked about his wife and children with such love and it's very hard to believe that he's not with us anymore." Actress/comedienne Niecy Nash, who played Mac's little sister on the hit television series The Bernie Mac Show and acted opposite him in the 2005 film Guess Who, said this about her friend and mentor: "His passing is such a major loss to the acting and comedy communities. Bernie Mac was the personification of the word 'real.' He kept it real. That kind of genuine spirit that he carried all the time cannot be easily duplicated, but I will do my very best to try." Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television: "Bernie Mac was a gifted talent whose comedy came from an authentic and highly personal place. He was a tremendous live performer and a wonderful actor. Fox was proud to be the home of The Bernie Mac Show, and all of us at Fox and 20th Century Fox Television extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Rhonda, and daughter, JeNiece." Jenifer Lewis: "Bernie's style of comedy was bold, courageous and revolutionary—I never knew anyone who loved to be funny as much as Bernie. He will most definitely be very missed." Samuel L. Jackson, Mac's costar in the November 2008 flick Soul Men: "It goes without saying that Bernie was one of the preeminent comedians of our generation. He was also an attentive husband, a great father and loving grandfather. I feel blessed to have shared years of friendship with Bernie Mac and I'm honored to have finally costarred with him in what I consider to be his finest cinematic acting achievement. My sincere prayer is that his family will be comforted by the warmth of love from all of us who knew and respected this man." Bob and Harvey Weinstein, whose studio, The Weinstein Company, is releasing Soul Men: "Bernie Mac was a brilliant performer whose legacy will bring laughter to all of us for many years to come. The thoughts of everyone at The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films are with Bernie's family." (Originally published on Aug. 9, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. PT)

I just found this new Big Boi interview on allhiphop.com: http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/arch...6/20375965.aspx

Phew, that's a relief it wasn't nothin' big, rock on Hax! :wickedwisdom:

LL bringing the heat here! http://allhiphop.com/stories/multimedia__m...6/20376220.aspx

Check out this interesting ESPNMag.com Article On The Shaq-Kobe feud: http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3508683 THIS JUST IN I can't stop thinking about the Kobe-Shaq feud. It's endlessly compelling, like any good train wreck. by Chuck Klosterman People use the word "hate" a lot when they talk about sports. They use it so often, it has no meaning whatsoever. Everyone in Minneapolis hates Brett Favre—unless, of course, he winds up playing there—even though most of them would feel nothing about him had the Falcons never traded him to Green Bay in 1992. Lots of people hated J.J. Redick when he was averaging 20 a game for Duke, but who hates a guy who's getting eight minutes a night in Orlando? Sports hatred is situational and generally metaphorical. Play-by-play announcers remind us that the Raiders hate the Broncos and the Sox hate the Yankees, but those alleged on-field enemies share the same agents and eat in the same restaurants and tip the same exotic dancers. If sports hatred feels real to the hater, it's a self-styled fiction: hatred for the purpose of play. About 99% of the time, it's a totally constructed emotion. But that final 1% is all I need. This is why the tension between Shaq and Kobe continues to fascinate me, even deep in the doldrums of summer. I love thinking about it. It never stops being interesting. Shaq and Kobe hate each other for real; I'm convinced of this. They despise each other in a way that's not only rare in sports but rare in life. They hate each other so much that neither would ever admit it, lest the other man get some sort of abstract satisfaction from the admittance of the loathing. O'Neal dismisses the conflict as comedy, and Bryant pretends he doesn't care, but those are the predictable defense mechanisms they use when faced with uncomfortable emotions. The reality is they want to kill each other. I can't prove this, but it feels obvious. And it makes me like each a little more and a little less. Every sports fan with a laptop and no life has heard O'Neal's freestyle rap about Kobe's inability to win a title on his own, punctuated by Shaq's relentless (and arguably valid) question, "Kobe, how my ass taste?" And everyone has found this material hilarious. The semi-extemporaneous lyrics also accuse Bryant of destroying Shaq's marriage (by reportedly telling Colorado police after his arrest for sexual assault that the Big Aristotle paid women for their silence after the ends of affairs), which is slightly less funny (although probably more valid). Now, Shaq is a funny guy and a charming fellow and—most important, at least from a PR perspective—a hyper-jolly goofball who likes to give toys to sick orphans. So as a culture, we tend to take his side. But his rap was still pretty weird. Go back and watch it again. Its only goal was to humiliate and emasculate Bryant, and it was conducted in a context that left Bryant no recourse. O'Neal knew Kobe couldn't respond, which is why he seemed to enjoy the performance so much. If Kobe took the situation seriously and called a press conference, he would seem weak and humorless. If he tried to respond with a rap of his own, it would be an inorganic disaster: Kobe would probably try dressing like the 1981 version of Reggie Theus, hire the Neptunes and come across like a chick from Northern State (the Brooklyn hip-hop group, not the D2 Wolves from Aberdeen, S.D.). Bryant can't do cool that isn't directly related to basketball. And this drives him crazy, because he wants people to like him. (I don't think he needs to be loved, necessarily—just liked. Or at least not actively disliked.) His only revenge is to tape a still from Kazaam on his bathroom mirror, stare at it every morning to remind himself of the man he hates, fixate on that hate at the gym for the next six hours and then drop 82 whenever LA plays Phoenix. He has no other option. It's this mutual desire to humiliate that makes the hatred between Shaq and Kobe feel so different to me. This isn't like the feud between Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent—that was just two guys who wanted to punch each other because they were: a) superficially different, but b) fundamentally the same. That was competitive; this is personal. Kobe and Shaq want to destroy each other's persona. Each wants to damage his rival's legacy because, 20 years from now, their legacies are all either one will have. By stressing that Kobe "couldn't do it without me," O'Neal was trying to negate the fact that Bryant has in fact won three titles. Shaq is suggesting that Kobe is only a second-tier legend, more like a statistically impressive nonchamp (Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, George Gervin) or a world-class, ring-wearing role player (Scottie Pippen, Kevin McHale). In the NBA, you cannot be truly transcendent unless you've: a) won a championship, and b) been the primary reason for your team's winning that championship. Shaq is attempting to rewrite history, trying to rebrand Bryant as a nonwinner. This kind of attack serves no purpose and offers no personal benefit, but he does it anyway. So what's his motive? There can be only one: hatred. He simply hates the guy. This, I suspect, is what Shaq thinks about Kobe: You betrayed me. I tried to be cool with you, but you're not a real guy. You got yourself into trouble, and the first thing you did was bring up my name for no reason. Now my kids live somewhere else. When we played together, all you had to do was concede I was the focus of the team and let people make up their own minds about which of us was more important. But you made the Lakers choose between us, and you were younger and healthier, so they traded me to Miami. And that was embarrassing for me. So I'm going to embarrass you for the rest of your life. I am going to prey on your social insecurities and your need for appreciation. And I'm gonna do this because I hate you. Kobe, of course, sees things differently. He probably thinks about Shaq like this: You know I'm better. You know it. And that should be the only thing that matters. And I know I told a reporter you were fat in 2003, and I'm sorry about that. But you were fat, and that made you less effective and injury-prone. I'm just being honest here. Basketball is not a game; it's a science. Why does personality have to matter? I realize I shouldn't have dropped your name to those cops, but I thought my life was over, and I panicked. Everyone seems to like you no matter how you act, so I tried to associate my behavior with yours. Besides, you don't seem particularly depressed about your wife's being gone. In fact, you seem to be having a great time making me look like a bozo. Why are you doing this? You have made it increasingly difficult for me to enjoy my own greatness. And I hate you for that. George Bernard Shaw (who spent most of his adult life making random comments that writers could later use in magazine columns) once said that hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated. At least in this case, that seems pretty true. But which of these revenge-seekers is intimidated more? In the eyes of the public, there's no doubt O'Neal is winning this war. I wonder, though, if that actually means he has already lost. If Shaq honestly believes all the things he rapped about, would he need to say them? Probably not. Which is why this grudge doesn't get boring: Faced with the possibility of moving on and moving forward, neither of these guys can do it. What's more, they don't want to. It's part of who they are. They love it. And the love is what true hate is.

Friday, August 1, 2008 Rappers' Shout-Outs Make Obama Skip a Beat In the arsenal of the culture wars, rap music remains somewhat radioactive -- and Barack Obama now finds himself exposed. Avowed Obama supporter Ludacris on Wednesday released a freewheeling song called "Politics" in which he repeatedly praised the candidate -- as well as himself, for having found a home on the senator's iPod. But the Atlanta rapper also used a derogatory term to describe Hillary Clinton; asserted that John McCain should be in a wheelchair, not the White House; and declared that President Bush "is mentally handicapped." Gee, thanks for the endorsement, Luda! Some of the Democrat's most vocal (literally) supporters are sticking him with a hip-hop dilemma: how to respond to an art form that has a long history as a cultural wedge issue but whose fans and wildly unpredictable practitioners are a part of his base? Rappers tend to love him -- or at least the basic idea of a black man in the White House. Pro-Obama rap songs and references are proliferating at a staggering clip, and online video endorsements are arriving just as quickly, from "Yes We Can" splicer Will.I.Am and hip-hop impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs on down. But Obama can't love them back -- at least not unconditionally, given the music's continuing lightning-rod status. This is a man, after all, who has worked tirelessly to make inroads among older white voters, many of whom have a deep aversion to hip-hop. Whenever Obama is asked about rap music in interviews, he always tempers his praise. "I love the art of hip-hop; I don't always love the message of hip-hop," he told BET earlier this year. "There are times where even . . . with the artists I love, you know, there's a message that is not only sometimes degrading to women; not only uses the n-word a little too frequently; but -- also something I'm really concerned about -- it's always talking about material things." Likewise, the Obama campaign immediately denounced "Politics" and suggested that "while Ludacris is a talented individual, he should be ashamed of these lyrics." So very Sister Souljah, with echoes of the 1992 presidential campaign, when Bill Clinton put that militant rapper on blast for her controversial remarks about racial violence. Clinton's public chiding was widely viewed as a successful play for centrist hearts and votes. And yet, so very different. For Obama is the first viable presidential candidate with an acknowledged affinity for hip-hop culture, having spoken fondly of Kanye West, Jay-Z and, yes, Ludacris. He borrowed Jay-Z's dirt-off-my-shoulder gesture to brush off his "haters" during a much-analyzed April speech that was loaded with the sort of swagger that's typical of hip-hop. Obama's candidacy is like catnip to rappers. Traditionally ambivalent about electoral politics, this time around they are drawn to the senator's rhetoric, the historic nature of his bid, or maybe just the rhyming possibilities of his name, as with a remix of Ice Cube's "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It," on which Scarface raps: "I hope that Barack could pull the troops from Iraq." On "Black Republicans," a song from Lil Wayne's mix tape "Da Drought 3," guest Juelz Santana raps: "I'm feelin' like a black Republican/Naw, I can't call it/More like a black Democrat runnin' 'em out of office/Young Barack Obama, I'm all for it." Three 6 Mafia's "Last 2 Walk" includes the couplet, "There's a whole lotta room in the front of the Range/Like Barack Obama said, yeah it's time for a change." (Never mind that the stanza is about sex.) Common, a rapper from Obama's home base of Chicago, has invoked the senator's name repeatedly, as in "The People," in which he declares: "My raps ignite the people like Obama." On a remix of the Jadakiss song "Why?," Common wonders: "Why is Bush acting like he trying to get Osama?/Why don't we impeach him and elect Obama?" In several songs, Obama's election is even treated as a fait accompli. In "Memories/Letter to Obama," Joell Ortiz raps about a litany of societal problems, then says: "It's time for a change, and that change is Obama/Dear future president, I hope you heard this letter and do some things to make sure the next one I'm writing is better." In the eloquent "Black President," the Brooklyn rapper and Bill O'Reilly foil Nas declares: "America surprised us/And let a black man guide us." And in a recent freestyle, Jay-Z -- who is always using analogies to cast himself as hip-hop's microphone commander in chief -- concluded: "I'm signing off as the hood's Barack." Other artists, from Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco to Ghostface Killah and Kidz in the Hall, have mentioned Obama in song, possibly making him the third most-popular topic in rap behind drugs and sex, not necessarily in that order. (McCain, on the other hand, barely rates.) Notably, it's not just black rappers jumping onto the bandwagon with the 24-inch rims. Obama has a rap-style rainbow coalition forming in his corner. A white artist by the name of 6th Sense recently released "Ignite the People (Like Obama)," on which he sampled Common while asking, rhetorically: "You ever think you'd see a white rapper endorse a black president?" And last summer, the Korean American rapper Jin posted the praise-filled and relatively innocuous "Open Letter 2 Obama" on MySpace. The official Obama response? Hip-hop hooray: The campaign Web site gave away a ring-tone version of the track -- a punchy snippet in which Jin declared "Go! Go! Go! O-bama! O-bama!" -- and even used the song to introduce Obama at a speech. By J. Freedom du Lac Washington Post Staff Writer

Happy B-Day Bro! :wickedwisdom:

Whoa, that's a lot of news, I heard a lot of it already too, I sorta have mix feelings about how that Dr. Dre album's gonna turn out, and I'm gonna check out that John Witherspoon CD 'cause he's funny as hell

Thanks for that info Tim, K. Fingers is a great producer

Joined! :thumbsup:

I'm definately looking forward to Big Boi's album, btw this "Something's Gotta Give" song he did with Mary J. Blige is great, real soulful song: http://allhiphop.com/stories/multimedia__m...1/20281244.aspx

Hey Vipa I tried the ID and password and they didn't work for me

:thumbdown: :shakehead:

August 03, 2008 SOHH Exclusive: Big Boi Steps Out of The Box On New Album, “My Sound Is On Another Galaxy” Written By Thomas A. Harden OutKast’s Big Boi is gearing up for the release of his new solo album Sir Luscious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty this fall. SOHH caught up with the ATLien to discuss his role in the upcoming presidential election, holding the torch for his father and his coming of age disc. “The concept is basically the grown version of Big Boi,” Big told SOHH. “I came out on Southerplayalistic at 15-16-years-old, I was Big Boi. I’ve matured, I’ve been around the world and I have grown up, so now it’s all about ‘Sir Luscious Leftfoot,’ the knight in rhyming armor is here.” When asked about the second part of his album title, Big broke down the meaning behind ‘Chico Dusty.’ “'Sir Chico Dusty' is basically my father,” he explained about his album title. “My father was in the military, and that was his nickname. He was a bad, bad man. He was cool as a muthaf*cka. I’m the offspring of that man right there. He’s no longer with us, so I’m holding the flag for him right now.” The first single off the set is the politically charged track, “Sumthin’ Gotta Give,” featuring Mary J. Blige. The song touches on world issues from the war in Iraq, to rising gas prices, to the upcoming presidential election. Big wanted to release a single that would not only entertain but address the issues affecting the masses. “I wanted to put that out first for the people, talking about social and political issues that is going on in the world today and not just a bunch of gibberish,” he revealed. “It’s time for it. We have the biggest election of our lifetime about to go down.” When asked about his views on the upcoming election, Big stated he wanted to use his position in hip-hop to help influence young voters. “I love it man,” he stated. “The voter turnout is going to be groundbreaking again. There are people that have been following my whole career for about 10-12 years now, who know what I’m about, so I’m going to tell them who I like in the election. It’s all about freedom of speech and having your own opinion.” Sir Luscious Leftfoot wouldn’t be complete without the collaboration from his OutKast partner in rhyme, Andre 3000. Dre and Raekwon the Chef teamed up on the infectious street single “Royal Flush.” Other appearances on the set include T.I. George Clintion, Too $hort and Goodie Mob with production from longtime OutKast hitmakers Organized Noize as well as Scott Storch and Lil’ Jon. “If you like any OutKast album up until now, then you’re going to love this muthaf*cka right here,” he explains. “My sound has already been out of this world. I guess it’s in another galaxy now. I might turn into a black hole and swallow the rest of this ****. It’s gotten there, way bigger. From beginning to end and you just go on an adventure.” Sir Luscious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty hits stores In October on his Purple Ribbon imprint via Jive.

Awesome cover! :wickedwisdom:

House Apologizes For Slavery; Rappers React Published Thursday, July 31, 2008 2:23 PM Email alerts| Email| Email this| Print this| RSS 2.0| Atom 1.0 By Ismael AbduSalaam On July 29 the House of Representatives issued a formal apology to African Americans for the atrocities committed against them and their ancestors during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and Jim Crow segregation laws. Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen created the vote as one of his first actions as a new congressman in 2007. The resolution was introduced after Cohen found out the Senate would not be able to do a joint resolution. Cohen also made history as the first white lawmaker to represent a majority black district (Memphis) in over 30 years, and is also Tennessee’s first Jewish Congressman. “Slavery and Jim Crow are stains upon what is the greatest nation on the face of the earth,” Cohen explained to the Associated Press. “Part of forming a more perfect union is such a resolution as we have before us today where we face up to our mistakes and apologize as anyone should apologize for things that were done in the past that were wrong.” The resolution, while not speaking about reparations, acknowledges the responsibility of government in correcting the “lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African Americans under slavery and Jim Crow.” For Russell Simmons, who actively campaigned for reparations for African-American’s, the resolution is a step in the right direction. “It’s just another statement that America is changing,” Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “It has changed enough to accept the fact that it is impossible to fully heal without acknowledging the past.” The resolution also explains that Africans under the slave trade “were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage.” The resolution ends with a formal apology, stating the House “apologizes to African Americans on behalf of the people of United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow.” Outspoken Atlanta rapper Killer Mike proposed his own interesting alternative to monetary reparations for slavery. “When they start talking about reparations, let's not make it about the money,” outspoken rapper Killer Mike told AllHipHop.com. “Let's make it education based. I think every Black person in America should be able to go to college for free. I think they should have eight years to go after their Bachelor's, Master's, whatever they can get in those 8 years. And the reason why I say 8 is that some of those people are gonna be single parents [for example], and so I think they should have twice the amount of time the average kid in college takes. And for those people that's too old or already got a degree, they should get a tax break for a certain amount of years.” Cohen felt that with only five states formally apologizing for the atrocities enacted on African peoples, it was long overdue for Congress to acknowledge its role in creating laws that oppressed its own citizens. Rapper Immortal Techinque agreed with Cohen that the apology was a long time coming. “I believe that this apology is way over due and it was just done strategically at a time when Congress is at an incredibly low approval rating,” Immortal Technique told AllHipHop.com. “I think its a step in the right direction, but since slavery without a doubt built up the capital for capitalism, there needs to be a discussion in Congress about some sort of reparations. That and the social, religious and educational mechanisms that facilitated the justification for slavery and the modern form of racism, that was born from it." Cohen is scheduled to defend his seat in an August 7 primary.

I just voted for today, been voting all month

Hey Jim, the interview's up on Allhiphop.com: http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/arch...2/20324313.aspx

I'm feeling the dancehall flava of this track, good to see Heavy D back http://allhiphop.com/stories/multimedia__m...9/20346801.aspx

I'm not surprised personally, it's a damn shame but the truth is you can't expect the mindless teens that listen to Lil' Wayne to understand the substance of a Nas album, btw I like how Nas is standing up and fighting the power of these lame journalists, check this out: UPDATE: Nas Goes To War W/ Fox, “Demands” Network “Stop Racist Attacks” Written By Danica Dow Nas joined a throng of protesters at the Fox News building in Manhattan this afternoon to deliver over 600,000 petitions demanding that the network stop racist smearing against African-Americans and democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. As SOHH previously reported, Nas partnered with grassroots organizations ColorofChange.org and MoveOn.org to put an end to what they call Fox’s “racist propaganda.” “I’m here today to stand with the ColorofChange.org,” Nas said as he read from a prepared speech. “Over 600,000 people of every color across the country are demanding that Fox stop their racist attacks on the Obama family and on black America.” “We already know that Fox is not a news network,” he continued. “They are a propaganda machine but their racist attacks have gone way too far. Calling Michele Obama ‘Barack’s baby momma?’ Tell me is that acceptable to you? Is that racist?” he asked the crowd. Nas also referenced the network’s portrayal of the fist bump that Barack and Michelle Obama shared as a “terrorist fist jab” and Fox anchor Bill O’Reilly’s call for a “lynching party” for the woman who may become First Lady. “Fox poisons this country every time they air racist propaganda and try to call it news,” said the Queensbridge rapper. “This should outrage every American that Fox uses hateful language to talk about the person who may be the first black president.” According to Nas the Obamas aren’t the only victims of Fox News. He also blames the network for attacking, black leaders, black institutions, ordinary black people and of course hip-hop artists. “It’s offensive to black Americans,” he said. “It’s offensive to all Americans. That’s why I wrote on my new album a song called, ‘Sly Fox,’" he said before reciting a few lines from the song. “Watch what you watchin’/ Fox keeps feeding us toxins/ stop sleepin’/ start thinkin’.” In related news Nas’ Untitled album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 today. The controversial album was Nas’ fifth No. 1 album, and sold 187,000 albums it’s first week out.

Yeah Jim a couple years ago I posted on here that the former producers Carvin and Ivan for ATOJ mentioned in Vibe Magazine that Eminem felt excited and nervous when he met JJFP in the studio back in '99 'cause he was a big fan back in the day, it's nice to see Skillz sticking up for FP like that, he's a real dude and a dope mc

LL Cool J: The AllHipHop Interview posted Friday, July 18, 2008 8:00 AM | 51 Comments By Haaron Hines LL Cool J is a man of many firsts. James Todd Smith was the first artist on the house that Rush and Rick built. Uncle L was also one of the first successful rapper turned actors, and pioneered what is now an industry staple, the chick record. With 12 albums released, movies, books, clothing, television shows, among other ventures, one has to wonder, what does Hip-Hop really have to offer Mr. Smith? With an industry seemingly changing for the worse by the day, and so much already accomplished, many people wonder what makes the Queens, NY native still pick up that mic. But what people don’t understand is when you’ve been in love with something since you were 16 years old, it’s impossible to let it go. And nothing, no movie, book, clothing deal, or TV show can ever take the place of your first true love. To LL Cool J, the upcoming release of Exit 13 is more than just his 13th album. It’s a love letter to the music that made him great and a declaration to every fan and naysayer, Uncle L is still here. AllHipHop.com: Your career spans over two decades. While everyone can agree that nobody is perfect, you’ve maintained an almost spotless image over the years. Is that a conscious lifestyle decision or some just damn good PR work? LL Cool J: [laughs] It's just how I live. I'm not trying to be perfect. I'm not trying to get up on a pedestal and do the pedestal thing. That's how I live my life. I don't go around trying not to play myself but I don't go around trying to either. I'm just doing me. I have a family because I chose to have a family. I never let the culture we're involved in dictate what I would or wouldn't do. I ran my career, I didn't let my career run me. AllHipHop.com: The image we just spoke about make you incredibly marketable. With the industry being in the state it is, why not shift your focus to the film aspect of your career? LL Cool J: It's what I love to do. That's one thing about me. A lot of people expect you to do what they think is going to be most lucrative for you. I really turned down a lot of movies during this period. I turned down like seven or eight movies because I really just wanted to focus on this project. A lot of people want to just count the money and tell me what I should be doing but what people don’t understand is that in life, you have to do what makes your soul feel good. You can’t sell your soul to go after the quick buck. I don't make decisions based on money I base them on what I love to do. I love Hip-Hop and me doing Hip-Hop doesn't mean I'm trying to be 19. I'm not confused, I don't have things twisted. When I put a hat on backwards I'm not trying to recapture something. I know who I am. I'm comfortable with who I am, my age and my status. I love our music and I love creating music. Anytime I can go do a mixtape with a guy like Kay Slay or drop freestyles and have the Internet buzzing that tells me that what I feel and what I have to say is still relevant. When I can go out on [the] Summer Jam stage and get the reception I received that shows me that I'm relevant, so it's justified. I'm not one of these guys trying to cling on to something I had before. I'm not trying to recapture something I did many years ago or imitate anybody today. I'm blazing a path and a trail nobody's ever blazed before. There's no artist for me to follow. And the artists that came after me looked at Russell then looked at me and decided they wanted to be a hybrid of both. My desire was to be an artist. That was what I wanted to do with my career at that point. My desire was to make great music and that's something I was able to do. I want to show people I still have the ability to do that and I'm going to have fun doing it. AllHipHop.com: You are responsible for creating the now obligatory “chick friendly” record. Do you feel that guys give you your proper credit for finding and capitalizing on that particular niche? LL Cool J: I think that people give me credit but let's just call it what it is, when you're a guy that a lot of females talk about cats aren't going to give you but so much credit. We can sit here and pretend that we don't know that but, the reality is if there wasn't so much of that female appeal, and it's definitely a blessing, but the amount of female appeal is definitely what keeps fellas from giving it all the way up. But they listen to them freestyles and they hear them rhymes connecting so they know what it is. I'm okay with that because we all have our paths that we choose. I'm comfortable with that. I know that I introduced the campaign towards the girls to cats back in '89. I had the panthers and the rope chains and the champagne on the album covers. I been doing this for years since back when me and Jam Master Jay was battling over who had the biggest chain. When you're in that position you kind of have to take it with a grain of salt. That's part of the responsibility of being first. It comes with the territory. My thing has always been to focus on making great music and loving that. I never really wanted to go outside of that. Once people realize I've been completely satisfied and fulfilled with what I've done with my career thus far, I think that they'd have a better idea of who LL is. AllHipHop.com: What are some of the misconceptions you’ve dealt with? LL Cool J: Many people seem to have this picture in their minds that I had all these other things I wanted to do but in reality all I wanted to do was my 10 albums then three after that. I've done what I wanted to do. A lot of people were saying, "LL wants a job at Def Jam." LL Cool J does not want to work at a record company. I don't know why people think I'd want that. It's not attractive to me to have to wake up at the crack of dawn to drive into Manhattan at 8:30 in the morning. Most of the people that have to do that everyday don't want to do it. What makes people think LL wants to work at Def Jam? People got things so twisted then came back around and were saying LL is bitter. I'm a 40 year old multi-millionaire who owns his own catalog, done movies, just made the biggest clothing line deal in the history of Hip-Hop culture so what am I bitter about. People need to realize you don't need to live your life being compared to other people. And people sometimes feel those same comparisons about me. They think I want to be somebody else when I just want to be LL. AllHipHop.com: They say you have to lose something in order to gain something. With all that you’ve been able to achieve in your career, can you think of anything you lost or any moments that made that you regret being in this industry? LL Cool J: I don't have any regrets about that. I’ve loved it since I was nine years old. At 12 I was writing, 14 I was making a record and at 16 we started Def Jam. I never regretted being out there. I have been frustrated. I’ve had times when I wanted to quit but that’s a part of being great. You have to live up to those challenges. Michael Jordan got frustrated, he had to play with the flu a couple times but he did it. It’s a part of life. The key is just to believe in yourself. You have to believe in yourself when no one else believes in you. There’s always going to be people around you to tell you that you can’t do something. When I first started I would tell guys I’m going to be a rap star and they used to tell me I was crazy. The first time I ever rapped in public a girl came up to me and told me I can’t rap. I didn’t let that frustrate me. You can’t expect everybody to be your fan. I love what I do. I love the culture, I love the music and I do it from the heart. AllHipHop.com: The age of our favorite MCs is becoming an issue. Most of the younger guys coming into the game feel that at a certain point the torch must be passed. What’s your take on that statement? LL Cool J: One thing that people have to understand in Hip-Hop, the thing we have to be clear about is; because you continue to make rap music it does not mean you are trying to be younger than you are. They have to understand that I will not stop liking rap music because my birthday passed. I know, for some, that might be difficult to believe but a birthday does not mean you can no longer like Hip-Hop. That’s the thing for me. AllHipHop.com: So when guys say Jay-Z has had his time and he needs to fall back and let some of the newer artist have their shine you defend him? LL Cool J: I’ve heard them say that here and there, and I’m not looking to defend Jay on any level but, I don’t see any reason for him to stop making music. These guys just have to understand that you need to prove you’re better. This isn’t sports. I’m not on the court trying to mix it up with the young boys. I’m solidifying a legacy and making great music for people who appreciate LL Cool J. It’s not about guys getting older and trying to capture somebody younger. Just do you. That’s what your focus should be. If you get it in, you spit crazy, then you should just focus on making the hottest records you can. Focus on making the greatest material you can and just really bang cats out. That’s what you should focus on. You should not focus on why guys are 10, 13, 14 albums later, still making music. That’s a waste of time. AllHipHop.com: This album, Exit 13, is you’re 13th. What does that mean to you? LL Cool J: I think that this whole project, the mixtape, the album, the excitement and the energy that comes with them…it’s what I live for. I live for these moments. I laugh when I see guys say, “Now who’s he going to blame when his album flops.” I’m not going to have to blame anybody because my album is going to win. I’m going to succeed. You’ll never hear me say I never made a bad album or a wack record because everybody has to someday. Somebody somewhere thought that single or that album was wack homie. But I’m coming from the heart with this music and I’m doing what I got to do. And if you can’t understand that then you need to just click onto another site. Allhiphop.com: What was your process when making the record? I heard you worked with 50 Cent for most of the project? LL Cool J: I did a whole album with 50, I did an album by myself, then I went and did another album by myself. I decided to use like two or three songs from the album I did with 50, one from the second album I did by myself, and the rest is all new material. 50 definitely inspired and motivated me. Watching him work made me hungry again but, it was also important for me to come out with an LL Cool J album that doesn’t sound like I’m trying to be 50 Cent. I’m not doing that. AllHipHop.com: Now that you mention it, people thought you were signing to G-Unit once word got out you two were working together. LL Cool J: [laughs] There were a lot of, for lack of a better word, doe-dos out there that were like. “LL is going to sign to G-Unit.” I don’t know what these guys are thinking. Why would I work for 20 years to sign to another artist? I don’t know where the stupidness came from. I don’t think they understand who they’re dealing with and the reason I’m here. I just wanted to make good music. 50 definitely motivated me, pushed me, and inspired me a lot. I go a song on the album with him and a couple songs that we just worked on together. It sounds good man. AllHipHop.com: You’ve been rhyming for over 20 years and have maintained your relevance through constantly adapting to your surroundings musically. Is that part of the creative process or a conscious action? LL Cool J: Well that all depends on how you look at it. To most people LL is adapting and changing over the years but LL looks at it like he’s leading. I’m not trying to imitate what’s going on today and I’m not trying to recapture yesterday. I’m trying to push the envelope. It doesn’t mean I have or always will succeed in doing that. It’s not easy and when you’re doing something for 20 something years you’re going to make some mistakes. It’s a fallacy to think that you’re never going to make a mistake that’s not a reality when you’re and artist. Everybody does it. With that being said, I just constantly look to the future. I don’t walk around with the 1995 high school championship ring on. I don’t live my life by what LL used to do. Although, in a freestyle I may have to re-educate some cats and set the stage for them so they can understand who I am but I don’t live in the past. That’s the thing that people have to understand with me. When I make music I make it from the heart. I don’t run around trying to fit in. My first record came out in 1984, I’m not following nobody. At this point who am I following? Who is there for me to follow? The guys that people are calling veterans have like 10 or 12 years. I’ve been out twice as long as some of the guys people call veterans. AllHipHop.com: You’re known for having your hand in a bunch of different pots. What else do you have going on outside of music? LL Cool J: I’m doing a lot of stuff man. I have a drama coming out on CBS as a mid-season replacement. The deal is inked and drying as I speak. I have a movie coming out with Meg Ryan. Actually, let me talk about the Sears deal. Most people have been saying, “LL is crazy. Why’s he doing a deal with Sears? He should be with Ed Hardy or Gucci or something like that.” What people fail to realize is I’m not above people. I’m not trying to disassociate myself from regular people. Everybody doesn’t have $10,000 to blow on one pair of jeans and a hoodie. Even though stuff like that sounds fly, there are people out there that work for a living that can’t afford all that. So why not partner with a company that’s trying to put fashion forward designs at affordable prices on the backs of people who don’t have the disposable income to spend at those “upscale” stores? Why wouldn’t I, a guy who is supported by regular people, support that and help make people proud to embrace that? It doesn’t make you any less aspirational to do something that affects your community in a positive way. You can do good and still be very rich and very successful. I always want to maintain my connection with my community. So the decisions I’ve made from making a song called “Around the Way Girl” to this have been based on that idea. I got a digital distribution network called www.Boomdizzle.com and that’s crazy because it’s going to give people an opportunity to get out there. Def Jam is working with me on it and it’s really going to be an exciting thing for upcoming artists. I want to help people; I want to see people make it. I’m not trying to hog the game. I want to see other people be successful, make money, and get rich. I’m okay with other people coming in and becoming legends. AllHipHop.com: Do you feel that other veterans do enough for the up and coming artists new to the game or still trying to get in? LL Cool J: I’ll put it like this, there are two ways people can make it to the top. You can make it creatively or competitively. Competitive people get to the top then kick the ladder down or pull the ladder up so no one else can make it up. Creative people make a ladder and leave it there for others to climb. I think we, as a people, have gotten used to the competitive way where you just worry about you getting up and screw everybody else. I don’t get down like that. People are going to see me succeed in the next couple years and when they witness my success it’s going to be a lot clearer to people that you don’t have to cut everybody’s throat to succeed. You don’t have to position yourself like “I’m better than you” to be successful. Like, I don’t have to distance myself from my neighborhood. I can go to the barbershop and say what’s up to my people. I can still go to my old neighborhood and still be rich. It’s a car drive away. I’m not saying you can’t grow and develop new circles of friends as well. There’s nothing wrong with growth but remember, the taller a tree grows the deeper the roots. If not, that tree is dead. There’s no problem with evolving. We’re going to evolve, we need to evolve. We need Fortune 500 businesses but that doesn’t mean we have to abandon our people to do it. AllHipHop.com: While we’re talking about evolution, have you had a chance to sit down with Russell Simmons or Rick Rubin and talk about the current state of Def Jam? LL Cool J: No. not really. The way I look at it is, I was there from the beginning. Everything that you guys are seeing right now represents growth. It’s not like we went wrong or anything. When we started it was me Russell, Rick, and Heidi Smith the secretary ordering sandwiches for lunch with no furniture in the office. So when I look at Def Jam now with hundreds of employees, I’m impressed. That’s not to say that, musically, things can’t be better but that’s ebb and flow. With any label or any situation that will happen. I don’t have a problem with the growth. People don’t know I owned a piece of Def Jam but I sold it back at a certain point for a certain price. I own my catalog. Before Lyor [Cohen] and them left we did a deal and I got my full catalog. LL Cool J owns his whole body of work. Every record. I’m very happy about the growth Def Jam has experienced. Now, do I feel the Hip-Hop side of the music needs more attention, yes. Do I feel like that’s going to change shortly, yes. I think Hip-hop will be served more now that Shakir [stewart] is up there doing what he does. You’re going to see the Hip-Hop get better. You can see from my project. You’re probably going to be getting calls from people you’ve never spoken to before. People are excited about Hip-Hop. People are excited about my project and I know it’s going to succeed. You now have people up there that are really rooting for the artists. There is no more competition between the executives and the artists. It’s back to artists being artists and executives being executives and we’re all going to have success. AllHipHop.com: When you look back at when you came in and all the doors you’ve opened, who are some of the artists, besides yourself, that make you feel like it was all worth it? LL Cool J: There are too many to name man. Off the top of my head, I think what Lil’ Wayne is doing is great. As an artist and just his overall work ethic is great. For him to consistently come up with that many verses and mixtapes and then what he did with the album, that’s great. All that speaks to his work ethic and success never rewards the wrong person. I’m happy for him. AllHipHop.com: You’ve been in your fair share of situation when you had to introduce somebody to the wrong side of a battle rap. If someone challenged you on that level today, at this point in your career, would you entertain them or let it go? LL Cool J: I don’t know what I would do. I’m so unpredictable I don’t know what I would do. I might not say nothing or I might make like 19 records about you. I don’t know. It’s all according to how I feel it. I’m quirky like that. I might ignore something people thought I wouldn’t ignore and then I might feed into something people thought I really wouldn’t or shouldn’t feed into. I really don’t know. All I know is when it comes to this microphone and this whole MC thing I’m fearless. I been doing this my whole career and I’m built for it. But I’m not going after that. Bullies always end up on their back at some point so I’m not going that route. But if anyone feels like they want to underestimate me, it’s whatever turns you on homie. Just know what it is. I enjoy making my music. I really enjoy that so I do what makes my soul feel good. That’s why I’m here 24 almost 25 years later. Since the day you were actually born I’ve been making records. I’ve been doing it because I love what I do. I don’t sell out and that’s why I’m still there. I’ve been very courageous in the decisions I’ve made. Be they popular or unpopular I’ve always stuck to my guns. On “I’m Bad” I said, “When I retire I’ll be worshipped like an old battleship,” and I meant it man. I got to do this man. I need it, I want it.