50 Cent To Executive Produce LL Cool J's Next Album

[Bob]

Yeah Jay-Z also executive produced "Todd Smith" and it turned out to be better than Jay-Z' "Kingdom Come" it seems, lol, I think we might be overreacting a lil' bit, 50 executive produced Game's "Documentary" which turned out to better than everything else on G-Unit since 2003 so it probably won't be that bad, LL's plan probably was to do a commercial album in "Todd Smith" and have a lot of r&b singers on it and then take it to the streets with "Todd Smith 2: Return To Cool", maybe there might be a lot of dope mc ciphers on this album

i was soooo disappointed with todd smith

soooo disappointed

i believe it's not even half the album kingdom come is

i think LL realized that the last album was not good

[Pakalicous]

Yeah Jay-Z also executive produced "Todd Smith" and it turned out to be better than Jay-Z' "Kingdom Come" it seems, lol, I think we might be overreacting a lil' bit, 50 executive produced Game's "Documentary" which turned out to better than everything else on G-Unit since 2003 so it probably won't be that bad, LL's plan probably was to do a commercial album in "Todd Smith" and have a lot of r&b singers on it and then take it to the streets with "Todd Smith 2: Return To Cool", maybe there might be a lot of dope mc ciphers on this album

i was soooo disappointed with todd smith

soooo disappointed

i believe it's not even half the album kingdom come is

i think LL realized that the last album was not good

Yeah.. I feel the same way.. I have much respect for LL But if people say "Todd Smith" is better than "Kingdom Come", it's overrated.. Waay overrated..

Peace

[bigted]

I think Kool G Rap was supposed to sign with G-Unit last year if I'm not mistaken, I think he decided to release his next album independently though, think that comes out next year too, I wasn't really dissapointed with "Todd Smith" 'cause I thought that he showed a different side of himself on that album, the songs were personal, if you only like the hardcore battle tracks he does then listen to his earlier albums, he said that in interviews that he doesn't want to act like a tough guy all the time on his records, he wanted to grow as an artist and show people a different side to him, I think that's why people are brainwashed by Jay-Z so much 'cause he raps the same all the time, if he was more versatile like LL he'd get hated on, it's like rap fans are only trained to like a certain sound and that's it, if you go outside that box you get hated on...

btw it's funny how in 2002/2003 50 Cent was one of the most respected then all of a sudden in 2005/2006 he's been one of the least credible rappers, funny how the tables could turn so fast, LL went through that period for a while too I think that's why he sees 50 as a younger version of himself, in 86/87 he was highly respected, but in 88/89 he was looked at as having no credability, I'm sure in 1989 many hip-hop fans would probably laugh if there was a thought that LL would still be in hip-hop 20 years later, it seems like a miracle for 50 but you never know he might turn it around, he knows he has to since Game got the whole industry on his side right now, maybe he'll realise that he can't diss anybody anymore and just make better music

Edited November 13, 2006 by bigted

[dparrott]

I don't know what's worse...all the R&B on Todd Smith or 50 & LL together on the new one. I guess if it makes LL really rock the mic, I'd be alright with it. But a return to his roots with 50...no. Premier and LL is a great combination.

[Turntable]

I dont care that LL showed a diffrent side on Todd Smith, I allways liked that sied on his own albums.. The problem is that he could show it much better. Come one, it wanst reallly good as good as he could do it. The love tracks are nothing like Hey Lover, and the emotional tracks are nothing like Father enz. Most track's seemed kinda rushed to me.

[bigted]

I like the idea that the album got pushed back from coming out to this fall to March, it won't be as rushed, "Todd Smith" wasn't LL's finest work but this ain't the golden era of rap either, there are other rappers out there that need to step up more than LL does, LL might've been thinking too much on a commercial level over the past few albums since "The GOAT" didn't sell that well even though he poured his soul into that album, I remember in interviews around when "10" came out about how he considered "The GOAT" to be a failure and I wondered how that could be when I heard "10" which wasn't half as great as that album was, and I'll never understand how he could call "14 Shots...." his biggest failure either when it's probably better than most of his recent albums too, the reality is that he sorta dumbed down to stay on the charts over the past few albums and didn't think about stepping his game up but he probably got his ear back to the streets again this time to realise that he does need to come stronger which I think he's gonna do, this is also a chance for 50 to prove that he does belong in hip-hop too, he's not as ignorant as we might think he is, I think he has an intent to prove a lot of us wrong by working with a legend like LL, he's one of the rappers that has more to prove than LL of course, I think LL's gonna be fine though, he's proved it many times before when people thought he was done so he could do it again

Edited November 13, 2006 by bigted

[Bob]

I think Kool G Rap was supposed to sign with G-Unit last year if I'm not mistaken, I think he decided to release his next album independently though, think that comes out next year too, I wasn't really dissapointed with "Todd Smith" 'cause I thought that he showed a different side of himself on that album, the songs were personal, if you only like the hardcore battle tracks he does then listen to his earlier albums, he said that in interviews that he doesn't want to act like a tough guy all the time on his records, he wanted to grow as an artist and show people a different side to him, I think that's why people are brainwashed by Jay-Z so much 'cause he raps the same all the time, if he was more versatile like LL he'd get hated on, it's like rap fans are only trained to like a certain sound and that's it, if you go outside that box you get hated on...

btw it's funny how in 2002/2003 50 Cent was one of the most respected then all of a sudden in 2005/2006 he's been one of the least credible rappers, funny how the tables could turn so fast, LL went through that period for a while too I think that's why he sees 50 as a younger version of himself, in 86/87 he was highly respected, but in 88/89 he was looked at as having no credability, I'm sure in 1989 many hip-hop fans would probably laugh if there was a thought that LL would still be in hip-hop 20 years later, it seems like a miracle for 50 but you never know he might turn it around, he knows he has to since Game got the whole industry on his side right now, maybe he'll realise that he can't diss anybody anymore and just make better music

definitely agree as to how ridiculous of a flip it is. I think the turning point had to be, at least for people who stay up on interviews, was when he said he didnt do anything for the love of the game but for the money associated with being the best. that really just turned off any interest. i'll admit, he is smart, gathering up all kinds of talent so that even though i may not stand him, if i see freeway is over there, i have a hard time not taking a second to listen.

[bigted]

Well that goes back to the point that Turntable made earlier about how back in the '80s hip-hop wasn't as big as now where the media covers everything a rapper says and does, back then in the late '80s LL was just as arrogant and money hungry as 50 is now and if the media covered hip-hop as much as now I think that would've been more magnified, and there was a pro-black movement with PE and KRS coming on the scene that people looked at LL as the anti-christ of rap doing songs about jewlery and women all the time, and I think in this present time with rappers like Kanye, Lupe, and Common having success and acclaim recently it's sorta going back to consciousness and now 50's receiving flack for not making rap with substance doing songs about his whips and his bitches, Kanye's "Late Registration" beat 50's "Massacre" out at the Grammies, Public Enemy's "...Nation Of Millions" album in '88 sold less than LL's '88 album but it was very critically acclaimed and still is more considered an all time great more than LL's "Walking With A Panther" is, 50's outselling them all just like LL outsold PE and KRS back then but they really lost support and acclaim in hip-hop during those times, I'm not putting Kanye on the same level as Chuck D or 50 on the same level as LL but it's sorta funny how history repeats itself...

I remember how a lot of people came down hard on 50 when he admitted on MTV that he ain't living with his son but LL mentioned in his book that around that time when he was younger he abandoned his son and his wife(who was his girlfriend then) too while he was out there living the fast life, if LL said that on MTV he would've been criticised too, he grown up since then though and realised that there's more to life than money and fame, it took him time to realise that since he got in the spotlight at a young age and didn't know how to handle it, friends and his grandmother pulled him out of it though, hip-hop wasn't covered as much then as now, we need to let 50 live and not come down on him so hard 'cause he's human and he needs time to grow too, 50 needs a good circle of friends and family that cares more than anything, he's a troubled soul right now the way I see it that's reaching out for attention, LL could a positive influence on him not only in music but in his life too beyond music, sure some of his recent music is weak but there are weaker rappers out now too that never did anything good to begin with, and as much as his recent stuff might turn me off I still like his "GRODT" album and some of his early mixtape stuff, he could still bring it if he wanted to, now if you got the "GRODT" 50 with the "GOAT" LL then that'd be a groundbreaking album that everyone would feel....

Edited November 13, 2006 by bigted

[Pakalicous]

For sure

[Turntable]

I agree Ted. You took the word's outta my mouth.

[Pakalicous]

And that's a lot of words i might add.

[derrickbrock14]

Nice attempts to defend your little hero Turntable. Basically everyone not a hardcore fan thought Todd Smith was weak and the rest will see it in a year or so... And "guys like LL Cool J and Michael Jackson dont have to do anything to sell more records no more", well LL havent sold platinum in the USA for a couple of years.. and I dont know if he's satisfied with that.

"LL sels more than anyone of G-Unit except for 50." Yup, but 50 is the executive producer.

"Except for the raps the G-Unit things are dope. And maybe.. just maybe he feels 50?"

The G-Unit things? The production? The little ugly action toys? The image? The persons in it? Nothing of that is dope. And if LL "feels" 50 Cent, which I cant imagine, then he is just as dumb as the twelve year old kids who buys 50s albums.

more than 12year olds and white girls buy 50 and g-unit they do have street cred in my hood and in the bay , la and so forth as you can tell i tend to travel but anyhoo they fill 50 and the unit in the streets its a proven fact, and you got to admit this collabo will be hot

[derrickbrock14]

Well that goes back to the point that Turntable made earlier about how back in the '80s hip-hop wasn't as big as now where the media covers everything a rapper says and does, back then in the late '80s LL was just as arrogant and money hungry as 50 is now and if the media covered hip-hop as much as now I think that would've been more magnified, and there was a pro-black movement with PE and KRS coming on the scene that people looked at LL as the anti-christ of rap doing songs about jewlery and women all the time, and I think in this present time with rappers like Kanye, Lupe, and Common having success and acclaim recently it's sorta going back to consciousness and now 50's receiving flack for not making rap with substance doing songs about his whips and his bitches, Kanye's "Late Registration" beat 50's "Massacre" out at the Grammies, Public Enemy's "...Nation Of Millions" album in '88 sold less than LL's '88 album but it was very critically acclaimed and still is more considered an all time great more than LL's "Walking With A Panther" is, 50's outselling them all just like LL outsold PE and KRS back then but they really lost support and acclaim in hip-hop during those times, I'm not putting Kanye on the same level as Chuck D or 50 on the same level as LL but it's sorta funny how history repeats itself...

I remember how a lot of people came down hard on 50 when he admitted on MTV that he ain't living with his son but LL mentioned in his book that around that time when he was younger he abandoned his son and his wife(who was his girlfriend then) too while he was out there living the fast life, if LL said that on MTV he would've been criticised too, he grown up since then though and realised that there's more to life than money and fame, it took him time to realise that since he got in the spotlight at a young age and didn't know how to handle it, friends and his grandmother pulled him out of it though, hip-hop wasn't covered as much then as now, we need to let 50 live and not come down on him so hard 'cause he's human and he needs time to grow too, 50 needs a good circle of friends and family that cares more than anything, he's a troubled soul right now the way I see it that's reaching out for attention, LL could a positive influence on him not only in music but in his life too beyond music, sure some of his recent music is weak but there are weaker rappers out now too that never did anything good to begin with, and as much as his recent stuff might turn me off I still like his "GRODT" album and some of his early mixtape stuff, he could still bring it if he wanted to, now if you got the "GRODT" 50 with the "GOAT" LL then that'd be a groundbreaking album that everyone would feel....

i feel ya on that

[JumpinJack AJ]

I'm one of those people who loves 10. I love The G.O.A.T. too. I view that as one of his very lyrical albums. All the beats were good...but only half of them were really solid. 10's lyrics weren't as watered down as some people think. And while all the beats were ready 4 radio, i think the sound of that album waz dope. The more i think about it, LL's lryics have NEVER slipped. He just focuses on different things on different albums. The only thing i've had problems with waz the production on his last 2 albums. Some of the sound just seemed unfinished 2 me. Then again, he doesn't need a glossy beat 2 take attention away from his lryics. That's what being a real emcee is about...not having a catchy trendy beat and a cute lil' R-N-B hook (or ignorant repeatative chant).

[Turntable]

That's what being a real emcee is about...not having a catchy trendy beat and a cute lil' R-N-B hook (or ignorant repeatative chant).

Sorry, but that is exactly what The Definition, 10 and Todd Smith are all about. Catchy lil hooks and trendy beats. Except for maybe a few tracks, like Big Mama and Were Gona Make It.