Sugar Hill Gang Getty Images Hip-hop pioneer LL Cool J has warned rappers about being too soft during battle attacks, and the responsibility he feels old schoolers have to teach newcomers.
The hip-hop icon, famous for his mic drop moments and classic hits such as Mama Said Knock You Out“, took a swipe at what he sees is the disappearance of competitiveness within rap battles. He detects a shirking in some of today’s artists from the confrontation that once was key to such cultural exchange. “Back in the day, LL said battles were about pushing each other to limits skill- wise and getting really creative with wordplay. This was a clever fight, not an emotional tussle.
LL Cool J calls out rappers for being too sensitive during rap battles and explains why he tries to avoid problems with other rappers.
Also, LL Cool J gives Drake encouraging words after his rap battle with Kendrick Lamar and expresses that he knows the song “Not Like Us” has to… PIC.TWITTER.COM/4710DXI5M2
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) JULY 12, 2024
But this is not a pity-party. After all, LL stresses the importance of respect. With building one of the most storied careers by sticking to his craft focusing on continuous positivity within in industry. He seems to be confident that competing is something you have no reason to worry about; find your wit and rap it cleverly, save the tears for Kandi.
That’s not where LLs criticism ends though. This is one he extends to more veteran rappers who seem like they may have fallen off. “Remember, we must keep moving the culture forward,” he asserts. He plans on finding not so much the new, but those who became “mystery men,” vanishing from performing live or creating new works. The fans deserve it,” he says, “and hip-hop deserves it. LL contends these pioneers helped build the very art form and as such, it is their responsibility not only to keep themselves active but also find new ways to push things forward using technology.
But not all commentary from LL is criticism. Opting instead to show support for Drake, who recently got torched in the big lights of a high profile rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. If anything, Kendrick’s “Not Like Us,” which took direct aim at Drake, seemed to leave the Killa in his own league last night. LL acknowledges how much of a burden Drake was under, but praises him for his perseverance. Apart from the backhanded compliment, it represents LL’s knowledge of not only hip-hop but also his respect for artists who can hold their own in a beef.
The hip-hop community is in all out debate war after this WORD FROM LL COOL J Or is the competitive flame no longer burning? What is it like being a veteran artist in an ever-changing sub-genre? This is LL voicing his concern for a homecoming to the roots of hip-hop. He wants artists to “recognize the wars that were fought in the soil, so they could be what it was,” and remember when wordplay continuously evolved – seeing a legacy of innovation. This can-do attitude and sharing quality is something LL believes should be the nature of the industry, which he felt was shown in his support for Drake among all other rappers who participated on that battlefield.
Though hip-hop will always be in a state of change, that same timelessness LL Cool J is holding onto resonates far more than any chart topping smash ever could. He encourages artists to respect the Yoruba tradition, but ultimately march forth into a contemporary world. And in telling the G.O.A.T. lemma, these words sung to set a new precedent for hip-hop’s future-to program its precepts unto competition and renewal every day forever more than it.
