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LL Cool J Sparks Debate After Claiming He's The 'Most Important Rapper That Ever Existed'

LL Cool J
Gareth Cattermole/MTV EMA/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount

The rapper explained on Apple Music's Le Code how someday people will "wake up and realize" that he changed the game in the music industry—and he gave some pretty compelling arguments as to why.

The '80s and '90s were a key period for musical innovation and artists deciding their sound and what they wanted their songs to talk about.

While appearing on the podcast Le Code by Apple Music, LL Cool J boldly stated that he felt that he was the "most important rapper that ever existed," and someday, people would realize he was right.


During the interview, LL Cool J explained:

"I’m [going to] say this humbly, but I really mean this: I think one day, people are going to wake up and realize that LL Cool J is the most important rapper that ever existed. I truly believe one day, people are going to say that.”
"They’re gonna look and they’ll say, ‘Wow, when it comes to the jewelry, this is the guy who introduced all the diamonds and the ice and the champagne. They’re gonna say when it comes to the love songs, they’re gonna say, ‘This is the guy that introduced the love songs and all the love s**t.'"
"When it comes to the bad-boy vibe, they’re gonna realize, ‘Oh, this is the guy who introduced all the rebellious bad-boy vibes before it was done.’ When it comes to the GOAT terminology, they’re gonna say, ‘Yo, this is the guy who came up with the GOAT stuff.'"

Admittedly, some would even argue that "GOAT" as an antonym began with him.

In 2000, LL Cool released the album G.O.A.T., which was long before it became a part of the public vernacular.

He continued:

"They’re going to say, when it comes to Def Jam, ‘Wow, this is the first artist that was on Def Jam.’ They’re going to say […] when it comes to the solo artist, going to say, ‘Wow, this is the first solo artist to take it all the way around the world.’"
"I mean, I could go on and on and on.”

You can watch just this segment here:

Listeners were inclined to agree with him.















When it comes to rap music, people might turn their attention to Eminem for powerful lyrics or even Will Smith for working across multiple mediums of entertainment, but LL Cool J does make a point.

Maybe not everyone will wake up one day and agree with him, but many already admit that he was innovative and helped this branch of the music industry grow in a new direction.

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