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One artist releasing ten albums in a Hip-Hop
career…few can claim such an achievement. One Todd Shaw aka
Too Short, some hobbits (artists from the underground) and now
James Todd Smith, bka LL Cool J from Queens. With questions
about his ‘realness’ and relevance in the 2002 ‘game’ of
Hip-Hop, LL Cool J follows his relatively luke-warm release
Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) with self-explanatory titled
Ten.
Right out of the gates LL defines what those L’s stand for.
Ladies do, and have always loved Cool J. Ain’t nuthin’ changed
on Ten. LL demonstrates on tracks like “Born To Love You”,
“Paradise”, “Amazin’” and the lead single “Love You Better”,
why the ladies respond to him and not the hatin’-a** clowns
who have dissed him for his outward affection toward the
fairer sex. The surprisingly chiseled Cool J, in his new video
may have oversaturated Ten with songs for the ladies in the
opinion of some, but you know what? If the ladies are diggin’
the flavor who’s complaining? The main debate however, is
about the well-roundedness of Ten. While he hits the ladies
from the back on tracks like “Lollipop”, “Afterschool” and “U
Should” he bangs clown MCs in real way on “Clockin’ G’s”, the
veteranesque “Ten Million Stars” and “Niggy Nuts.” These
tracks provide the requirement of hardcore attitude and lyrics
to balance Ten into a record that can be played without pause.
LL has mentioned in interviews that he is not ashamed to
express his feelings for the feminine persuasion and
throughout his career with tracks like “I need Love” and “One
Shot at Love”, LL has came right and direct with the ladies.
The haters will love to dissect this album for those exact
reasons, and with the current fad of “treating’em like a
prostitute” as MC Ricky D once instructed, LL will doubtlessly
receive much criticism. On “U Should” LL does the critiquing
however. He kicks the game to the fellas, advising them on the
hook that “You should know how to treat your girl, playboy.”
And no doubt, LL shows the ladies your game, then he displays
his – “who you think she gon’ choose?”
A clear sign of maturity, Ten offers another much-needed
track. “Big Mama (Unconditional Love)”, featuring Dru Hill
pays tribute to his and everybody else’s grandmother. The
track’s heartfelt appeal includes a sample of the classic ode
to the matriarch, “Sadie.” He raps smoothly about issues the
listener can relate to and flows eloquently about the role his
grandmother played in his upbringing adding, “A toast to the
woman that raised a man” and “You taught me well, to not get
souped up because I’m LL.”
As the homie in swingers said, “You’re all growed up!” and LL
is grown. He can clearly drop heat like lava flows, but he’s
not thuggin’ on the block, he’s got family and he’s got a
career. LL’s position in the Hip-Hop game has changed; from a
defiant private taking orders to achieve rank, to a
Commander-In-Chief calling shots and doing what he wants to
do.
What Ten represents is a change of position in LL Cool J’s
career. It’s not good, or bad. It’s life and Ten highlights
the signs that he is not the 18-year-old MC about to get shot
by Jam Master Jay in Krush Groove, for saying, “BOX!!!” With
Ten, LL has written his signature on Hip-Hop all over again,
leaving some hanging and leaving some begging.
-Nate Money
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