Man Crush Monday: LL Cool J

February 01, 2016

Man Crush Monday: LL Cool J

Who: James Todd Smith

Performance Name: LL Cool J

AKA: "The Ladies Man"

Why We Love Him: Producing some of our favorite songs like his '02 single "All I Have" and his '89 single "Big Ol Butt"; his unique style oozes originality. Not to mention those lips and abs of his get us weak....

1985/1986. Radio

LL Cool J releases his debut album “Radio” on Def Jam Recordings

Released November 18, 1985, on Def Jam Recordings.Radio earned a significant amount of commercial success and sales for a hip hop record at the time. Shortly after its release, the album sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

With the success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the first hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. In 1986-'87 LL opened for Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys on the Raising Hell tout. Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show.

1987. Bigger and Deffer

LL Cool J's second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer, which was produced by DJ Pooh. His biggest-selling album, the album sold three million copies in the United States alone. It spent 11 weeks at #1 on Billboard's R&B albums chart. It also reached #3 on the Billboard's Pop albums chart. The album featured the singles "I'm Bad", the revolutionary "I Need Love"

"IM BAD"

"I NEED LOVE"

1989. Walking with a Panther

LL Cool J's third album was 1989's Walking with a Panther. The album was a success, with several charting singles ("Going Back to Cali," "I'm That Type of Guy," "Jingling Baby," "Big Ole Butt," and "One Shot at Love"). The album however was often criticized by the hip-hop community as being "too commercial and materialistic, and for focusing too much on love ballads."

"Big Ol Butt"

"GOING BACK TO CALI"

"Jingling Baby"

1990. Mama Said Knock You Out

In 1990, LL released "Mama Said Knock You Out", his fourth album. Produced by Marley Marl the album received critical acclaim and eventually went double Platinum selling over two million copies according to the RIAA. LL won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992 for the title track.

1995. Mr. Smith

Mr. Smith sold over two million copies. Its singles included "Doin' It" and "Loungin". Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men sampling Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life," which eventually became one of the first hip-hop music videos to air on VH1

"Doin' It"

1997. Phenomenon

In 1997, he released the album Phenomenon. The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father".

" Phenomenon "

1999. Movie Star

LL Stars in Deep Blue Sea, In Too Deep and Any Given Sunday

2000. G.O.A.T

In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T., which stood for the "greatest of all time." It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts and went platinum.

2002. 10

LL Cool J's next album 10 from 2002, was his 9th album (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), "Luv U Better", produced by Pharrell and The Neptunes and the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". The album went platinum.