Mr. Smith - LL Cool J knocks em out yet again

Advantages: Production is ILLLLLLLL; LL Cool J's lyrics are excellent; Variety and Flavor
Disadvantages: 3 Average cuts... LL's gangsta image isn't believable

...Mr. Smith is one of LL Cool J's best albums in his allustrious 20 year career, yet most true-blue music/hip-hop fans don't recognize it as such. Sure, the album is easily LL's biggest selling CD to date, but yet it's always forgotten when mentioning LL's discography while hailing Mama Said Knock You Out as LL's magnum opus. Yes, that album was hot, but so was this one. Yeah, I know it all depends on opinion, but I think it's time to switch that up. While few have said it's hot, some people have called this album "average" or "pretty nice", but not me. From the first listen to the last (with the exception of the occassional speedbump), I immediately fell in love with the album. There's a little bit of everything here. A variety in subject matter and production, to LL's mixing of flows and great guest stars make Mr. Smith essential hip...

bigdiship-hop 12.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mr. Smith [PA] - LL Cool J

Forget The Ballads J

Advantages: A few bangers
Disadvantages: Inconsistent

...Released in 1989, "Walking With A Panther" was the third album by the Newy York rapper, LL Cool J. It had him finally able to advance his music, and since he invented a new style of Hip Hop, the Rap Ballad, on the album before it, he wished to continue this onto this one. Many saw this switch as a turn towards the commercial side of things, but he controls it all with the heavy Hip Hop material which he staterted his career with. 1. "Droppin' 'Em" To kick the album off, you have him killing the thing and indicating that he is about to take things over with this album. The start of it is questionable with the Surfer Rock guitar work, but following this, the hardcore beats kick in and the rapper is given a chance to re-invent himself for this one as a more mature artist (he was only 16 when his debut came out). **Five Stars** 2...

XICripZ 30.03.2009 (13.02.2009) · Read review
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Review of Walking With A Panther [PA] - LL Cool J

Lyrics That'll Make You Call The Cops

Advantages: Lots of big tunes
Disadvantages: A couple of the tracks let it down

...In 1990 came LL Cool J?s fourth album, ?Mama Said Knock You Out?. It appeared to have him move on significantly as the last album was filled with ballad raps, and hear he made a turn towards the street Rap to please his core fan base once again. This was taken even further with the album after it, so this is seen as a point where he chooses to change how people perceive him and his music. 1. ?The Boomin? System? This kind of thing is on another rise, and at the time it was pretty fresh to do so as this one has him do more bragging raps which have him talk about the type of thing he is able to spend his money on, and so here he gets a chance to flows about how heavy the sound system is in his car, and how he makes everyone?s head turn as he hits the corner. It was the first single from the album, and was appropriately chosen to start...

XICripZ 23.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J

This pushed LL Cool J into the Big Time!

Advantages: 14 original early LL Cool J hits which made him a star
Disadvantages: His tone of voice remains the same throughout the entire album

...heard it I just had to bounce, it made me happy, cheerful. Rap music had never done that to me before, and this was "cool" music to listen to. Some of the tracks on this album are quite hard, in that the lyrics are almost being shouted out by LL Cool J, but they also blend in with the tunes in the background, making them into proper songs rather than freestyle type jibber! Examples of this would be; Funkadelic Relic, Buckin' Em Down, and Soul Survivor. All great tunes. Tunes which had me listening to the album whenever possible (ofcourse, I had to tape the album onto cassette first). I knew from this album that LL Cool J was going to be huge in the growing rap music industry, and he certainly didn't dissapoint. My memries of this album represent, evolution from a school boy, into a college boy. It definately played a part in...

jasonjansari 20.12.2005 · Read review
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Review of 14 Shots To The Dome - LL Cool J

...And Your Radio's Def When My Record's On

Advantages: Classic Hip Hop
Disadvantages: A couple of the tunes are a little weak

..."Radio" is the debut release from LL Cool J, a rapper who has stuck with his record label, Def Jam since its creation a year before this album came out. LL's 1985 record came 23 years before his latest release "Exit 13" which recently came out, and so clearly this one shows how long he's been in the game, and the progression he has made. Upon release, Ladies Love Cool James (LL Cool J), the MC was only 17 years old, and had shown strong potential, which he clearly lived up to. 1. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" The track which the album is named after is the one to get things started for this album as you have LL Cool J come on some hard Rick Rubin beats about how his life revolves around his radio, and the music which it plays for him. Thsi is a powerful way to kick it all off, and you are bound to enjoy it. **Four Stars** 2...

XICripZ 17.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of Radio - LL Cool J

Say Goodbye To The G.O.A.T.

Advantages: A big single
Disadvantages: Just average

...As the title suggests, "Exit 13" is LL Cool J's thirteenth album, and also the last one which he has held in a deal with Def Jam Records since 1984 with his debut release, "Radio". Obviously, we have seen many changes in the artist since his debut, and he is one of very few who can claim to have sustained some sort of mainstream presence in the game for as long as he has lasted. 1. "It's Time For War" This one gets "Exit 13" going as LL Cool J comes out to the sound of some intimidating bells and a roaring choir of singers behind him. You have him rapping in the hardcore form which we saw a lot in the early nineties stages of his music. He talks about his legacy and all that he's done for the genre as a whole. **Three Stars** 2. "Old School New School" The R&B singer Ryan Leslie does the production for this tune as we are...

XICripZ 09.09.2008 (17.09.2008) · Read review
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Review of Exit 13 - LL Cool J

You're Losin' It Smiffy

Advantages: A few big tunes
Disadvantages: Inconsistent

...After a short break, taking the time to take on a few film roles, the New York rapper LL Cool J brought the eponymous ?Mr. Smith? as his 1995 album. After having undergone a major change in 1990 with ?Mama Said Knock You Out? and continuing this through with the album after it, on his sixth (of 13 he was contracted to fulfil with Def Jam Records when he became their first artist) he made another major turn as he could refine the early ?Ballad Rap (or Love Rap) for the girls, to the trends that came with Gangsta Rap for some sensual material that he would pioneer. 1. ?The Intro? 2. ?Make It Hot? As the Trackmasters take over the production., they come with a fresh little joint to get the listeners grooving to set the album up in a nice way, giving listeners an idea of how he is moving on his music here as he gets into one where he...

XICripZ 05.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mr. Smith [PA] - LL Cool J

Greatest Hits

Advantages: All of his early greats in one place
Disadvantages: N/A

...All World is the first 'Greatest Hits' compilation to be released by LL Cool J. It was released in 1996 on Def Jam Recordings and covers all of LL's work from his first single 'I Can't Live Without My Radio' from his first album 'Radio' to 'Hey Lover' from his sixth album, 'Mr. Smith'. Tracklist: 1 - I Can't Live Without My Radio (5:30) 2 - Rock The Bells (4:01) 3 - I'm Bad (4:40) 4 - I Need Love (5:22) 5 - Going Back To Cali (4:09) 6 - Jack The Ripper (4:48) 7 - Jingling Baby (Remixed But Still Jingling) (4:54) 8 - Big Ole Butt (4:37) 9 - The Boomin' System (3:40) 10 - Around The Way Girl (4:02) 11 - Mama Said Knock You Out (4:48) 12 - Back Seat (4:31) 13 - I Need A Beat (4:59) 14 - Doin It (4:54) 15 - Loungin (Who Do Ya Luv) (3:46) 16 - Hey Lover (4:44) The tracks are more or less in the order that they were released in so this...

dandadda 20.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of All World - LL Cool J

Pink Cookies In A Plaggy Bag?

Advantages: Highly varied
Disadvantages: Poor attempts at Gangsta Rap

..."14 Shots To The Dome" was the fifth album by LL Cool J and it came out in 1993, nine years into his career. It has the New York rapper performing material after the big 1990 album "Mama Said Knock You" out, which had hits from the LP which had him performing hardcore raps, as the title track from the record. As a result, this has transferred onto this release as he didn't change too much from then. 1. "How I'm Comin'" For me, as a intro, this was the perfect way to get this one started as you immediately get the idea of what direction he is going with for this album. Straight away I knew that LL was going for a style similar to his last album as it sounded like a re-work of "Mama Said Knock You Out". **Three Stars** 2. "Buckin' 'Em Down" With LL's newly found direction for music, you have him rapping in a way which seems...

XICripZ 17.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of 14 Shots To The Dome - LL Cool J

Mama Said Knock You Out

Advantages: Lyrics and Production are great
Disadvantages: N/A

...'Mama Said Knock You Out' is LL Cool J'S fourth album and was released by Def Jam Records in 1990. Tracklist: 1 - The Boomin' System 2 - Around The Way Girl 3 - Eat Em Up L Chill 4 - Mr. Good Bar 5 - Murdergram 6 - Cheesy Rat Blues 7 - Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem) 8 - Mama Said Knock You Out 9 - Milky Cereal 10 - Jingling Baby (Remixed But Still Jingling) 11 - To Da Break Of Dawn 12 - 6 Minutes Of Pleasure 13 - Illegal Search 14 - The Power Of God 15 - Mama Said Knock You Out (Steering Mix) The whole album was produced by production king Marley Marl and co-produced by LL Cool J, with the exception of 'Jingling Baby (Remixed But Still Jingling) which was produced by LL Cool J and remixed by Marley Marl. Four singles were released from this album: 'The Boomin System', 'Around The Way Girl', 'Mama Said Knock You Out' and '6 Minutes...

dandadda 20.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J