No rapper is as versatile as LL Cool J. At the age of sixteen he was at the forefront of hip hop and signed a contract for ten albums with the influential hip-hop label Def Jam. That tenth album came in 2002, simply called 10. LL Cool J understands the harsh language of hip-hop but was also one of the first to mix it with r & b influences, giving a romantic twist to the style. This combination
… caught on and translated into big hits like Mama Said Knock You Out, I Need Love and Phenomenon. The album The Definition was produced by colleague Timbaland. LL Cool J had a specific goal for this album: to make a party CD that can be played in the clubs. "Put your hands up in the air" can often be heard on The Definition. Yet there is also room for the mix of r & b and hip hop that made LL Cool J big; the song Hush, with a guest appearance by 7 Aurelius, is one of the best on the record. LL Cool J shows with The Definition that hip-hop can be very diverse. (JdD)more
