(ThyBlackMan.com) LL Cool J is a hip-hop legend who made his debut with the 1984 single “I Need A Beat”. That track would be featured on his debut album Radio a year later. Entering the game when a new wave of rappers were entering the east coast/NYC scene, LL Cool J’s songs—and his contemporaries—mixed what was learned from old school hip-hop and electro with realistic lyrics about life in the inner city at the time.
Given the period the Golden Age of hip-hop started—during the early years of the crack epidemic, the drug trade, and drug wars—hip-hop is historically and culturally significant. LL Cool J’s place in hip-hop and music history is also significant with the hits produced, feuds engaged, and being one of a handful of east coast rappers to successfully crossover into mainstream.
LL Cool J Songs from Radio
We’re going to look at five LL Cool J songs that really got me to dive into his albums. The man has thirteen albums and when I first heard of him was “Mama Said Knock You Out” from 1990. In going back and explore an artists iconic or top songs, you have start from the beginning.
I love doing album dives and finding the strongest tracks with a ton of replay to them. Radio was the perfect stage for LL’s next couple of years prior to him totally crossing over into film and TV. Similar to Ice Cube or Ice T, there was an attitude to his music in the early years that I loved.
Let’s dive into LL’s furious five from 1985’s Radio.
I Need A Beat (Remix)
This was the full on intro to LL in 1984. It was remixed for the full length release and it’s a pretty fitting introduction. It’s not the best, that honor goes to our next LL Cool J song and the last entry on this list. That said, the remix to “I Need A Beat” has a little more going on beat-wise when compared to the other songs on this list. It doesn’t sound dated for the time. This song really rides, when you think it’s the end of it, LL has more until the song finally closes out.
Rock the Bells
It stops you from missing some choice tracks and gives you the chance to see that artist’s development. Our dive into LL Cool J songs starts with Radio and the track “Rock the Bells.” This was the song that rocked the album for me. The aggression he comes in with off of an 80s New York beat took me back.
I’ve never been a huge fan of the beats from this period from New York but I dig the hell out of Big Daddy Kane and Eric B & Rakim. So Radio had to get a fair listen. Fortunately, the album had “Rock the Bells” and our next entry.
The song comes off as an obvious hit and would’ve been the better introduction over “I Need A Beat” and matches the performance of “I Can’t Live Without My Radio.” If I was recommending this album in 2020, this would be the first of LL Cool J’s songs from the album.
It’s a B-side track that does the job of making the album dope throughout with no lulls in hype but it’s an A-side track at the core.
Dear Yvette
I don’t know who Yvette is but LL’s narrative in this track has her as one of those “fast-tailed girls” you were possibly warned to avoid or warned about becoming growing up. LL’s up here telling Yvette’s business and rumors he heard in the form of rap and it works. It’s one of those double-edged songs you’ll find in a lot of artists’ catalogs.
On one hand, the technique, vibe, and production and cutting from the trio of LL, Rick Rubin, and Jazzy Jay are all on point and ahead of the curve for 1985 hip-hop. “Dear Yvette” showcases all of this in the same way as the other four on this list. However, it’s one of those LL Cool J songs that didn’t age well socially as more awareness about sl**-shaming came out.
Plus, it’s a song about a teenager by a teenager so sit with that in this context, I suppose. Maybe it’ll take you back to whatever decade you were a teenager in? As long as you’re not deep into adulthood remincing about a girl named Yvette you knew in high school.
Musically, one of the best on the album. “Dear Yvette” is a B-side track that helps establish a pace on the dangerous A-side!
Dangerous
The fifth track on the album and the last A-side track, “Dangerous” could’ve been the alternate title for Radio, honestly. It has the same vibe as “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” By the fifth track, you’ll also pick up on the sound of the album. While LL Cool J is doing his thing lyrically, the beats and production of Radio is straight-forward, street, and intentional.
I mean you have Rick Rubin handling production—1980s Rick Rubin. He had an ear for production around gritty or aggressive songs. “Dangerous” is an awesome example of Rubin’s hip-hop production work as is Radio as a whole. LL’s performance here is consistent from “Dear Yvette” to this song.
I Can’t Live Without My Radio
This was the lead single off Radio and one of the iconic LL Cool J songs. While “I Need A Beat” came first, this track blew the tape door off your cassette player. Now, I listened to the album out of order, then listened to it in order, then rearranged the tracks for my liking. It’s odd but I do it with every album I dive into or review.
“I Can’t Live Without My Radio” is an A-side track through and through. There’s really nothing more that needs to be said about this one. It was on the right side of the album and in the right place. This is how you do an introduction and get attitude, skill, and presence through off the bat and not later into the A-side or on the B-side.
As always, let us know your five! What are your picks from Radio? Did any of your five make this list?
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.