LL Cool J has revealed his Mount Rushmore of Def Jam artists, but his list contains a few notable omissions.
The rap legend sat down for a wide-ranging interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast on Wednesday (July 31), during which he was asked to share his picks for the iconic Hip Hop label’s top four acts.
LL began by making a case for his own inclusion, reminding Sharpe that he was “the first artist on Def Jam.” (His 1984 song “I Need a Beat” was the label’s first release, while his classic 1985 debut LP Radio was the first album it put out into the martketplace.)
After Sharpe listed other legendary acts who’ve been signed to Def Jam, including JAY-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, DMX, Ludacris and Nas, LL overlooked them all and instead turned the clock back to the label’s pivotal early period.
“It’s LL, it’s Public Enemy, it’s the Beastie Boys and it would have to be Slick Rick,” he argued.
When quizzed about his exclusion of Hov, he replied: “Yeah, [he was on Def Jam] a thousand years later!”
LL Cool J has been snubbed by JAY-Z himself in the past.
During an interview with Big Boy in 2022, the Queens, New York native reflected on his friendly competition with Hov when they were teenagers and revealed that he has never been invited to Jigga’s annual Roc Nation Brunch.
“Look, I hardly remember that stuff,” he said when asked about him laughing at Jay’s raps when they were younger. “I love everybody. I don’t have no problems with none of these guys, man.
“If I laughed — okay, so what? Laugh at me. How many people have you laughed at or snapped on in the lunch room? I don’t even remember it! I laughed at you, so now I can’t have no brunch? I can’t have no finger food?”
LL Cool J is currently gearing up to release his first new album in over a decade with The FORCE, which is produced entirely by Q-Tip.
The pair shared the latest single, “Passion,” last month, which features a shuffling, dance-inspired groove and plenty of slick bars from LL.
“It’s in my DNA to let ’em play in the enclave/ Twerkulate while songs play, Andre the Giant, 3000 ways to make ’em obey,” he spits over Tip’s kaleidoscopic production.
The project is set to arrive on Septembver 6 and will boast appearances from a host of fellow Hip Hop greats like Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross and Fat Joe.
LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Slick Rick? Looks like a Def Jam mount rushmore to me!!!
That IS the correct Mt. Rushmore for Def Jam. The cold war between LL and Hov continues!
I couldn’t agree more 💯% facts. Carry on!!
I was born in 1989 so I can’t criticize LL’s picks. However, I thought DMX and/or Jay should be there.
If “when you get blinded by your own ego” was a person… This dude is milking off is “first artist to be signed at Def Jam” position to rank himself as the goat every time someone ask him a question about his status in the industry. But the truth is this motherfxcker is making bubblegum and lolipop music since 2000. His catalogue is pretty weak, if not consistent, when it comes to the quality of his albums. Hov, Nas and DMX can run laps around this guy.
MT Rushmore technically means The Founders. So, yeah. LL is right
Technically the founders of Def Jam are Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons dumbass! LL Cool J was just an artist.
lowkey diss not to mention Run DMC
Run DMC was signed to Profile when they released their first record in 1984, not Def Jam.
He’s talking about the ones that helped build Def jam. So yea he is right.
I’m pretty sure that it’s Def Jam that helped build LL Cool J’s career and not the opposite. And nobody can’t deny that Jay-Z, DMX and fuck it even Ja Rule saved Def Jam from bankruptcy in the mid and late 90s. LL was still making ice cream pop stickles music for women while licking his lips before biting an apple and covering his body with lubricant in his clip videos. FOH
Jay Z would be on the Roc-A-Fella Mount Rushmore. Jay and Dame fought so hard for The ROC not to be recognized as Def Jam artists. They did more for themselves than for Def Jam…as they should!