LL Cool J has claimed that he is partly responsible for Air Jordans being part of the Hip Hop uniform.
Sitting down for an extensive interview with Big Boy, the legendary rapper spoke about being the first rapper to wear MJ’s iconic basketball sneakers in the mid 1980s, before they became a staple in Hip Hop culture.
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“My first album cover, I had the Jordan sneakers on when he was a rookie. I was the first person with the Jordans on in the Radio album cover,” he said, referencing the image of him on the back of the 1985 LP rocking black and red Air Jordan 1s.
“Michael Jordan was a rookie when I did that. Everyone was wearing Adidas and Puma, bro. I put the Jordans on. He ain’t even have no championships. He was just a rookie. I liked the sneakers.”
I wore the very first pair of Jordan’s on my very first album. Im talkin when Jordan was a rookie. I’m not hating on sneaker heads. Don’t get offended 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I like sneakers!!!! pic.twitter.com/zKsGgnkwD5
— LLCOOLJ (@llcoolj) April 24, 2018
The “Rock the Bells” rapper previously admitted he was never paid for wearing the now-iconic sneakers in his Radio artwork.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2019, LL said: “He never cut me a check. But you know what? I just loved it. When that album came out, Michael Jordan was a rookie. Those were the first Jordans the first year that they came out.”
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LL Cool J is one of the most influential figures in the history of Hip Hop and recently celebrated another landmark with the release of his latest album The FORCE.
The project was produced entirely by Q-Tip and boasts appearances from the likes of Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Fat Joe, but its collaboration with Eminem, “Murdergram Deaux,” holds a particularly special distinction.
“I can’t remember when the producer and both MCs were all in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the time they recorded a song,” LL remarked in a recent interview with Shaheem Reid. “Us three, all Hall of Famers on that one song, I think is dope.”
He added: “I just think that’s a cool, fun fact. I think history will shine well on that.”
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LL Cool J was the first of the three to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, with Eminem joining him on stage for a performance of “Rock the Bells.”
Slim Shady joined him in the esteemed club the following year and named LL as one of his Hip Hop heroes in his acceptance speech.
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Q-Tip was then inducted as part of A Tribe Called Quest earlier this year.
