LL COOL J and 50 Cent once made an entire album together – but it was ultimately scrapped upon completion.
Stopping by The Breakfast Club with Questlove and Black Thought for an interview published on Wednesday (August 9) to promote their upcoming joint tour, Uncle L recalled his time working with the G-Unit mogul.
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“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent,” LL revealed. “And we were writing together on this album. And when it was done I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good, I like the music. It sounds cool – but it ain’t me.’ So I didn’t put it out.”
He added: “It wasn’t nothing against 50. I love 50. I just wanted to try something different; maybe we collaborate, write together. It didn’t work.”
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When the hosts brought up LL’s 2002 hit “Paradise” with Amerie, which 50 has a writing credit on, LL clarified his involvement.
“‘Paradise’ is totally different,” he said. “50 wrote the chorus on ‘Paradise’ for Amerie. Which she sung. He didn’t white my rhymes. People get that a little [confused.] That being said, when that happened, I didn’t even know 50 was involved. That was the Trackmasters. They got that done and they played with the chorus, I liked it, et cetera.”
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He continued: “We’ve tried to work together and that’s my man. We real cool. But the collaborative thing, when it comes to my verses, that doesn’t work for me.”
You can view the interview below:
LL COOL J is making his media rounds as Hip Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. In commemoration, the MTA recently unveiled special edition metro cards in New York City featuring not only the Queens rapper but Pop Smoke, Cam’ron and Rakim as well.
The MTA announced the news on Friday (August 4), just one day ahead of LL and the late Pop Smoke’s cards debuting on Saturday (August 5). The former’s cards will be available only at the Forest Hills-71 Av station in his hometown of Queens, while Pop’s will be sold at both the Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy (L) and New Lots Av (3) stations in his hometown of Brooklyn.
While no exact date or location was given for Cam and Rakim’s versions, the MTA said they will be available later in August.
Hip Hop’s 50th isn’t the first time the Metropolitan Transportation Authority tapped into the culture. Amid the pandemic in 2021, the MTA teamed up with New York filmmaker Nicolas Heller to get 25 celebrities to record COVID safety warnings that were played throughout NYC trains and buses.
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As New York City is the birthplace of Hip Hop, it wouldn’t have been a campaign if the city didn’t use some of its most legendary rappers and figures. Among the voices were Young M.A, Cam’ron, Dave East, Angie Martinez, Angela Yee, Fivio Foreign, Malibu Mitch, Desus Nice, The Kid Mero, Peter Rosenberg, Jadakiss and more.
