Last Updated on September 16, 2022
When did you fall in love with hip hop? Did it start with LL Cool J, Marvin’s Room, or Salt & Pepa? Or was it a mix of all these artists? Let us know in the comments. Let us know what inspired your love of hip hop! In the 80’s, hip hop was all the rage. You may remember your favorite songs by LL Cool J, Run-DMC, or Salt & Pepa.
LL Cool J
LL Cool J began his career by releasing his first album, King of Rock, in 2000. The album was met with widespread critical acclaim, and it sold over half a million copies in its first six months. In 2001, LL became the star of the family drama Kingdom Come and authored a children’s book, And the Winner Is. In 2003, he released his fourth studio album, 10 (with Chuck D and Dustin Shekell). The album’s success helped cement LL’s reputation as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Although his second album, Phenomenon, was largely a hit, it was the first to make LL Cool J the face of hip hop. It featured a mix of party jams and smooth soul ballads, and the track “4” thrust the rapper back into the limelight. During the process, LL Cool J collaborated with hard-core rappers Redman, DMX, and Method Man, and a newcomer, Canibus. The two collaborated on a number of tracks, including “I’m That Type of Guy” and “Loose,” which was a hit for both artists.
Despite the success of “I Need Love,” LL Cool J’s first love song was a mixed-bag. It showed a vulnerable side of hip hop and was a welcome change from political lyricism. During a recent interview with Complex magazine, LL Cool J reflected on the mixed response to the track. His versatile career spanned multiple genres, including dance music, hip hop, and even TV.
LL Cool J began his career as an established member of the hip hop community in his native Chicago. In the early 1980s, he became a household name after joining the Raising Hell tour and opening for established MCs, such as Porn and Chicken. Throughout the 1990s, his success expanded into other areas of his life, including acting, philanthropy, and music industry insidership.
LL Cool J was born in Bay Shore, New York, on January 14, 1968. His parents were violent and his grandfather was shot when he was four years old. His mother later began dating a young physical therapist and abusing him. At age 11, Todd Smith became an avid rap artist. He later began producing demos and was signed by Def Jam, a record label run by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons.
LL Cool J’s ‘Go Brooklyn’ chant sampled a hit song by Audio Two and became a defining moment for the rapper. While the song itself is a hit, it is also a deejay Cut Creator and LL’s ‘guilty pleasure’. In addition to the ‘Go Brooklyn’ chant, this song features Bomb Squad, a group that grew up in New York.
Marvin’s Room
If you’re looking for a new rap song, consider Drake’s Marvin’s Room. The Toronto collective has inspired Drake’s latest single, and the song is a throwaway in the hip hop world. Drake’s music has a lot of potential, but it’s still a little too “swaggery” for my taste. Here’s why.
The music video for “Marvin’s Room” is a wonderful example of a song that captures a man’s need for a woman. Drake demonstrates a deep sense of need for women in the video, and he normalizes this behavior in men. This song also promotes male artists’ ability to feel, which compliments the message of the song.
Drake’s song “Marvin’s Room” was recorded in Marvin Gaye’s old studio, and he named the song after him. The song tapped into the seductive and dangerous nature of the singer, which made it such a hit. In fact, Gaye’s music was deeply powerful because of its vulnerability, which ultimately ended her life. While Drake’s song was not the first to tap into Gaye’s vulnerability, it made it a classic in rap music.
Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” was part of his Take Care single. The song features a recorded voicemail from a woman named Ericka Lee who claims to be Drake’s ex-girlfriend. She claims that Drake threatened her with 2% of royalties and hired a lawyer. Drake also offered her $50,000 to record the opening monologue and hook of his new song.
Salt & Pepa
Hip Hop originated in the Bronx and later became an international phenomenon. While it started as a dance party, it quickly grew to include other forms of art, including spoken word, poetry, and urban philosophy. While hip hop grew in popularity, mainstream middle-class America ignored it and ran down poor neighborhoods. Hip Hop has become a wildly successful art form and a powerful teaching tool for knowledge of one’s self and moral, social, and spiritual principles.
The hip hop music genre has always been fueled by love, and this is apparent in the many songs. Rappers who are able to balance machismo with vulnerability are unquestionable chart toppers. Drake, the Certified Lover Boy, won the Artist of the Decade award in 2021. But, hip hop isn’t the only thing keeping these friends close. It is the music and the culture of hip hop that bring people together.
About The Author
Pat Rowse is a thinker. He loves delving into Twitter to find the latest scholarly debates and then analyzing them from every possible perspective. He's an introvert who really enjoys spending time alone reading about history and influential people. Pat also has a deep love of the internet and all things digital; she considers himself an amateur internet maven. When he's not buried in a book or online, he can be found hardcore analyzing anything and everything that comes his way.