LL Cool J 'Is The Most Important Rapper That Ever Existed'

The self-proclaimed G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time) of hip-hop, LL Cool J has stated that he is “the most important rapper that ever existed.”

Legendary Def Jam recording artist James Todd Smith, who uses the moniker LL Cool J, appeared on a recent podcast, Apple Music’s Le Code, on Nov. 29 to discuss his current project, “The FORCE,” with Mehdi Maïzi, according to People. During that conversation, he made a statement relating to his storied career that started as a teenager when he released his first single, “I Need a Beat,” in 1986. He proclaimed that people would one day acknowledge his place in hip-hop history and deem him the most important rapper ever.

“I’m [going to] say this humbly, but I really mean this. I think one day people are going to wake up and realize that LL Cool J is the most important rapper that ever existed. I truly believe one day people are going to say that.”

He makes it a point to mention that he brought certain things to hip-hop that are still seen in the genre like flashy jewelry and drinking champagne. Even bringing up that he “introduced” love songs to hip-hop.

“They’re gonna look and say, ‘Wow, when it comes to the jewelry, this is the guy that introduced all the diamonds, and the ice and the jewelry and the champagne. They’re gonna say when it comes to the love songs, they’re gonna say, ‘This is the guy that introduced the love songs and all the love s***.’”

LL also stated that his emergence with the Def Jam Recordings label in 1984 led to some artists (JAY-Z comes to mind) who were also signed to the label years later becoming wealthy.

“Every artist that you can name, the biggest billionaire artists were launched on the label that I launched on. I’m saying this with love, I’m not trying to be funny-style, I’m not trying to be arrogant, I really sincerely…when I look at the epicenter of what it really is…it’s almost unfathomable.”