Even after more than 20 years, LL Cool J can still hit it with the best of them.
His 11th album, The DEFinition, demonstrates how LL is one of the few hip-hop artists with staying power. In a genre littered with one-album wonders, it's hard to think of more than a handful of rappers who continue to find mainstream success over a number of years, let alone one who has been able to rack up hits since the '80s.
But LL Cool J can, and even though his songs still carry his particular mark, they don't sound outdated.
The album's first single, "Headsprung," is a perfect example of how LL Cool J has been able to change with the times. It's the kind of song you can hear once on the radio and find still yourself singing along to three days later when walking to class. It's easily one of more memorable hip-hop songs to come along all year.
Produced by Timbaland, it has his distinctive touch all over it - it's imminently danceable, driven by a beat that demands you hit the club floor. At first hearing, it doesn't even sound like LL - I was surprised it was him when I saw the video. But LL's inimitable voice is there, even though it's not the most memorable part of the track.
"Hush" is more of a typical LL song. Right from the start, there is no mistaking it for anything but him - it's in the vein of such classic tracks as "Around the Way Girl" and "I Need Love." With its smooth, midtempo rhythm, "Hush" is archetypal LL, right down to his silky lyric delivery.
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That ability to appear both street-hardened yet sensitive is a huge part of his allure. This album stays true to that appeal with hard-hitting dance anthems such as "Apple Cobbler" mixed in with lady-friendly tracks.
Despite the album's strong points, nothing really elevates The DEFintion beyond what it is - a solid album with a good mix of party-friendly and mellow songs. Sure, it has plenty of radio and club-friendly potential hits, but the album isn't LL's best. Of course, with more than twenty years in the business under his hat, the standard for personal best is quite a bit higher than it is for a rapper who's only been around for a couple of years.
LL may be a veteran, but he still gets it done, and he does it in a way younger rappers can only be envious of. Nothing on The DEFintion sounds tired, and LL Cool J sounds as exuberant as he ever did. Even without hitting a new standard, LL, while holding steady, shoots beyond a lot of the modern, poppy hip-hop.
He no longer has to prove himself with every album - he accomplished that many albums ago. At this stage in his career, his record of putting together strong, solid albums is all the proof he needs to show he belongs in the "legend" category of rap.
The DEFinition
LL Cool J
Def Jam Recordings
Grade: B+
