Who’s the GOAT right now, Drake or Kendrick?
If we’re talking about the battle, Kendrick clearly came out on top. That’s a given. I coined the term “GOAT” in hip-hop, and now people are saying I’m not the GOAT? You wouldn’t even be using that term if it weren’t for me. There’s only one GOAT, and I’m not here to argue about it.
Anyone who wants to chime in, go ahead. The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar might have cooled off, but the drama is far from over. LL Cool J recently joined the conversation, saying that Drake made a huge mistake going up against Kendrick, the Pulitzer Prize winner from Compton. But why is LL speaking up now? According to him, he’s the original trendsetter who laid the groundwork for Drake’s style—rapping and singing about his feelings.
It might sound like LL is bragging, but if you look back, he really was the prototype for Drake. Whether you love him or hate him, LL set trends by dropping smooth R&B tracks while also delivering hardcore gym anthems. LL Cool J was a founding figure in hip-hop, and his influence is everywhere. Hearing him rap made me want to rap.
What did LL really say about Drake’s face-off with Kendrick? Is he seriously suggesting Drake should hang up his mic for good? It’s all about the art, man. This rivalry is no different from LeBron vs. Steph or when Jordan was coming in and Magic was going out. James Todd Smith, aka LL Cool J, was one of the first rappers to attract a huge female audience while also earning respect from hardcore rap fans. The last of the red-hot, lean MCs with a theory: Ladies Love Cool J.
Now you know what LL means. Anybody want to join me up here? Everybody needs love; only suckers are scared to love. LL was the first artist signed by Def Jam in 1984, and his debut single, “I Need a Beat,” was crucial in helping the label land a distribution deal with Columbia. LL’s debut album, “Radio,” released in 1985, was the first project Def Jam ever released, marking the beginning of an era. The man who coined the term “GOAT” in hip-hop, LL Cool J, is a superstar with over 13 million records sold, mostly before the streaming era. He smoothly transitioned from music to TV and movies, boasting probably the second most successful onscreen career of any rapper after Will Smith. LL has also won numerous awards, including two Grammys, and in 2017, he became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.
Being welcomed into that rarified air was an amazing feeling. I’m not going to fake humility. It does matter. I’m very thankful and grateful, and it’s awesome that I got that opportunity. I’m glad that I had that kind of impact on the country, and I hope that through my work, I can continue to influence and elevate the culture of classic hip-hop in America.
In 2021, LL was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, becoming one of only a handful of hip-hop artists to receive this recognition. There are only 10 other rap acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Eminem, and Missy Elliott. Despite not releasing new music since 2013, LL’s influence continues to grow, and many rap icons have credited him as their inspiration. LL Cool J is, without a doubt, a living legend.
So what does LL really stand for? Ladies Love Living Large? Licking Lips? Personally, I think it stands for Living Legend. Remember the story you told me about leaving Def Jam? You were the first artist on Def Jam, recorded all this music, and delivered all these albums. When your deal was up, you were expecting a high-profile parting gift, right? Do you remember what you got? A cheap watch, right? Well, now I guess you know what time it is, right?
Def Jam might have missed the mark with their parting gift, but they knew exactly what they were doing when they signed you as their first artist. LL Cool J was just 17 when his debut album dropped, and it didn’t just put Def Jam on the map—it launched a superstar. Over four decades, LL gave us 13 studio albums, evolving from the fierce “Mama Said Knock You Out” to the smooth “I Need Love,” and even hitting us with R&B and pop gems like “Around the Way Girl,” “Doin’ It,” and “Going Back to Cali.” How cool is that?
You know that old hip-hop saying, right? “It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.” So, where are you now? L.A., California. While rap legends still recognize LL’s impact, some contemporary artists who clearly follow in his footsteps haven’t given him the credit he deserves. And that brings me to Drake.
There’s a strong case to be made that LL was the blueprint for Drake, and LL himself sees the similarities. In a 2020 interview with Complex, LL talked about his 1987 hit “I Need Love,” one of the first sensitive rap songs to become a hit. He remembered how there was a lot of pushback when it came out because the hip-hop scene was really conservative back then. If your energy wasn’t aggressive—like “I’m punching you in the face, kicking the door down”—you didn’t get much respect. LL told Complex, “In hip-hop, you only get brownie points for creativity within certain limits. When you try to step outside that box, if it’s not 1,000% street, you get no credit.”
Later in the interview, LL said he was proud to have created a new genre and mentioned some rappers he thinks are heavily influenced by him, like Fabolous and Jadakiss. “I’m glad that now, years later, Fabolous can do his thing and still be respected as a lyricist,” LL said. “Jadakiss can drop a love song and still get respect as a lyricist. I’m glad I could help make that happen.”
When asked about comparisons between him and Drake, LL Cool J responded, “We’re very different artists because I have a lot of hard records, and I’m very diverse. But in the aspect of my career, it paved the way for guys like that now to really understand.”
To see the parallels between LL Cool J and Drake, just look at LL’s second album “Bigger and Deafer” and its lead single “I Need Love.” The track was groundbreaking at a time when rappers were either portraying themselves as heartless party boys or serious social commentators. Drake, who started his career with emotional tracks like “Best I Ever Had,” has faced similar criticism. LL was accused of going soft or selling out, and both artists have caught flak for their women-centered songs. But LL didn’t let the comments about being soft affect him. In a 2013 Interview magazine piece, when asked about “I Need Love” being considered soft, LL replied, “It’s not soft; it’s the truth. Love ain’t soft, man; it’s just a part of life.”
Drake should have done the same. He should have embraced the image that initially made him famous. Kendrick Lamar even mentioned on Euphoria, “I like Drake with the melodies. I don’t like Drake when he acts tough.” Unlike LL Cool J, who accepted his softer side and stayed true to himself, Drake let the sensitive comments get to him. Suddenly, the nice guy we all liked was trying to prove he was tough, overcompensating by rapping about mob ties and disrespecting women.
Now, don’t get me wrong—LL Cool J also had his share of misogynistic lyrics, but he evolved. Drake, on the other hand, hasn’t changed much. If anything, he’s regressed. Remember when Drake first hit the scene? His songs were all about his journey to fame, his love life, and his hometown of Toronto. But the “Drake the type of guy” memes must have struck a nerve. Enter Drake’s villain era. Desperate to shed his nice guy image, Drake did a complete 180 and started showing off a hyper-masculine persona. By 2013, with the release of “Nothing Was the Same,” he was focused on projecting a tougher image, rapping about money and power plays. It was a clear attempt to rewrite his narrative, and it seemed like Drake desperately wanted to be feared. Remember his 2014 single “Draft Day,” where he bragged about his mob connections? “I’m with the mafia,” Drake raps. But now, in 2024, even LL Cool J has called out Drake for pretending to be tough. LL believes Drake should’ve stayed true to himself and let his music speak for itself.
LL Cool J’s words matter because he’s been through it all. He’s seen the industry evolve from vinyl to streaming, and his music still stands the test of time. He’s proof that you don’t have to conform to be successful. Drake could learn a lot from LL. Authenticity has always been LL’s strength, and that’s why his career is still going strong. So yes, Drake might’ve gotten caught up in the persona game, but it’s never too late to find your true self again.