Four decades after releasing his debut album Radio, LL COOL J has kicked off a new series of vinyl reissues with fresh editions of two of his biggest records: 1996’s All World: Greatest Hits and 1997’s Phenomenon.
Released just over ten years into LL COOL J’s career, the RIAA Platinum-certified All World: Greatest Hits was an early testament to his unparalleled body of work, gathering hits from his first six LPs. It featured massive singles like “Rock The Bells” and “Mama Said Knock You Out,” which samples the former. As part of the celebration, “Rock The Bells” also has a music video for the first time, a black-and-white montage of New Yorkers rapping the song in their everyday life, and directed Gregory Brunkalla.
Phenomenon followed directly after in 1997, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and also earning an RIAA Platinum certification. The tracklist included standouts like, “Candy” with Ricky Bell and Ralph Tresvant, and “Hot, Hot, Hot,” which notably sampled Tom Tom Club’s “Pleasure of Love.” The recording process was not without some drama. Erick Sermon-produced track “4, 3, 2, 1” placed LL COOL J alongside Method Man, Redman, DMX and Canibus. But after one of Canibus’ lines offended LL COOL J, the track morphs into more of a rap battle, with LL firing off some of his most memorable bars (“Your naive confidence gets crushed by my dominance.”)
One of the most popular rappers of all time, LL COOL J turned humbled beginnings in Brooklyn into a decades-long career. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner, a Kennedy Center honoree and a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—his company Rock The Bells encompasses a music festival, SiriusXM radio station and extensive cultural and philanthropic work.
In a recent interview for Apple Music, LL reflected on his career, sharing: “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.”
Watch the official music video for LL COOL J’s “Rock The Bells” now.