Disco de LL Cool J: “Radio”

Sparse, yet beat-heavy, arrangements lend RADIO a raw stripped down feeling, which is enormously appealing compared to the almost laughably grandiose production that plagues much of today's hip hop. The best aspect to this minimal production is that it puts LL's voice into the foreground, and let's him loose to do his thing. Whether he's putting on his loveman persona ("I Can Give You More," "I Want You") or delivering his trademark kiss-offs ("Dear Yvette," "That's A Lie"), LL's undeniable charisma shines through brighter on RADIO than anywhere else.

The ratio of production and performance strike a perfect balance on the hard-hitting classics "Rock The Bells" (#17 R&B) and "I Need A Beat," both of which really give LL meaty hooks to sink his teeth into. The album sold Platinum despite narrowly missing the Top 40 on the Hot 200, while the semi-title track, "I Can't Live Without My Radio," was also a single and charted at an impressive #15 on the R&B chart. With the uncluttered production, clever lyrics, and impassioned delivery, RADIO represents hip hop at it's purest.

A lighthearted teenager with swagger and some bragadoccio sprinkled in steps on the scene and delivers a strong album. LL was 16 years old at the time. Compared to the current young rappers in that age group, not only is his album very complex, but it trumps a lot of the stuff being put out now. This album is a very solid effort, and after listening to what's on the airwaves right now, this album has an effect comparable to when you open up a window to a room with stagnant air. Not only do you feel refreshed, but you regain some of the brain cells that you lost when you turned on todays radio.

All rap fans should do themselves a favor and put this one in their cd players every once in a while. It'll renew your spirits and help you remember why you loved hip hop in the first place.

LL Cool J is one of the all-time greats in hip hop, bar none. If you've been a fan of hip hop for a while like me, then you know the kind of precedent he set, such as MCs having true sex appeal(ask Big Daddy Kane). This debut made LL a bonafide star, and it's indeed a classic, one of his best recordings. Here's the review:

Album Highlights: Even though EVERY song stands out on this album, the true highlights of this album are I Can't Live Without My Radio, Dear Yvette, and Rock The Bells.

Production: Thumbs up.

Lyrics and Subject Middle: Thumbs in the middle, leaning slightly towards up.

Originality: Thumbs up.

The Last Word: The first classic gem from the man know as LL. He showed true talent and charisma on this album, and remained a dominant force in the industry over the next several years. Overall, I recommend this album.

Enjoyed the old school rap again. Nice to hear how people start and how they have changed over times. Overall good CD.

Very few hip hop albums have stood the test of time but LL Cool J's Radio has. Especially since you consider that it has a totally 80's B-Boy sound. A sparse sound with hard hitting beats, guitar riffs, awesome scratches by DJ Cut Creator and of couse LL's signature flow. The production style is unique to that era and it kind of brings LL's rapping to the forefront. Gives it a little more kick but his lyrical skills were so good that he probably could have rapped over any beat. This and Bigger and Deffer are my favorite albums by him. Anyone who thinks that LL got soft in his later years really needs to listen to this album. At the time he really raised the bar for other rappers. The album itself is a good listen from beginning to end and there really aren't any weak tracks on it. At the time people were listening to cassette tapes and bumping them in boom boxes. I think Rick Rubin produced this album so that it would be hard hitting from beginning to end. That way you could jam this cassette in your box without having to skip or fast forward any tracks. With only 11 songs including the little bonus El Shabazz skit, the album really isn't that long but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. As I've said the whole album is great. In a way this album is like the hip hop version of Michael Jackson's Thriller. They both have only a few songs but all of them are great. They both sold very well for their genres. They both can be listened to time and time again without sounding old or dated. I'll probably be listening to both albums until I'm well into my seventies. Maybe longer than that if I live that long. At 17 years old LL was rapping better than rappers twice his age. Now in 2011 there aren't any new rappers that can match him lyrically. Sadly, we may never see another rapper like him come into the game at such a young age and have a career that spanned over 20 years. The days of hip hop being about the rhymes are long gone and hip hop is declining more and more each year. Eventually it will dissappear altogether but at least we have classic albums like this one to remind us of how wonderful hip hop used to be.