LL Cool J is a hip-hop icon, a man who has dedicated his entire life to the music that he loves. He is a man who has achieved greatness in the music industry and who has been recognized for his talents by none other than the Kennedy Center. And yet, despite all of his successes, LL Cool J remains as devoted to hip-hop as ever. So, why does he love hip-hop? And why has he embarked on a mission to elevate the culture to new heights?
For LL Cool J, hip-hop is more than just music. It is a culture, a way of life, and a way of expressing oneself. When he speaks about hip-hop, he speaks with reverence and passion, as someone who has lived and breathed the art form for decades. To him, hip-hop is not just a genre of music, it is a means of storytelling, of connecting with people, and of expressing the creativity that resides within us all.
As he told Billboard at the KC Honors in 2017, “Hip-hop is very high art. When I think of some of the things that Dre does, that Tip does, that Tribe does, when you think about Questlove and the Roots, these guys are great musicians and they make great music. It’s not everybody’s taste, and that’s OK. Because everybody doesn’t like everything, and that’s all right.”
LL Cool J recognizes that hip-hop may not be for everyone, but for those who love it, it is everything. It is a way of life, a community, and a culture that brings people together. And that is why he is so passionate about elevating the culture and pushing it forward. He wants to ensure that hip-hop is represented “to the fullest” and that the world understands the true value of the art form.
As the youngest Kennedy Center honoree, LL Cool J knows that he has a responsibility to use his platform to make a difference. He wants to inspire the next generation of hip-hop artists and to encourage them to push the boundaries of the genre. He wants to show the world that hip-hop is more than just music, it is a culture that has the power to change lives.
“I’m going to continue to love this culture, elevate this culture and push it forward,” LL Cool J said. “I might just have a couple ideas I want to execute.”
Back in 2021, during the ceremony to launch the Universal Hip Hop Museum, LL Cool J stated “Hip hop made me believe that anything was possible,” while adding “This was like the first time where I felt like, ‘Wow, it’s possible to be powerful. It’s possible to be somebody. It’s possible to have meaning in this world.’
And that is why LL Cool J is so important to the hip-hop community. He is a man who not only loves the music, but who wants to make a difference. He is a man who believes in the power of hip-hop to change the world, and who is dedicated to ensuring that it is recognized as the art form that it is.
