Do you remember where you were in 1985? I’m going to ignore that some (most?) of y’all weren’t born yet, so let me give you a history lesson. Sylvester Stallone had two of the top three highest grossing movies of the year (but neither Rocky IV or Rambo II could unseat Back to the Future). The Kansas City Royals rode a young Bret Saberhagen (and some bad umpiring) to a World Series title. Acts like A-Ha and Tears for Fears had huge hits. LL Cool J dropped his first studio album.
An 18-year career in rap music is unheard of. Sure, there are acts from the mid-80s (and earlier) that still drop the occasional release, but none of them can touch LL in terms of staying power, sales and continued popularity. How has he remained relevant? Surely, his crossover success as an actor (Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea) has helped broaden his fan base. However, he’s made a calculated effort over the years to change his rap image from Kangol Hats and B-Boy gear to chiseled sex symbol.
On 10, LL Cool J doesn’t stray too far from the formula he’s been using for the last few years. He still has the biggest ego in the game (at least until the next Jay-Z album is released). He’s still workin’ his mac on the ladies. He’s still telling us can’t nobody F with him when he’s rollin’ in his Bentley, sippin’ on cognac while wearing the latest FUBU gear.
Despite the repeated (and repeated some more) pats on his own back, 10 is a better album than you might think. The production is consistently solid and occasionally exceptional. In particular, the hot drums/guitar combo plate on the cautionary Fa Ha and the understated vibe on the how-to-treat-a-lady track, U Should are real tight. While the sinister thudding of Clockin’ G’s (the album’s best cut) works well for the mischievous playa’s night theme. Here’s a shock: The Neptunes make their customary appearance on Niggy Nuts which features a uniquely pitched synth behind LL’s gravelly flow.
The album bogs down a bit when LL reaches out to the radio (no pun intended…and if you don’t get it, you shouldn’t be reading this review). The first two singles from 10 were Born to Love You and Luv U Better. The former is oozing with LL’s over-the-top cockiness, while the latter is tad more heartfelt, but still something you’d expect to hear a high school sophomore dedicate to his “one and only” on an FM station.
Lyrically, LL manages to work in the occasional clever line (“…throw better hooks than David Tua…”) in between his endless self-praising and booty chasing. He even drops one of the better “dedication” tracks in a long time with Big Mama, an ode to his Grandmother, which deserves placement up with Tupac’s Dear Mama for it’s warm memories and imagery.
