Chasing viral moments might get rappers noticed, but LL Cool J believes the industry's growing obsession with numbers is coming at the expense of meaningful music. The Hip Hop veteran encourages artists to spend less time worrying about clicks and more time making records listeners genuinely connect with, even when the attention doesn't come immediately.
During an Oct. 16 appearance on Carmelo Anthony's 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, LL discussed how streaming statistics and social media engagement have influenced the way artists and record labels approach music. While he praised the talent emerging from today's Hip Hop scene, he questioned an industry where "data was running the show." He also argued that artists can become so focused on producing something suitable for a social media caption or viral clip that they lose sight of what makes a record memorable. Millions of views might look impressive, but those numbers don't necessarily show whether listeners have developed a genuine connection with the music.
The rapper compared the situation to professional basketball, explaining that statistics cannot fully capture everything a player contributes to a team. Likewise, an artist's value shouldn't be determined entirely by streaming figures or online engagement.
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LL Cool J Believes Artists Need To Give Their Music Time
Part of his advice was to accept that worthwhile music doesn't always get immediate recognition. LL acknowledged how discouraging it can be when a song fails to attract attention, but encouraged rappers to concentrate on developing a loyal audience rather than chasing every passing trend.
"Make another good song," he advised.
His perspective also reflects his own experience returning to music after an extended hiatus. While preparing his 2024 album The FORCE, LL admitted that his early songwriting wasn't meeting his expectations. Rather than settling for material he wasn't satisfied with, he enlisted Q-Tip and challenged himself to improve. In a 2024 interview with the Associated Press, he described the experience as essentially learning how to rap again, despite having spent decades establishing himself as one of Hip Hop's most recognizable voices.
"I wasn't trying to do trendy, and I wasn't trying to recapture anything I did before," he explained.
That experience gives his latest advice some perspective. Even with a career dating back to the 1980s, LL wasn't exempt from questioning his own material or putting in additional work. He ultimately handed Q-Tip production duties for the entire album, choosing to rethink his approach rather than rely on his reputation to carry the record.
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