The LL Cool J song about being “ready to go postal”
Rapper and actor extraordinaire LL Cool J has released an unfathomable amount of music over the years. Despite his transition into the world of acting in the 2000s, he continued to work in the studio on music and consistently released material throughout this period. In 2004, he put out his highly popular tenth project, The DEFinition, which heard the Queens emcee evolve and adapt his sound. This — was pivotal.
That said, in 2013, LL released his thirteenth project, Authentic, which featured several iconic musicians, including Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Babyface, and even Public Enemy frontman Chuck D. The latter appeared on the album’s fourth single, ‘Whaddup,’ which was a fan favourite.
LL Cool J and Chuck D are two hip-hop legends who rose to fame in the 1980s and were New York icons by the 1990s. As such, a collaboration by the pair was bound to be legendary, and the song ‘Whaddup’ was most definitely this.
In an interview with Radio.com, the ‘Rock The Bells’ rhymer explained what the track was actually about and the meaning behind the lyrics, detailing, “The song is about is somebody’s who’s got so much pressure on them that they’re ready to go postal.”
He continued, “But instead of actually going postal, they actually fight back through succeeding and by making it happen.” For the track, LL called upon rock artists Tom Morello and Travis Barker. Speaking about his choice of guest appearances, the Bigger & Deffer creator explained to Radio.com, “If I’m gonna hit a drum and get wicked, I want the best drummer. I don’t want to start an argument. Give me Travis Barker.”
He added, “This is a hip-hop scratch kinda thing, so let’s get Tom Morello, who can damn near scratch with his guitar and let him and Z [Trip] go back and forth. Let Z do some wicked scratching on there. Let Chuck [D] bring the live thing. Don’t just sample Chuck. Let me get Chuck.”
Last year, the Queens act and Chuck D performed together during the LA show of LL Cool J’s ‘The FORCE’ tour, and Chuck reminded him of when the pair judged an event at LA’s Roller Castle and performed when LL Cool J was just 17 years old. The pair also delivered this classic at the 2013 Grammy Awards, which LL Cool J closed.
Chuck D and LL Cool J were both signed to Def Jam under Rick Rubin and, alongside Run-DMC ran the New York hip-hop scene during the 1980s, and they were all instrumental in making the label as iconic as it has become.
Authentic was LL Cool J’s last project although he has announced that he plans on releasing a project this year entitled, The FORCE.