LL Cool J Declares Himself 'The Most Important Rapper That Ever Existed'

LL Cool J has made a bold claim about his place in hip hop history, describing himself as "the most important rapper that ever existed."

In a recent appearance on Apple Music's Le Code, the legendary artist detailed why he believes his impact on the culture is unmatched, even as he refrains from claiming the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) title outright.

"I'ma say this humbly but I really mean this," LL Cool J began. "I think one day people are going to wake up and realize that LL Cool J is the most important rapper that ever existed. I truly believe one day people are going to say that. They're gonna look and they're gonna say, 'Wow, when it comes to the jewelry – this is the guy who introduced all the diamonds and the ice and the champagne.' They're gonna say, 'When it comes to the love songs, this is the guy who introduced us to love songs and all the love shit.' "

The rapper, born James Todd Smith, elaborated on how he pioneered several aspects of hip hop culture, from popularizing the bad-boy image to introducing G.O.A.T. terminology. "When it comes to the bad boy vibe, they're gonna realize, 'Oh this is the guy who introduced all the rebellious bad boy vibes before it was done.' When it comes to the G.O.A.T. terminology, they're gonna say, 'This is the guy who came up with the G.O.A.T. stuff.' "

The New York native also highlighted his groundbreaking role as the first solo artist on Def Jam Records and his influence in areas like fashion and television.

"When they talk about Fubu, 'Yo, this guy introduced the whole idea of putting clothing lines. Even before that, he did Troop.' When it comes to endorsements, 'Oh this is the guy who did Kangol and made the Kangol popular before people even did that.' "

When addressing why he does not claim the G.O.A.T. title outside of his music, the 56-year-old explained his reasoning. "No, [I'm not saying I'm the greatest rapper of all time] because that's still subjective," he stated. "Because there's still a kid that the 2Pac album is the most important album to them and that changed their life. There's still a kid that thinks Snoop made the records that changed their life."

In addition to his comments on Le Code, LL Cool J recently reflected on his role in making Air Jordans part of hip hop fashion. Recalling his 1985 'Radio' album cover, he said, "My first album cover, I had the Jordan sneakers on when he was a rookie... Everyone was wearing Adidas and Puma, bro. I put the Jordans on. He ain't even have no championships."

LL Cool J also said he will never smoke with Snoop Dogg because he fears he would end up in the hospital. Back in September, the "Headsprung" rapper appeared on 'The Cruz Show' on 92.3 where he was promoting his new album 'The Force.'

Snoop Dogg, 52, was featured on the album's track "Spirit of Cyrus." While LL Cool J may have been eager to have Snoop Dogg on the track, he is not as inclined to participate in other activities.

During the interview, LL Cool J was asked if he would ever share a blunt with the West Coast legend. The rapper laughed, "Nah, I ain't trying to smoke with Snoop. Snoop ain't gonna have me in the emergency room."

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