Born in Bay Shore, New York, and raised between St. Albans, New York and Hollis, New York in the borough of Queens. The only child of Ondrea (née Griffith) and James Smith, Jr. Smith is of both African American and Native American descent. He spent his youth singing in the church choir, participating in the Boy Scouts and delivering newspapers.
Def Jam released his first record, the 12" single "I Need a Beat" in 1983. The single sold over 100,000 copies. The success of "I Need a Beat" helped lead to a distribution deal with Def Jam and Columbia Records in 1985. Soon after, he dropped out of Andrew Jackson High School to record his debut album.
He is known for romantic ballads such as I Need Love and Hey Lover as well as pioneering hip-hop such as I Can't Live Without My Radio, I'm Bad, The Boomin' System, Mama Said Knock You Out, and 4, 3, 2, 1. L has also appeared in several films. LL Cool J is one of a few hip-hop stars of his era to sustain a successful recording career for more than two decades. He has released 12 albums and a greatest hits compilation so far, with his next album, Exit 13, set to be released in September, 2008. The album will be the last for LL's record deal with Def Jam Recordings, a deal which has lasted for over twenty two years, making it the longest single hip hop deal to date. He now resides in Manhasset, NY with his wife and four children.
I Need A Beat
LL Cool J Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need a beat, I need a beat (I need a beat, I need a beat)
And it's a Malibu beat, subject of discussion
Malibu beat, subject of discuss-cussion
You're motivated-vated, in aid a percussion-cussion
There's no glo-glory, for this story-story
It-it rock-rock in any territory-tory
Beat elevates-vates, the scratch excels-cels
All techniques are a combination
Of skills that I have for narration
Last year my melody, but still complete
Providing musical energy for the street
Laying records are smooth for maximum effect
Jump track patt-erns on cass-ette
Time-time snare had bass and cymbal
Like that of a cat on the mic I'm nimble
Ba-sic patterns, groups and chains
Sequence, frequn-cies, add gain
Break
Bre-bre-bre-break, for narration
Break two, break two
I'm in the center of a, I'm in the center of a
Musical skinner, some say the skins is a blow of torture
They hear me, they fear me, they hear me, they fear me
I'm improving the conditions of the rap industry
The beat will expand, to land a foreign land via
Germany, Italy, France and Japan
It'll give you a lift, no need to sniff
No butts no how's no why's or if's
It's you I defeated, they'll say you retreated
Pick up your favorite magazine and read it
Wrapped by a power, a musical shower-shower
A picture-picture of me-of me on the Eiffel-Eiffel Tower-Tower
I need a beat-beat
Doing-doing dirty, I'm your-your thought
You're bein'-being taken-taken, the musical boom
I'm in-fil-traiting your eardrums
Increasing their rate of vibration
I wanna rock ya-rock ya, that's all you need to know-know
"I Need A Beat," is the title of the show-show
Providing-providing pleasure of the musical measures
All-all arranged, to alleviate pressure
I'm up on your list, your party thera-therapist
Beat programmer and lyri-lyricist
Ladies Love Cool J, studio user
A million or more screaming people abuser
I predict, this jam will hit
The highest plateau in the world of music
Paparazzi, wealth and fame
The total propulsion, of my name
I need a beat
Computer-wise the engineer's eyes
Have to be very acute, education level high
The product is mine, beat under rhyme
The control was part of the studio design
Track after track, culminating on wax
The tape has slack, rewind it back
Expensive but useful, the music is the fuel
A perfect place for MCs to duel
I need a beat, Farmer's Boulevard
Ha! Queens!
Ladies Kove Cool James!
Cut Creator!
"I Need A Beat" is a rap song by American rapper LL Cool J, released in 1984. The song was LL Cool J's first single, and it helped launch his career as a pioneering rapper. The lyrics express the need for a beat to keep the rhythm of the rap flowing smoothly. LL Cool J raps about his love for music and how it motivates him to be an artist. He also discusses his aspirations for fame and success in the music industry.
The song features a Malibu beat, which represents the sound and style of the music being produced in the Malibu recording studio where it was recorded. LL Cool J utilizes a combination of different techniques for narration, including syncopation, scratching, and sequencing, to elevate the beat and make it stand out. He also uses basic patterns, groups, and changes in frequency to add gain to the overall sound.
"I Need A Beat" was an instant success and helped popularize the concept of rap as a legitimate form of music. It received widespread critical acclaim and became an underground classic. The song eventually peaked at #15 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, propelling LL Cool J into the limelight.
Line by Line Meaning
I need a beat
I need a rhythm to rap over
Malibu beat, subject of discuss-cussion
The beat I need is one that's popular and well-discussed
You're motivated-vated, in aid a percussion-cussion
You're motivated to assist with the percussion
There's no glo-glory, for this story-story
This song isn't about aggression or glory
It-it rock-rock in any territory-tory
This beat can work across different regions
I syncopate it and designed it well-well
I've carefully designed the rhythm to be syncopated
Beat elevates-vates, the scratch excels-cels
This beat is both elevated and enhanced by the DJ scratching
All techniques are a combination
Different techniques come together to create this sound
Of skills that I have for narration
These techniques are used to enhance my storytelling ability
Last year my melody, but still complete
Last year's melody might be old, but it still holds up
Providing musical energy for the street
This song is meant to energize and uplift the people
Laying records are smooth for maximum effect
The hit records are played smoothly to have the most impact
Jump track patt-erns on cass-ette
I can quickly switch up the tracks on my cassette tapes
Time-time snare had bass and cymbal
The snare drum is accompanied by the bass and cymbals
Like that of a cat on the mic I'm nimble
My rap flow is quick and agile like a cat
Ba-sic patterns, groups and chains
The beat is made up of simple patterns, groups, and chains
Sequence, frequn-cies, add gain
Different beat sequences and frequencies are used to add intensity
I'm in the center of a, I'm in the center of a
I hold a central position in the rap game
Musical skinner, some say the skins is a blow of torture
My music is so intense that some consider it painful
They hear me, they fear me, they hear me, they fear me
People are afraid of the power of my music
I'm improving the conditions of the rap industry
My music is raising the bar for the rap genre
The beat will expand, to land a foreign land via
This music will have global reach
It'll give you a lift, no need to sniff
This music will lift you up naturally, no drugs required
No butts no how's no why's or if's
There are no tricks, no questions, no doubts - this music is straightforward
It's you I defeated, they'll say you retreated
This music could overpower you and make you leave
Pick up your favorite magazine and read it
My success and influence will be documented in magazines
Wrapped by a power, a musical shower-shower
My music is powerful and all-encompassing
A picture-picture of me-of me on the Eiffel-Eiffel Tower-Tower
I envision myself being a huge global sensation
Doing-doing dirty, I'm your-your thought
My music is sometimes raw and gritty
You're bein'-being taken-taken, the musical boom
You're being swept up by the energy of my music
I'm in-fil-traiting your eardrums
The intensity of my music is infiltrating your consciousness
Increasing their rate of vibration
My music is so intense it can physically vibrate your eardrums
I wanna rock ya-rock ya, that's all you need to know-know
All you need to know is that my music will rock you
"I Need A Beat," is the title of the show-show
The title of this song is "I Need A Beat"
Providing-providing pleasure of the musical measures
This music is meant to provide pleasure through its rhythmic structure
All-all arranged, to alleviate pressure
This music is arranged to be soothing and comforting
I'm up on your list, your party thera-therapist
I'm high on your list of artists you listen to to feel good
Beat programmer and lyri-lyricist
I wrote the lyrics and programmed the beat
Ladies Love Cool J, studio user
My nickname is LL Cool J and I use the studio to make my music
A million or more screaming people abuser
I have many fans who scream and demand my music
I predict, this jam will hit
I'm confident this song will be a hit
The highest plateau in the world of music
This song will reach the top level of success in the music world
Paparazzi, wealth and fame
I will receive fame and financial success from this song
The total propulsion, of my name
This song will be a springboard to propel me to even greater success
Computer-wise the engineer's eyes
The sound engineer needs to be very skilled with computers
Have to be very acute, education level high
The engineer needs a high level of education to do this job well
The product is mine, beat under rhyme
I am responsible for the final product, which combines the beat and my lyrics
The control was part of the studio design
The studio was built to allow for maximum control over the sound
Track after track, culminating on wax
Songs are recorded one after the other to create an album on vinyl records
The tape has slack, rewind it back
The tape has some extra slack, so rewind it to fix it
Expensive but useful, the music is the fuel
Making music can be costly, but it's worth it because music is my passion
A perfect place for MCs to duel
The recording studio is the perfect place for rappers to challenge each other
I need a beat, Farmer's Boulevard
This song was made in Farmer's Boulevard in Queens
Ha! Queens!
I represent my hometown of Queens
Ladies Love Cool James!
My nickname is LL Cool J and the ladies love me!
Cut Creator!
Shoutout to my DJ Cut Creator!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Todd Smith, Rick Rubin, Adam Horowitz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevesilva1425
If it's a Malibu beat, subject of discussion
Malibu beat, subject of discuss-cussion
You're motivated-vated, to aid a percussion-cussion
There's no glo-glory, for this story-story
It-it rock-rock in any territory-tory
I syncopate it and design it well-well
Beat elevates-vates, the scratch excels-cels
All techniques are a combination
Of skills that I have, thought narration
Last year my melody, but still complete
Providing musical energy for the street
Lyrics are smooth for maximum effect
Jump track patt-erns on cass-ette
Time-time snare had bass and cymbal
Like that of a cat on the mic I'm nimble
Ba-sic patterns, grouped and changed
Se-quence fre-quent, seek and gain,
Break, break, for narration
Break two, break two
I'm in the center of a, I'm in the center of a
Musical skinner, some say the skins is a blow of torture
They hear me, they fear me, they hear me, they fear me
I'm improving the conditions of the rap industry
The beat will expand, to land on foreign lands
Germany, Italy, France and Japan, it'll
Give you a lift, no need to sniff
No butts no how's no why's or if's
It's you I defeated, they'll say you retreated
Pick up your favorite magazine and read it
Wrapped by a power, a musical shower-shower
A picture-picture of me-of me on the Eiffel-Eiffel Tower-Tower
I need a beat-beat
Doing-doing dirty, I'm your-your thought
You're bein'-being taken-taken, the musical boom
I'm in full treating your eardrums
Increasing the rate of vibration
I wanna rock ya-rock ya, that's all you need to know-know
I need a beat, is the title of the show-show
Providing-providing pleasure on the musical measures
All-all arranged, to alleviate pressure
I'm up on your list, your party thera-therapist
Beat programmer and lyri-lyricist
Ladies Love Cool James, studio user
A million or more screaming people abuser
I predict, this jam will hit
The highest plateau in the world of music
Paparazzi, wealth and fame
The total propulsion, of my name
I need a beat
Computer wise, and the engineer's eyes
Have to be very acute, education level high
The product is mine, beat on the rhyme
The control was part of the studio design
Track after track, culminating on wax
The tape has slack, rewind then back
Expensive but useful, the music is the fuel
A perfect place for MC's to duel
I need a beat, Farmer's Boulevard
Ha ha, Queens! Ladies Love Cool James!
Cut Creator!
@makskasio8732
I need a beat
I need a beat, I need a beat (I need a beat, I need a beat)
And it's a Malibu beat, subject of discussion
Malibu beat, subject of discuss-cussion
You're motivated-vated, in aid a percussion-cussion
There's no glo-glory, for this story-story
It-it rock-rock in any territory-tory
I syncopate it and designed it well-well
Beat elevates-vates, the scratch excels-cels
All techniques are a combination
Of skills that I have for narration
Last year my melody, but still complete
Providing musical energy for the street
Laying records are smooth for maximum effect
Jump track patt-erns on cass-ette
Time-time snare had bass and cymbal
Like that of a cat on the mic I'm nimble
Ba-sic patterns, groups and chains
Sequence, frequn-cies, add gain
Break
Bre-bre-bre-break, for narration
Break two, break two
I'm in the center of a, I'm in the center of a
Musical skinner, some say the skins is a blow of torture
They hear me, they fear me, they hear me, they fear me
I'm improving the conditions of the rap industry
The beat will expand, to land a foreign land via
Germany, Italy, France and Japan
It'll give you a lift, no need to sniff
No butts no how's no why's or if's
It's you I defeated, they'll say you retreated
Pick up your favorite magazine and read it
Wrapped by a power, a musical shower-shower
A picture-picture of me-of me on the Eiffel-Eiffel Tower-Tower
I need a beat-beat
Doing-doing dirty, I'm your-your thought
You're bein'-being taken-taken, the musical boom
I'm in-fil-traiting your eardrums
Increasing their rate of vibration
I wanna rock ya-rock ya, that's all you need to know-know
"I Need A Beat, " is the title of the show-show
Providing-providing pleasure of the musical measures
All-all arranged, to alleviate pressure
I'm up on your list, your party thera-therapist
Beat programmer and lyri-lyricist
Ladies Love Cool J, studio user
A million or more screaming people abuser
I predict, this jam will hit
The highest plateau in the world of music
Paparazzi, wealth and fame
The total propulsion, of my name
I need a beat
Computer-wise the engineer's eyes
Have to be very acute, education level high
The product is mine, beat under rhyme
The control was part of the studio design
Track after track, culminating on wax
The tape has slack, rewind it back
Expensive but useful, the music is the fuel
A perfect place for MCs to duel
I need a beat, Farmer's Boulevard
Ha! Queens!
Ladies Kove Cool James!
Cut Creator!
@sweetlou1973
That's a dope beat , AdRock you killed it ,and thank you for introducing LL to the world.
@glassangel0000
Congratulations LL Cool J for getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 🥂
@wbdrugstrat
Whomever dislikes this has no idea of context. This is one of hip hop's greatest creations ever. Unforgettable to those of us who were rocked by this innovation back in the day.
@arronhaggerty9661
his first album that went platinum on pure talent, without video promotion to back it. G.O.A.T
@chidargm
I'm so glad I grew up in this era!
@jjmorgan6
Simply TheBestEra🤝🏾🤝🏾
@bjbe1
Dont rub it in our face 😂
@mikenike4776
Yup had h oh s trapped when I was 12 rob base too run DMC fat boys
@doZerBoy
@@mikenike4776 nobody EVER talks about the Fat Boys. They are very underappreciated.
@cle-chi
was in the 8th grade jammin @ USA skates cleveland!!!! good times