LL COOL J: BECOMING THE GOAT

Summary

Great Company with Jamie Laing: LL Cool J – Becoming the GOAT

Release Date: November 20, 2024
Host: Jamie Laing
Guest: LL Cool J

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this electrifying episode of Great Company with Jamie Laing, host Jamie welcomes the legendary LL Cool J, an iconic actor, musician, and one of America's biggest stars. Recorded outside the usual studio setting, the episode exudes excitement as the team gears up to delve deep into LL Cool J’s journey to becoming the "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT).

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2. Welcoming LL Cool J

At [02:38], Jamie introduces LL Cool J with palpable enthusiasm:

Jamie Laing: "We have a big guest on today and what's really exciting is the reason we are getting these big guests is because of you, the listener who is subscribing to the show and loving the show. That means we can get these bigger guests. So today we have LL Cool J. LL Cool J. Now, if you don't know who LL Cool J is, Actor, musician, big American star."

The team’s excitement is infectious as they prepare to welcome LL Cool J, marking his appearance as their first international guest and their second guest outside the usual studio environment.

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3. The Origin of 'LL Cool J'

Jamie and LL delve into the origins of his unique stage name. At [07:06], Jamie expresses his admiration and slight trepidation:

Jamie Laing: "There is no way that I could ever pull that off in my life."

LL Cool J responds with humility and insight:

LL Cool J: "Just call me LL. I can call you LL Works. Yeah."

He reminisces about his teenage years when he coined the name, blending "Ladies Love Cool James" with a flair that set him apart in the music industry.

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4. Resilience Rooted in Family

At [12:03], LL Cool J shares profound insights about resilience, attributing it to his family's influence:

LL Cool J: "If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all."

He recounts traumatic childhood experiences, including witnessing his father's violent actions at the age of four. Despite these hardships, his mother and grandfather instilled in him the importance of perseverance and maintaining composure in chaotic situations.

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5. Embracing Purpose and Passion

At [08:39], LL Cool J discusses the essence of passion:

LL Cool J: "You have to love what you do and have the ability to do it."

He emphasizes the importance of following one’s internal compass, or "North Star," and continuously educating oneself in their field of inspiration. Highlighting his commitment, he shares:

LL Cool J: "Every time I put a project out, people could say it's trash. People could say it's stupid. Every time I put a film out, it could flop. But I kept moving forward."

This unwavering dedication underscores his journey and sustained relevance in the entertainment industry.

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6. The Two Levels of Happiness

Drawing from Socratic philosophy, Jamie introduces a discussion on happiness at [17:12]:

Jamie Laing: "Socrates says there's two levels of happiness: the lower level is fame, wealth, all these things that we think we want to achieve, and when we achieve it, we're not that happy. And the higher form is when you help others. Loyalty, love."

LL Cool J resonates with this, reflecting on his role in providing emotional and soulful escapes through his art:

LL Cool J: "I make people's lives better by giving them an escape."

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7. Money, Sharing, and Tithing

At [20:23], LL Cool J delves into his financial philosophy:

LL Cool J: "I'm a big proponent in tithing. I give away 10% of what I get to the church off the gross."

He articulates a balanced view of capitalism, emphasizing the importance of sharing wealth:

LL Cool J: "We're in this world of share. You can have a lot and share at the same time. They're not mutually exclusive ideas."

This practice reflects his commitment to giving back and maintaining humility despite his success.

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8. The Importance of Connections and Friendships

Jamie and LL Cool J explore the significance of building and maintaining relationships. At [23:45], Jamie references LL Cool J’s remarks on the value of connections:

LL Cool J: "The people you live with every day and that you work with every day... these connections really matter in life."

LL Cool J stresses that friendships formed in professional settings are as meaningful as those with family, advocating for gratitude and love in all relationships.

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9. Navigating Introversion in a Public Persona

Despite his vibrant public image, LL Cool J identifies as an introvert. At [25:15], he explains:

LL Cool J: "I like to go home and read. I like to sit around and read and watch documentaries and veg out and get recharged in my own brain."

He discusses the challenges introverts face in social environments and underscores the importance of pushing oneself to attend events that matter to others, even if it can be draining.

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10. Insights into the Music Industry

LL Cool J shares his perspectives on how the music industry has evolved. At [42:08], he compares the past and present:

LL Cool J: "Back then it was free. The music industry didn't know what they had. Flying under the radar... now it's completely different."

He highlights the complexities of the modern industry while stressing the importance of creativity and making smart deals to navigate its changes successfully.

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11. Quick Fire Questions: Getting Personal

In a fun segment at [47:58], Jamie engages LL Cool J with rapid-fire questions, revealing personal anecdotes and preferences:

• What's a saying that cheers you up?
  LL Cool J: "Get money."

• Best compliment received?
  LL Cool J: "I love your music... it made me feel recognized."

• What scares you most about yourself?
  LL Cool J: "I'm not afraid of me."

• Last time you cried and why?
  LL Cool J: "Was it Yellowstone? I was watching... something moved me."

• Something you can't let go of?
  LL Cool J: "God."

• Embarrassing thing you'd want to keep private?
  LL Cool J: "Nothing. It is what it is."

• What turns you off?
  LL Cool J: "Arrogance and that pompous kind of spirit."

• What turns you on?
  LL Cool J: "Good energy. Sexual energy."

• What do you like most about yourself?
  LL Cool J: "The fact that I still love people and didn’t get caught up in the fantasia of fame and fortune."

• Favorite lyric you've written?
  LL Cool J: "Don't call it comeback. Pretty hard to beat."

These responses offer a glimpse into LL Cool J’s personality, values, and experiences, highlighting his authenticity and grounded nature.

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12. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Jamie and Sophie express their gratitude and admiration for LL Cool J’s candidness and professionalism. They emphasize the importance of subscribing to support the show and encourage listeners to engage with future episodes.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience and Family Influence: LL Cool J's upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of perseverance and calmness in adversity.

• Passion-Driven Success: Embracing one's passion and continually seeking knowledge in that area is crucial for long-term success.

• Balanced View on Wealth: Understanding and practicing sharing wealth while maintaining financial growth reflects LL Cool J’s grounded approach to success.

• Value of Connections: Building meaningful relationships, both personal and professional, is essential for a fulfilling life.

• Introversion in a Public Life: Embracing one's introverted nature while managing a dynamic public persona requires balance and self-awareness.

• Evolution of the Music Industry: The changing landscape of the music industry demands adaptability and creativity to stay relevant.

• Authenticity and Humility: Despite immense success, staying true to oneself and retaining humility are pivotal aspects of LL Cool J’s character.

This episode serves as an inspiring narrative of LL Cool J’s journey, offering valuable insights into achieving greatness while staying true to one’s core values.

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Notable Quotes:

• LL Cool J at [07:09]: "Cause you just owned it straight away, 100%."

• LL Cool J at [12:04]: "If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all."

• LL Cool J at [17:33]: "I make people's lives better by giving them an escape."

• LL Cool J at [20:23]: "I'm a big proponent in tithing. I give away 10% of what I get to the church off the gross."

• LL Cool J at [25:17]: "I was 100%. And I'm still. Because I'm... an introvert."

• LL Cool J at [42:51]: "Back then it was free. The music industry didn't know what they had. Flying under the radar... now it's completely different."

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Conclusion

Great Company with Jamie Laing delivers a compelling and heartfelt conversation with LL Cool J, unpacking the layers of his storied career and personal life. The episode not only highlights his achievements but also underscores the principles that drive him—a testament to the idea that true greatness lies in passion, resilience, and the genuine connections we cultivate along the way.

Transcript

[Jamie Laing]

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[Sophie Habboo]

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[Jamie Laing]

Hello, everyone. My name is Jamie Laing and this is Great Company.

[Sophie Habboo]

Okay.

[Jemima]

Excuse me. Ready, steady, go.

[Sophie Habboo]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Great Company.

[Jemima]

Great Company.

[Sophie Habboo]

My name is Jamie.

[Jamie Laing]

I'm gonna kick us straight off.

[Sophie Habboo]

I'm the host of the show and you are?

[Jemima]

Jemima, the producer.

[Sophie Habboo]

You're the producer. We are a little bit giddy today because.

[Jemima]

Oh, we're, we're heading out the studio, guys.

[Sophie Habboo]

We have a big guest on today and what's really exciting is the reason we are getting these big guests is because of you, the listener who is subscribing to the show and loving the show. That means we can get these bigger guests. So today we have LL Cool J. LL Cool J. Now, if you don't know who LL Cool J is, Actor, musician, big American star.

[Jemima]

He's a big deal.

[Sophie Habboo]

He's a big, big, big deal. When we mentioned to the team, everyone got pretty excited about it. And even to the point where some people had holidays and they've changed it. We're thinking about changing holidays to be in the room with LL Cool J. Yeah.

[Jemima]

So the room, if you're watching or if you're listening might sound a little bit different because we are recording in a different studio, which is quite. Also quite exciting.

[Sophie Habboo]

It's very exciting. I'm really excited. This is our first international guest, Shania Duane. This is our second international guest we've had.

[Jemima]

It's our first guest out the studio.

[Sophie Habboo]

It's our first guest out the studio.

[Jemima]

Fingers crossed we remember to press record, guys.

[Sophie Habboo]

Oh, my God.

[Jamie Laing]

Imagine if we didn't.

[Jemima]

Hey, before we get into ll.

[Sophie Habboo]

Yeah.

[Jemima]

I just. Let's calm ourselves because I've been reading through some of our emails.

[Sophie Habboo]

Love this.

[Jemima]

So I asked. We call our listeners owls. Well, I call our listeners als. Jamie's quite reticent about calling, telling you that original, wonderful listeners or our wonderful listeners. You don't have to be listening since the beginning, but I've recently discovered that another podcast calls their listeners owls. Oh, so we can keep calling you owls, but I've asked people for some more.

[Sophie Habboo]

How random is that?

[Jemima]

I know, I know.

[Sophie Habboo]

That's really unique.

[Jemima]

Yeah. Older and wider listeners.

[LL Cool J]

Wow.

[Sophie Habboo]

Okay.

[Jemima]

From a. Different from Jenny Eclair's podcast.

[Sophie Habboo]

But I. I did sewing bee with Jenny Eclair.

[Jemima]

I love Jenny Leclerc.

[Sophie Habboo]

I did a sewing bee with her. Maybe we should get her.

[Jemima]

You did the sewing bee.

[Sophie Habboo]

Yeah.

[Jemima]

What did you make?

[Sophie Habboo]

No, I didn't do sewing bee.

[Jemima]

You'd be awful.

[Sophie Habboo]

I did the pottery show.

[Jemima]

Sorry, not Bake Off. You're not talking about.

[Sophie Habboo]

I've done bake off as well, but I did a pottery show.

[Jemima]

You did a pottery throwdown?

[Sophie Habboo]

Yeah, I did that.

[Jemima]

What did you make?

[Sophie Habboo]

Christmas episode. What did you make? I can't really remember, but I did it with Jenny Eclair.

[Jemima]

Wow. Anyway, we've had some people write in and one in particular I really enjoyed. So this is from. Nikki Berry has written in to our.

[Sophie Habboo]

Email, which is greatcompanyampleproductions.co.uk, everything in the show description.

[Jemima]

Exactly. And they said. May I take the liberty of suggesting that as we are in great company, our listeners might be known as companions.

[Sophie Habboo]

Don't mind it.

[Jemima]

Don't mind it. I still love owls, personally.

[Sophie Habboo]

Yeah, it's a bit better. I think we should go for some animal form. But companions. I just like that it's a bit meh.

[Jemima]

Okay.

[Sophie Habboo]

It's okay.

[Jemima]

Sorry, Nikki.

[Sophie Habboo]

Sorry, Nikki. I love your suggestion and I love your email, but I'm not.

[LL Cool J]

Not.

[Sophie Habboo]

So it's gonna go in the box of. That is a good suggestion.

[Jemima]

Okay, good suggestions. But it's not knocked owl off the post.

[Sophie Habboo]

Not knocked the home run yet.

[Jemima]

Okay, that's fine. Well, if you have any more suggestions, do let us know.

[Sophie Habboo]

Is that the only suggestion email we have?

[Jemima]

Oh, there was another. I've forgotten.

[Sophie Habboo]

Oh, perfect. So you haven't. You're just pretending to read it off the computer?

[Jemima]

No, I just really like that one. I really wanted to bring that one to the table.

[Sophie Habboo]

Well, if you do want to send.

[Jemima]

Us email, baby owlets.

[Sophie Habboo]

Okay, maybe baby owls. If you want to send us any suggestions, you can you send it into our email or slide into our DMS Reat Company podcast.

[Jemima]

And while you're at just Cliff, click Cliff.

[Sophie Habboo]

It's a good selling right there. She's trying to say click and press subscribe.

[Jamie Laing]

Or follow.

[Jemima]

Or follow.

[Sophie Habboo]

Exactly. Because it does so many things for our show that would be amazing. Okay, listen, are you ready for this?

[Jemima]

Yeah. Let's buckle up our seat belts.

[Sophie Habboo]

Okay, here we go.

[Jemima]

We're going out of studio.

[Sophie Habboo]

All right, here we go.

[Jamie Laing]

Please.

[Sophie Habboo]

Welcome to the podcast, LL Cool J.

[LL Cool J]

What up? It's your man, LL Cool J. I'm in great company.

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, the big thing for me right now is, like I was saying to your team and everyone, I don't even know what to call you, so I haven't Said anything. It's one of those nervous. Do I call you LL Cool J?

[LL Cool J]

Just call me ll. I can call you LL Works. Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Okay. I'm gonna call you because I was thinking about your name, LL Cool J. There is no way that I could ever pull that off in my life.

[LL Cool J]

Well, it depends. I don't know. I mean, if you owned it, you owned it.

[Jamie Laing]

I don't think. I don't think I could ever own it. No way.

[LL Cool J]

That's the only reason why, though. Ah, that's why.

[Jamie Laing]

Cause you just owned it straight away, 100%.

[LL Cool J]

Cause, I mean, you know, I'm a little kid, 16 years old, and decided I wanted my name to be Ladies Love Cool James. I had all these other dudes. My man, Playboy, Mikey D. This one's Red Hot Lover. This one. This one's Lover that. I'm Ladies Love Cool James. I mean, I just owned it, bro. Just go for it, baby. Make it happen.

[Unknown]

Wait, wait.

[Jamie Laing]

So there was. So there was Playboy. Who? Mikey D. Playboy Mikey D. Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

And then there was a couple of other dudes. Red hot, like lover this and romantic this, like, in the neighborhood. We were all just coming up together. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

That's weird. Mine was jam pot.

[Unknown]

So what's wrong with that?

[Jamie Laing]

That is not sexy. Like. Oh, that is not sexy.

[Unknown]

It depends on what pot you jamming, I guess. I don't know. It depends. It depends, bro. I mean, I feel you, but it depends. You know what I mean?

[LL Cool J]

It ain't worst. Ain't the worst.

[Jamie Laing]

So take me back to. Because I want. I. I need to get into your mind when you're like, a kid, right?

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

You're like the og. We're talking to my team. The team. I can't tell you are so excited. Especially Jacob. He's so excited. He can't. And we were talking about what you've done and what you created, and it's amazing. And staying relevant.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

For so long. Where did your creative genius come from? Truthfully? Where do you think you have to have.

[LL Cool J]

You have to love what you do and have the ability to do it. Okay, so it's like. It's like, I don't care how many schools you put me in. I was never gonna play soccer like Messi. It just was not gonna happen. I wear size 14. It's ridiculous. Tripping over my. It was never gonna happen. There's no universe where I could see that happening. There's no. You know what I mean? So what am I saying? I'm saying That I was just telling somebody earlier, if you. It's one thing to roll the dice on swimming the English Channel, but you better know how to swim. You could talk that LeBron talk. You could talk about you playing basketball all you want, but LeBron was born to do it. I would argue that not every guy who made it that far was born to do it. He was born to do it. Jordan was born to do it. Kobe Messi was born to do it. Like, there are guys that were just. You know what I mean, Were born to do what they do. And I think that that kind of is the difference. And now how do you find that thing? You find it because you follow your passion and what you're truly inspired to do, and then you learn all you can about the thing that you're truly inspired to do, and you consistently educate yourself in the area of your inspiration. A lot of people don't do that. A lot of people are afraid to follow that internal North Star inside of them. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah, but, Ellen, most people don't follow purpose because they feel like they're too. Like you said, they're too scared to do it.

[LL Cool J]

But you just. You heard what you just said.

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. And I totally hear. But they are too scared to do it because typically, following your passion, it comes with, like, a lot of risk. Yeah, like so much risk.

[LL Cool J]

But this is the. This is why people love sports, right? You can't win the World cup unless you risk losing the World Cup.

[Jamie Laing]

So what do you risk?

[LL Cool J]

Every time I put a project out, people could say it's trash. People could say it's stupid. Every time I put a film out, it could flop. Every time I put a book, anything you do, there's a. There's a chance that the public is going to not like it. Everything I've done, I'm not even about a thousand. I've had things that were panned, things that people hated. And you know what? It didn't stop me from moving forward. It didn't stop me because I did it sincerely. Maybe it didn't hit the mark, and I kept it moving. I kicked at the goal. It didn't go in the net. I kept playing. I shot the shot. It bounced off the rim or I missed it completely. I kept going. It's like Kobe, back in the days, he shot those shots and he air balls. You keep going. So it's like. That's the thing. I think people get caught up in the idea. A lot of people get caught up in the idea of figuring out how they're going to do something perfectly so as to never have to suffer any sort of criticism. And that's like a huge mistake because you're basically letting the world dictate to you whether or not you're gonna pursue your dreams.

[Jamie Laing]

But it's that resilience, right? You gotta have that resilience. You get knocked down eight times, you get up 10, you just gotta keep going. You gotta keep going. And we don't have that in us. We stay in, like, a safe lane because we're too scared.

[LL Cool J]

Right. And live a life of quiet desperation. Right. I think it was Thoreau who said that you live men living quiet lives of desperation because they're not willing to go out and venture out on the road less traveled, you know what I'm saying? And go after that thing that is. That they want. You know what I'm saying? So to me, you gotta. You gotta go after that thing you want.

[Jamie Laing]

But where did you learn that from? Was that your mom? Was that your grandma?

[Unknown]

Where.

[Jamie Laing]

Where was it from?

[LL Cool J]

So, yes, my mother. My grandmother. You know, my grandmother used to always tell me, if a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all.

[Jamie Laing]

Say that one more time.

[LL Cool J]

If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all. And my grandfather was like, you know, this is a guy who shined shoes, then worked at an airport as a baggage handler and then went to school for engineering. So one minute you. You know, and my mother, like, put all of her energy into me and worked two jobs and, you know, was. Was. Was shot, and they said she would never walk again, and she walked again. So you're around a lot of people that. That resilience comes with it. You learn early on that it's up to you. It really is up to you.

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah. But, dude, I feel like that's. It's an amazing mindset to have. I read that your, you know, your dad, as you said, your dad had divorced your mom, and he came back and he was so upset.

[LL Cool J]

Well, they separated.

[Jamie Laing]

They separated, right? Yeah. But he was so upset that he.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, he shot her and he shot my grandfather. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Which, yeah, is a pretty heavy thing to experience as a. As a kid. How old are you at that point?

[LL Cool J]

I was 4, but I was there.

[Jamie Laing]

Do you remember it?

[LL Cool J]

Of course. Absolutely. 100%. And, you know, you learn a couple of things. How to follow directions. Because my grandfather, he was a war veteran. He was in World War II. He told me, go back. He was shot, he's bleeding. Go back. Bullets are whizzing. Because it's a kitchen, so there's a side door, there's the sink. It's a small. You know, like, think about a small house, a flat, like. Yeah, it's in Queens, New York. Small house, Very small house. It's a house, but small. You. You got this. The door's right here. He's across beyond the door on the dining room floor over there, bleeding. I'm walking here. I'm a little boy, so I'm beneath the sink. I'm walking. The bullets are hitting the refrigerator. Mother's laying right there. He says, go back. And he's bleeding and all that. So I said. He said, go back, go back. So I went back, went and got some towels, went around another way in the house, brought the towels to him, gave him the towels, and he's like, you know what I mean?

[Jamie Laing]

It's just like that calmness in that moment of chaos. He's calm.

[LL Cool J]

He was calm. And it taught me to be calm, you know what I'm saying? And I was calm. It was crazy.

[Jamie Laing]

Does that do anything to you, like, mentally? Or do you just kind of. Because I remember this is. This is. I can't even try to compare it, but I'm gonna try. When I was about 8 years old, this car reversed into my mum.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, wow.

[Jamie Laing]

But it's not as. It wasn't that bad. But it reversed into.

[LL Cool J]

It ain't contest to see you.

[Unknown]

A lot of bad stuff happens in the world, bro.

[Jamie Laing]

It's cool.

[Unknown]

Tell me your story.

[Jamie Laing]

Please, everyone feel sorry for me. My mom got reversed into my van.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come back, Mom.

[Jamie Laing]

But she did. But the whole.

[LL Cool J]

As a kid, it was devastating.

[Jamie Laing]

Beyond. Beyond.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Beyond to my mother, my rock. Invincible.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Invincible, yeah. That she was suddenly injured on the floor.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

And I didn't. And I didn't know what to do.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

I was shouting for help. I was screaming for help. But you're saying you stayed calm in that moment, you listened to your grandfather and you stayed calm.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

And, you know, that's powerful.

[LL Cool J]

It's. It's. It's strange. It's strange. But, you know, you learn early on, man. I don't know, man. It's. We all here for a reason, you know? And, you know, you look at the genre and you look at what happened with the hip hop and the role. I Played in being one of the guys who helped move it around the world and helped do some things here for a reason.

[Jamie Laing]

So what do you think you're here for, really, Truly?

[LL Cool J]

I think. I think I make people's lives better by giving them an escape. I think that there are doctors who do medicine who provide one service, biologically and physiologically. I think that me as an artist, I provide a service to the soul and to the emotions. I give people an escape from everyday life, maybe the toil of everyday life. People are janitors. People are delivery drivers. It's freezing outside. They're delivering stuff. Maybe they're, you know, they're lifting up crates. They're delivering sodas. You know, there's, you know, yeah, we got all of this technology, but you still got people driving vans and delivering Pepsi, you know what I'm saying? And moving around. And it's like, I help people's lives in that way. You know, Write songs that help people, that lock in time capsules for people's worlds. That's a contribution. It's not the most important, but it's one of the things that, you know, is needed on our Earth for us to exist, for us to have some fun.

[Jamie Laing]

There's a great thing which is.

[Sophie Habboo]

And I've said it before, but Socrates.

[Jamie Laing]

Says there's two levels of happiness, right? The lower level is fame, wealth, all these things that we think we want to achieve, and when we achieve it, we're not that happy. And the higher form is when you help others. Loyalty, love. And when you're doing something that actually, you realize is helping other people, that is like the best form of happiness you can get.

[LL Cool J]

Incredible. Yeah, it's incredible. It's incredible because what else would be the purpose? Cause, you know, if you think about it, see, this is the funny thing about money and wealth and everybody. I agree. Everybody should have a lot of stuff. I understand that. I am not delusional in any way. There's a guy right now or family right now in a flat. Times are hard. Refrigerator's not as full as they like it to be. He may have gotten let go. She's in a. You know, I get it. I grew up, you know, staying at a refrigerator, happy to have some food in it once in a while. So I get it. But they're also. The flip side of that is a lot of people want to have. The only reason they want a lot of money is to use some of it. They want all of it so they can use some of it. You don't even the Majority think about it. Savings. You don't even want to use it. You don't want to use it, bro.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

That's what we've been taught to do for so long. Yeah.

[Unknown]

But if you think about it, it's crazy. It's like, yo, yo. It's like, it's like, it's like, let's.

[LL Cool J]

Put it in last meal terms.

[Jamie Laing]

Okay.

[LL Cool J]

What do you want for your last meal?

[Jamie Laing]

Tacos.

[Unknown]

Okay, order him 500 tacos.

[Jamie Laing]

Then they arrive.

[LL Cool J]

And now what? How many you gonna eat?

[Jamie Laing]

Three.

[LL Cool J]

Okay. Do you need the other? So, okay, but you're more important. Cause you got 500 though, you feel better because you have 500. You only gonna eat three, but you feel better cause you got 500. It's the biggest goof in the world.

[Jamie Laing]

It is.

[LL Cool J]

It's pretty funny.

[Jamie Laing]

It's so funny. And what it is, which I totally agree with you, it's like life is about giving, right? It's so about giving. And we get mistaken. Give energy, give love, give wisdom, give money, give it all. And you know, there's this big thing about how the Egyptians used to take the wealth with them. You used to get buried with their wealth.

[LL Cool J]

And we're digging it up every day.

[Jamie Laing]

Totally. Right. It's a crazy concept.

[LL Cool J]

Ooh, look at this necklace. Thank you.

[Unknown]

I say that respectfully, no disrespect, but it's like, woo. King Tut.

[LL Cool J]

Nice mask, bro.

[Jamie Laing]

But there must have been a time in your life when, because you had so much success, albums, crazy amount of sales, everything, you must have had a moment when that success almost got a little bit to your head when you were buying things. And you. And then there must be in a moment of realizations, like, what am I even doing here?

[LL Cool J]

So. So let me qualify this. I like money. I like having money. I'm a capitalist, I'm from the West. I'm good with money. I have no issue with it. I attract it. I like to share it. I like to. I like checks. I'm with all that. I want to wear jewelry.

[Unknown]

I love it.

[LL Cool J]

I like it all. So I just want to be clear about something. That being said, I only want what I can handle.

[Jamie Laing]

Sorry, but how much can you handle?

[LL Cool J]

A lot. But probably not as much as I want. You know what I'm saying? Like, really think about that. You can handle a lot, but probably not as much as you want. Or maybe you can handle more than you want. I don't know. It's, you know, the question.

[Jamie Laing]

I don't know what you mean. It's one of those eyes we have. Maybe when your eyes are bigger than.

[LL Cool J]

Your stomach, it can be like that or it could be. Maybe you can handle more than you think you're capable of. But all I know is that as I've lived my life by me, like, I'm a big, you know, I'm a big proponent in tithing. I believe. Do you know what tithing is? I'm a person that, you know, when I get money, 10% of what I get, I give it to the church off the gross.

[Jamie Laing]

Get out of here.

[LL Cool J]

Always.

[Jamie Laing]

That's amazing.

[LL Cool J]

I give it away. So I'm like, you know, like the whole mo money, mo proud. I don't feel like I don't have that problem. You can give me as much money as you want. Cause I'm gonna give some away. I'm not a hoarder. There are people, lots, and there are lots of people who do it, who feel like they give in different ways. Maybe they're not knowledgeable in that area. You have people of different religions who do it in various ways. People love to give. Basically. What the reason I'm telling you that, man, is because we're in this world of share. You know what I'm saying? Like, you can have a lot and share at the same time. Like, they're not mutually exclusive ideas. What you don't want is just like people taking it. Yeah, that's where you got to draw the line. I'm very comfortable saying no too. I had a lady. Oh, Todd. Yeah, they call me Todd. Do you do personal loans? No, I don't do that. No? No, I don't do that. Oh, okay.

[Unknown]

Is that how you say it? Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

Is that how you say it?

[Unknown]

I remember one time ago, I was a little kid, my pops, right?

[LL Cool J]

This dude was calling me up, asking me for some.

[Unknown]

He's asking me for money.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, pops is so funny, man. These guys asked me what he called him anytime. He said, is that him again? I said, he said, man, give me that phone. He said, hey, what's up, man? The dude says something. He said, hey, listen, the bank is closed.

[Unknown]

Clack hung up the phone. Yo, the bank is closed. It's crazy. So on 4321, I said, you know my young sonicizer borrowing flow. It's a little shorty with the big mouth. The bank is closed. That's cause my pop said the bank is closed. On the phone to the dude, he's.

[LL Cool J]

Like, yo, the bank is closed.

[Unknown]

Click.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, I'm saying. But then at the same Time we could give, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, you understand what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

I totally.

[LL Cool J]

Because there's a difference between being a kind good guy and being a nice. I'm not trying to be a nice guy. To be warm and fuzzy good guy. Yeah, but nice. Now.

[Jamie Laing]

Are you still friends with all the people that you grew up with?

[LL Cool J]

A lot of them. Some of them I need to, you know, feed out of a long handled.

[Unknown]

Spoon for my own sanity, you know what I'm saying?

[LL Cool J]

But yeah, for the most part I think. Listen, man, there's no reason, you know what I'm saying? You're gonna outgrow people on some level, but on some levels you should be always connected to where you come from.

[Jamie Laing]

No. Cause I was listening to one of. I was listening to something that you spoke about or a show that you were on. And you were talking about the fact that what you realize as growing up is that like, connections is like the most important thing. And as I got older, I realized that connections is everything. Like all the stuff like work and things like that we do is great, but you need connections, right?

[LL Cool J]

Yeah. So what I was saying is that the people you live with every day and that you work with every day and the people you're around, you think that you're around them more than the people that you're calling your family. But you're forgetting, you don't realize that these are your family and these are real relationships. Like people don't. Like, in other words, like I was on a show for NCIS for a lot of seasons, right? So they have like grips and electricians and guys who did other jobs behind the camera that I'm friends with. It does not matter to me whether they were on camera or not. We develop friendships. So what I'm saying is when you work with people, when you're around people, those connections really matter in life, you know what I'm saying? Because we kind of get caught up in this idea of like people having to qualify for friendship based on some kind of weird standard that you have subconsciously floating in the back of your mind. And that has nothing to do with reality. The reality is that these are the people you're around every day. So you need to just be grateful for that and just treat people with love and keep it moving. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Because it's one of these things, right? Like, not everyone has like a good family life, but then you can go out and you can kind of find your friends and find your group and choose to. And you kind of. Which is so strange to me, because sitting next to you now, we've never met. Did you got a good vibe? You got a great vibe.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah. And you know what I tell you? You gotta be a friend to get friends to have friends, right?

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah. Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

Like, part of it is being a friend.

[Jamie Laing]

But you said that you were a little bit, like, of a loner growing up.

[LL Cool J]

I was 100%. And I'm still. Because I'm. Even though I'm a social guy and all that I'm an introvert. I am introverted. So I like to go home and read. I like to, you know, I'm friends with a thousand books. You know what I'm saying? Like, I like to sit around and read and watch documentaries and, you know, and veg out and get recharged in my own brain. I like. You know, I grew up like, I have little brothers, but they. My father remarried, so I grew up in a single situation. Like, you know, as a child, I was an only child. So, you know, I'm not really. So I am a loner in that respect, but that doesn't mean I can't maintain these friendships and these relationships. And what happens as an introvert when people are introverted? It takes a little bit more time to learn how to be friends with.

[Jamie Laing]

People, but explain that, Moody. What do you mean by that?

[LL Cool J]

So. So what I mean is that as an introvert, you may not go to the poker game. You may not go to the party that you're invited to. It's not because you don't like them. It's just because when you go, you get drained. Or when you go, maybe you feel like. I just don't feel like going. It's not about not liking them or not wanting to be around people. You might just want to be home. But what you discover as you grow up is that, you know what? Sometimes those moments matter to other people, and sometimes those moments mean something to them. And because it means something to them, sometimes you got to push yourself a little more to go to that event so that they, you know, they know that you at least got love for them and care about them. And introverts have that problem. Extroverts don't. Extroverts is out there. Hey, yo, I'm in the. Yo.

[Unknown]

Let's get it. You know, they love it. The more people around, the better they feel.

[LL Cool J]

But for introverts, when they're in social environments, it could be a little bit draining.

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

In a Weird way, it's just very difficult to understand if you're not introverted.

[Jamie Laing]

But that's so. Because that's like a juxtaposition to like who you. You want to thy gay. You've been in known since you were like 16 years old. You're one of the biggest entertainers in the world. Across music, across movies, across television. That is like so much energy. But yet you're saying you're an introvert.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, because introverted does not mean antisocial. It just means that you're a person who enjoys solitude and enjoys recharging alone. And you're comfortable with that. So I don't mind sharing these huge dynamic bursts of energy with people through records, through concerts, through television shows, through movies, through all of this stuff. Because I love everybody. It's all love. It's just that when it's time to wind down, I'm very comfortable being alone. You know what I'm saying? Like, I like to walk around, you know, naked, you know? Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know? Yeah. You know what I mean? Just walk around, look in the mirror. I love me, you know?

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

Look at me, look at me, look at me looking at me.

[Unknown]

You know.

[Jamie Laing]

I have a mirror in my corridor, yo.

[Unknown]

Look at me looking at me. Gotta be the crazy.

[Jamie Laing]

This is no one of a lie.

[Unknown]

I gotta be the greatest. Yo, if they do a silence in the labs, three.

[LL Cool J]

Look at me, looking at me.

[Jamie Laing]

I have a mirror. I have a mirror in my corridor. And I was. And I got naked. And you know when you have those weird thoughts, right? I was walking towards it and I did a naked roly poly. And as I got up I went. That was weird.

[Sophie Habboo]

I was by myself.

[Unknown]

Yo, yo, yo, that's too ill, man. Look at me, looking at me with the roly poly. Crazy, crazy.

[Jamie Laing]

So when do you. So when do you feel most comfortable? Cause I've spoken to lots of performers and people and artists and lots of people feel most comfortable on stage. But it feels like you feel most comfortable with yourself with a book, whatever it is. Where do you feel when you feel comfortable?

[LL Cool J]

Both places.

[Jamie Laing]

Really?

[LL Cool J]

Oh yeah. Because especially when you talk about the stage and all of that. Because there's a purpose to that sometimes, you know, with the other stuff, you just have to be mindful. I'll give you an example. A lot of people work jobs and like especially back in the day, a lot of people work remotely now. But for those who go to the office, you have some people, you know, you show up on Monday and now I gotta Sit here with you for three hours and tell you what I did all weekend. I don't feel like doing that. You know?

[Unknown]

Like, I don't want to talk to you about my entire.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, so what did you do at noon on Friday?

[Unknown]

Or what did you do at 1:30?

[LL Cool J]

And how was 2:30 and 3:30? And what did you do?

[Unknown]

It's.

[LL Cool J]

So that's the part being introverted.

[Unknown]

You just want to be like, yo.

[LL Cool J]

How was your weekend? It was good, man. Yeah? Yeah, all good. How was yours? You know?

[Unknown]

Okay. Like, right there. Like, not. Cause I'm just stop right there. And it's just like, some people hate.

[Jamie Laing]

Me on the weekend.

[Unknown]

Yo, bro. Yo, bro. And there's some people like, yo, hey.

[LL Cool J]

How was your weekend? Yeah. What you do? Yeah, we went to this restaurant. Yeah, what you eat?

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[LL Cool J]

Why'd you choose that?

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah.

[LL Cool J]

Did you like it?

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah. Would you recommend it? It's just like, you know, bro, it just gets, you know.

[LL Cool J]

So that's the part where you get a little. So it's.

[Unknown]

It's.

[Jamie Laing]

But there's a big question there that. Then what do you. Because that's like a question between being comfortable with who you are and kind of not comfortable with who you are. Like, I definitely.

[LL Cool J]

It is.

[Unknown]

It's true, though. I'm okay with that. I'm very comfortable with that.

[Jamie Laing]

You're comfortable with being you.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

You are. Because you can sit there, you can sit in silence. You can say a question. You can sit there and be happy with it. So where does that comfortability for yourself come from? I don't know. That's a big question.

[LL Cool J]

I don't know. I mean, I got faith in me. I got faith in a higher power. Faith in God. I got faith in. I grew up in a house full of books, bro. I mean, you just, you know, my mother and my grandmother is like, yeah. It's like, okay, no way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just, you know, I grew up, like.

[Unknown]

They used to get these things called.

[LL Cool J]

The World Book of Knowledge back in the days, you know, I'm saying, you get the World Book of Knowledge. I'm sitting there also, and, you know, there's a volcano. And, you know, you know, you just learn all this, you know, Mount Fuji.

[Unknown]

Like, you know, the other day, I'm.

[LL Cool J]

Looking at, oh, Mount Fuji didn't have snow for, you know, first time, first October in a century. Like, you just become, like, you know, I'm saying, like, just having a good time with it. You know what I'm saying? With Life. And so you just kind of.

[Jamie Laing]

So you were just interested in getting knowledge. You just like to gain all of that knowledge. You read books because that.

[LL Cool J]

Curious. Ah, curious because Curio. Listen, if you're truly curious and you really enjoy books and you really enjoy reading and you really enjoy doing that kind of stuff, you go on journeys, man.

[Jamie Laing]

I heard you read the dictionary.

[LL Cool J]

I used to read it. I used to read back of toothpaste tubes. I didn't even know what the words meant. I mean, you ever listen to some of my early songs, like the original Rock the Bells? I said I must have been, I don't know, 17 misdemeanor cleaner women are subpoenaed. No conjecture in my election. Name an adversary. Gina Promoter. My tongue revolves like a rota wild.

[Unknown]

Style Dakota, the cranium of Yoda. Like I'm bugging out.

[LL Cool J]

This is all just kind of, you know, you know what I mean? I've been doing it for years for the world, you know what I mean?

[Jamie Laing]

Your stepfather was pretty abusive to you.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, he was.

[Jamie Laing]

And your dad, obviously you made up with him. But male role models in your life seem to not really align to maybe what they should have been.

[LL Cool J]

I hear you.

[Jamie Laing]

So how do you find your blueprint to be a good dad, a good husband, a good person, as you clearly are?

[LL Cool J]

Because there's plenty of examples in the world.

[Jamie Laing]

So who's your.

[LL Cool J]

You have to make your own. You have to make a. Like. What I've learned is that, like, I'll give you an example. You know how jeet, like how Bruce Lee developed jeet kune do by taking various martial arts forms and putting them all together. A little wing chun, a little American boxing, you know what I'm saying? A little jiu jitsu, a little of the judo, a little of this and that. And put it all together and made the way of intercepting fists. He made his own martial art out of that. So you can look at this particular artist and this particular athlete and this particular person and that particular person and say, oh, I like the way he treats that. That. And I like the way he does that. And I like the way this person does that. And then you make your own life and you figure it out, you know what I'm saying? Like, listen, pressure, you know what I mean?

[Jamie Laing]

It's like a pick and mix.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, Amalgama, is it amalgamation.

[Jamie Laing]

Amalgamation, yeah, yeah.

[LL Cool J]

It's an amalgamation of many people, you know what I'm saying? And then you decide, you know what.

[Jamie Laing]

You gonna do because also you then recognize what Other people have as faults, right? So you kind of go, I don't like this. I don't like that. Here we go. I'm gonna be this person. And you then don't idolize just one person.

[LL Cool J]

That's right. Like, I'll give you an example. So, like, growing up, like, you know, when I was in my early teens, mid teens, early teens, formative years, all the way to early 20s, I was in Harlem running around with guys that they make movie, gangster movies about. I'm running around, but it's like, I'm not looking at the hustling aspects of it. I see that, but I'm looking at the kindness. I'm looking at the. Oh, you know, it's funny how a lot of tough guys, I knew they were the most gentlemen. They were gentlemen. Oh, give a homeless guy, give him a 50. Or give this guy, like, take care of this guy. Or, you know, it's the tough guy that I learned how to see. The thing you learn, especially for me, Queens, New York, growing up, where I grew up, is you learn how important manners are, and you learn how important being a gentleman is, and you learn how important, you know, when you don't walk around with your chest poked out, you have a better chance of surviving in the community. Yeah, it's the guys that want to be tough guys and want to be selfish and want to be, you know, Like, I remember a long time ago, this guy got really angry out of me. He said to me, he said, yo, why don't you come up out of the store with one of them 40s or something, man? You know what I'm saying? And he was an older guy, and, you know, he got. I kind of felt like he was trying to press me a little bit. That's the way I took it. So I didn't get it for him. And then he wanted to fight. And then one of my dudes came, was like, yo, blah, blah, blah. Stopped him, right? You know, calmed him down. But the thing is, when I think about it, it's like I learned after that that sometimes it probably would have been better to say, yo, enjoy your bin, man. Give him some love. Cause he wasn't. You know what I'm saying?

[Unknown]

Like, it's just.

[Jamie Laing]

How do you remember that as well?

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

You know what I'm saying? Like, you just remember those lessons about being a gentleman and about sharing. I'm not talking about sharing where people are pressing you or extorting or doing anything where you're being weak. I'm talking about, man, like a real manly love where you share with people in a certain way, but when you do it like that, you know what I'm saying? Life is better for you. Especially when we grow up in tough environments. Like, you know, this is the uk. Like people out here can relate to what I'm saying. Dudes in the street especially know what I'm talking about, you know what I'm saying? It's like, you know, so the sharing and all that you learn just, you know what I'm saying? Like respect 100%.

[Jamie Laing]

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[Sophie Habboo]

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[Jamie Laing]

Hello, I'm Jamie Lang.

[Jemima]

And I'm Sophie Haboo and we have.

[Jamie Laing]

Been married for a year.

[Jemima]

One whole year.

[Jamie Laing]

Join us as we navigate married life, hear wild stories from our listeners, and meet some of our favorite celebrity couples.

[Jemima]

That's where each week we dive into the world of newlywed bliss.

[Jamie Laing]

Is. Is that what it is?

[Sophie Habboo]

Bliss?

[Jemima]

Jamie, Just pretend that we're newlyweds.

[Jamie Laing]

One year down and a lifetime to go.

[LL Cool J]

Love you, honey.

[Jamie Laing]

Listen. Every Monday, just search newlyweds wherever you get your podcast with the album the force, right? 11. It's 11 years. I think it is. Why now? And also on it, you know, the amazing collaborations. You've done it, right? Eminem. Who? Eminem. You were, like, his inspiration. He dressed like you. He wanted to rap like you, and now, for the first time, you're collaborating with him on an album.

[LL Cool J]

Amazing.

[Jamie Laing]

It's big.

[LL Cool J]

It's amazing.

[Unknown]

It's big.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah. And I love that song. It was. It's one of my favorites on the record. And, yeah, I just was really inspired working with Q Tip, working on this project, you know, man, it just felt good to just do some music.

[Jamie Laing]

And for anyone who's listening to this, I can. It's your. You can just feel it.

[LL Cool J]

I love it, man.

[Jamie Laing]

It's like. It's like when. How do I describe it? It's like when you know that it's going to be a good night and you're ready for it.

[LL Cool J]

I love it, man, because, yo, like, I don't know. It's fun. I mean, I'm just doing all this for fun, man.

[Jamie Laing]

But why now? Why an album now?

[LL Cool J]

Because this is when the inspiration came. Like, Fife Dog from A Tribe Called Quest came to me in a dream. You know what I'm saying? I promise you, I'm telling you the truth. I'm not lying. He came to me in a dream and said, yo, that album you doing is going to be dope. But he was talking about another producer, you know what I'm saying? And actually, he was talking about Dre, because me and Dre were working on a project, but I felt like his beats were amazing, but my writing, I didn't feel like was on par with the beats he was creating. So I was like, ah. So me and him took a little bit of a pause and a little bit of a break. I needed to get my mind right. Then Fife Dog came to me in a dream. He was like, yo, the album you doing with Dre is gonna be dope. I'm like, yeah. But then he looked at me like. And I was like, I wonder why he looked at me with that. You know, that Cheshire cat, that canary. Like, he swallowed a canary. So when I woke up, I'm like, yo, I hit my man. I'm like, I'm thinking about Fife So I can't call Fife because he passed away. May he rest in peace. I called Q Tip Up. I'm like, yo, what up?

[Unknown]

Like, yo, what up, big bro?

[LL Cool J]

I'm like, yo, come on, man, let's. I said, I want to do an album, man. He said, well, what kind of album you want to do? I said, man, I want hot sauce, fried chicken, pickle juice, barbecue.

[Unknown]

I want.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, I wanted. Yo, I want to have the blackest barbecue in the world and invite the whole world to it, though. He like, yeah. I'm like, yeah.

[Unknown]

He's like, all right, say less.

[LL Cool J]

So I got with him and we made the Force.

[Jamie Laing]

The Force is an acronym as well, right?

[LL Cool J]

Frequencies of Real Creative Energy.

[Jamie Laing]

When you thought of that, you were.

[LL Cool J]

Like, nah, it felt good.

[Unknown]

It felt right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it felt right.

[LL Cool J]

It felt right. Felt right.

[Jamie Laing]

Penny, there's an amazing story behind Mama Said Knock youk Out.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, yeah, of course, of course. Cuz I, you know, was coming off of an album, Walking With a Panther, and it was. It was paying critically. It did okay commercially. It did well, but it was paying critically, people. Oh, he's finished and this and that and blah, blah, blah. I told my grandmother what was going on, and she was like, ah, don't worry about it. Just go knock him out. I was like, oh. They just. I was like, yeah. So. And I just, you know, my man Bobcat had that loop and we up in my condo and we got, you know, 900 champagne bottles on the wall. We run around with an old English and he plays the SP1200 in the room full of guys. I'm like, don't call her to come back.

[Unknown]

And we just. The beers going up in the air and just. It was crazy.

[LL Cool J]

It was crazy. Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

What is the difference between having done the new album now to like, back in the day? What is the difference? I mean, there's a lot of difference. Right, but what is in your mind, the difference between the two now?

[LL Cool J]

Not much.

[Jamie Laing]

Music industry. What did they.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, the music industry.

[Jamie Laing]

The music industry. So back then when you were starting out with your friends and you were remembering numbers and waiting for someone to give you a chance compared to what it is like now?

[LL Cool J]

Wow, that's a really great question. So I think it's. It's so complicated. I know that's a terrible cop out type of answer, but it's so complicated because, see, you gotta remember back then it was free. The music industry didn't know what they had. So you flying under the radar, nobody sees you coming you know what I mean? Yeah, it's like, you know, the Fubu Gap commercial. You know, it's just like, oh, yeah, whatever. Oh, rapper. Oh, yeah. Where's Cameo? You know, word up, Up. You know, like, oh, yeah, yeah. What's Cameo? You know, that kind of thing. Whereas now it's like, do you see what I see?

[Unknown]

You know, saying now it's like, yo, yo, the feds is on us. You know, it's like it's, you know, it's a different.

[Jamie Laing]

Because you can't hide anything.

[LL Cool J]

No, it's just completely different. This is completely different.

[Jamie Laing]

And is that good or bad?

[LL Cool J]

Neither. It just is what it is. Because it only becomes bad when it affects your creativity. And it's only bad if you do bad deals. Then it's bad. But it's good if you do good deals and you remain creative and you keep it moving. So it's. You know. Cause it's like a wave, right? You can be under the wave, embracing a reef with all your heart, or you could be on top of the surfboard, doing your thing. So the wave ain't bad. It's your position relative to the wave. Everything's about context in life. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

That analogy. I like that. That's good. Also, apparently, you can say Rick Rubin's number off by heart. His mobile number?

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's. It was the Dorm room number 212-4200666. Yeah, I remember that.

[Jamie Laing]

Why do you remember that so well?

[LL Cool J]

Cause, bro, I wanted him to answer that phone, baby. I needed him to answer that phone. That's how bad I needed him to. I need you to answer this phone.

[Jamie Laing]

Someone listening here. Someone listening here or watching this, right? Like that is that is the difference between success and not success. Just never taking no for answer. Knocking down that door.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, let me tell you something. The difference between success and no success. I know it's gonna be crazy, but you can't be afraid to be a pain in the ass when you're trying to make it. And then when you make it, you can't be a pain in the ass.

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah.

[LL Cool J]

I'm telling you. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

I heard you coined the term goat.

[LL Cool J]

I did.

[Jamie Laing]

Greatest of all time.

[LL Cool J]

I took Muhammad Ali. Greatest of all time. And Earl the Goat Manigault. He's a street ball player in New York. He was famous. The Goat. And I took the Goat and the Greatest of all time and made the acronym. And then I made an album in year 2000 called the Goat, featuring James Todd Smith, greatest of all time. And I put it out. And then that slang kind of went global and worldwide.

[Jamie Laing]

Do people know it came from you?

[LL Cool J]

I mean, some people do, but most people ask me honestly, like you asked me, because they. But nobody can remember where it came from.

[Unknown]

Everybody's just assuming, how could it be somebody?

[LL Cool J]

But I did make it up. Yeah. I mean, check out the album. It went number one.

[Jamie Laing]

I believe you.

[LL Cool J]

The Goat, you're just.

[Jamie Laing]

You're a pure entertainer. You know, One of my favorite movies in the world that I've watched a hundred times, any given Sunday.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, yeah. Oh, that was wild. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oliver had us going crazy in that. And plus, you know, what I'm saying is we were sniffing antihistamine, you know, pretending it was another drug, so we had to sniff the antihistamine.

[Unknown]

So we was running. Yo, sinuses was clear. After a while, you was like, whoa. I don't know what we sniffing up at this. After a while, yo, we was sniffing that antihistamine. And, yo, you run around in the locker room, yo, it was crazy. It's your man Oliver Stone.

[LL Cool J]

That's your man.

[Unknown]

It's your man Oliver, man. You know, Yo, Oliver's so funny.

[LL Cool J]

Why don't you maintain an air of mystery, huh? You're just walking around the way Oliver.

[Unknown]

Was on that set.

[LL Cool J]

Bananas.

[Unknown]

Yo, I love Oliver, man.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, forgive me, but I gotta tell you this one story.

[Unknown]

Yo, Oliver, I love you, Oliver. Please forgive me.

[LL Cool J]

I gotta tell this story, though, bro.

[Unknown]

We in there, man.

[LL Cool J]

So we on a set, right? Oliver's smoking a joint, right? So he's sitting there. So somebody's like, yo, people looking like, look at Oliver's pants.

[Jamie Laing]

His fucking.

[LL Cool J]

His pocket is smoking. People like, what's going. He had put the joint in his.

[Unknown]

Pocket without putting it out. Yo, his assistant is beating on his pants. His pocket is smoking. Yo, Oliver put a lick. Joint in his pocket, man. Yo, gone, B. Out of control. Out of here. Out of here.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, don't direct your. You know.

[Unknown]

Don't direct yourself, Al. He's talking to Al Pacino. Don't direct yourself. Al is like.

[Jamie Laing]

You should have said his name. Al Pacino.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, yeah. We hung out, went to dinner.

[Jamie Laing]

Good guy.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, he's a great guy. He's so funny. He's so great.

[Jamie Laing]

Gives.

[LL Cool J]

Gives a loving dude the best. I mean, he's acting. And I'm sitting there like, yo, I'm, like, looking at him act. And at first I'm like, does he remember his lines? And then all of a sudden, I'm like, yo, every line is coming out so new and fresh that it's almost.

[Unknown]

Like you think he forgot the line. He's so good that, yo, every new thought is so new that you're like.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, it was unbelievable working with him. He's amazing. So forget about it. He's amazing.

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, listen, I could sit with you for ages. You've been doing this all day. So unless you wanted it all day, and I'll sit it all day. We like to end with eight questions. Quick fire.

[LL Cool J]

Okay.

[Jamie Laing]

You can be as honest as you want.

[LL Cool J]

Okay.

[Jamie Laing]

What's a saying or phrase that always makes you smile or cheers you up?

[Unknown]

Get money. Love that. With that little Kim Jr. Mafia record. Come on. Get money. Love that.

[LL Cool J]

Love that.

[Jamie Laing]

Best compliment anyone's ever given you.

[LL Cool J]

I love your music, and I'll tell you why. Because I was a teenager, you know what I'm saying? And I was in a McDonald's, just standing there getting a shake, and I only had about three songs out. And the girl said, hey, I like your music. And it made me feel like, oh, I have music. Not just a song music. It made me feel recognized, like I had a body of work. It was a very different. It's very different when somebody says, I like that song. When they say, I like that music. That was a wider, deeper compliment for me as a little kid with three songs out, you know?

[Jamie Laing]

And it's your true love.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

What scares you most about yourself?

[LL Cool J]

I'm not afraid of me.

[Jamie Laing]

Good answer. When was the last time you cried? And why.

[LL Cool J]

Was it Yellowstone? I was watching. I'm trying to figure out.

[Unknown]

I'm trying to figure out, like, it was one of them scenes. One of them scenes that I promise you. One of them scenes or something.

[LL Cool J]

Or was it 1820, 1820 or 1893? I'm not sure.

[Unknown]

One of those shows and, like, something happened to dude was like, I want to do it. I was just like, he's having a market.

[LL Cool J]

And I was like, yo. I was like, my eyes feel heavy right now. This is weird. I didn't even, you know, kind of snuck up on me.

[Jamie Laing]

I cried at. There's an advert about a bank in the UK where someone leaves their scarf on a bus. And I cried.

[LL Cool J]

Yo, I'm going to tell you, I'm a super foul. Y'all gotta pard me. The funniest thing I ever cried to be for no reason. Maybe just like a Sylvester Stallone daylight, man. They in the tunnel.

[Unknown]

Human beings working together. It's like. It's bananas, yo. That's bananas, bro. Yo, they're working together, yo.

[Sophie Habboo]

And you can feel that. Like, mine's always on a flight, and.

[Jamie Laing]

You'Re like, when I'm on a flight, I'm like, what the fuck?

[LL Cool J]

Oh, God.

[Jamie Laing]

What's something you can't let go of?

[LL Cool J]

God.

[Jamie Laing]

What's something you'd be embarrassed for people to know you like or want?

[LL Cool J]

Nothing. It is what it is.

[Unknown]

Search history Wild, B. Go on, check it out. It's what it is, bro. Everybody crazy, man. We all. Everybody's out of their mind, bro. Like, at the end of the day, if we all had cartoon bubbles above us that typed out what we were thinking and what we were doing, you know, be crazy, everybody would be different.

[LL Cool J]

So nothing, Nothing.

[Jamie Laing]

What turns you off?

[LL Cool J]

Arrogance and that pompous kind of spirit. I don't like that because it has nothing to do with talent.

[Jamie Laing]

What turns you on?

[LL Cool J]

Good energy. Sexual energy. You know what I'm saying? If you really talking about it, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, but, you know.

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, yeah, I know what you're saying.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Unknown]

Keep that.

[LL Cool J]

Yeah, Simmer down. Simmer down, baby.

[Jamie Laing]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

This ain't Brokeback Mountain, bro. You know what I'm saying? This ain't the Brokeback interview, B. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

Make a remake.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, my God.

[Jamie Laing]

What do you like most about yourself?

[LL Cool J]

The fact that I still love people and I didn't get caught up in the, you know, the fantasia of fame and fortune, you know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Laing]

Like, last, final one, favorite ever lyric you've written.

[LL Cool J]

Oh, wow. I mean, don't call it comebacks. Pretty hard to beat, man. That's a pretty hard line to beat, you know, in a lot of genres. Don't call it comeback. Pretty rough. That's a pretty rough one right there, man. It's pretty good. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, you're the goat.

[LL Cool J]

Thank you, man. Much love, bro. Appreciate it.

[Jamie Laing]

That's amazing. Thank you, man.

[LL Cool J]

Thanks so much.

[Unknown]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Sophie Habboo]

Wow.

Wow.

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, yeah.

[Jemima]

Did that knock you out?

[Jamie Laing]

Oh, yeah.

[Sophie Habboo]

That was fantastic in every single way. That was. That was amazing.

[Jemima]

Yeah.

[Sophie Habboo]

Professional. Unbelievable. I was a little bit nervous in that situation, but I think as you should have been. Okay, good. But I thought it was great, right?

[Jemima]

Yeah, Fantastic. Fantastic guest. Very, very exciting.

[Sophie Habboo]

Listen, I'm so up on energy right now and adrenaline that I don't think I can debrief right now, apart from well produced. I hope you have fun in the edit.

[Jemima]

Thanks and well presented.

[Sophie Habboo]

Thank you so much. And to everyone who listened, if you can subscribe or follow, this show takes a click of the button. It means so much for us. And if you want to send us any suggestions, any questions at all, you can send it to great [e-mail] or you can slide into our [e-mail] everything is in the show description. Well, thank you. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you to Jemima and we're going to see you next week for another episode of Great Company.

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[Unknown]

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