Def Jam Recordings is on the cusp of its 30th anniversary, and to this day it still looms large as one of hip-hop’s most powerful labels. The label is hosting a 30th anniversary show with a long list of signees past and present set to perform, though there’s one glaring omission: LL Cool J.
LL recently spoke over the phone with Mina SayWhat of Power99’s “Rise And Good Morning Show” and when she asked his reaction to not being on the bill, this is what he had to say:
“They didn’t reach out to me. They know my phone number — it ain’t too late. We’ll see what happens. If they want to call me, I’m cool. If not, then it is what it is.”
This isn’t the first time LL’s waxed about this particular issue. In 2007, MTV asked LL his feelings about Def Jam’s reluctance to promote his album “Exit 13″:
“These guys fail to realize that when you talk about Def Jam, you’re talking about my legacy. Everything that ever happened at Def Jam is my legacy. Without me being a 16-year-old with my rhyme book, Def Jam [wouldn’t] exist. Everything that’s ever been a success up there is a product of me, and I’ve given birth to it.”
His attitude seems to have changed, as evidenced by his response to SayWhat’s question of whether or not his omission from the line-up hurt his feelings:
“Hurt my feelings? [Laughs] Nah, if I didn’t own my catalogue, maybe it would hurt my feelings… but we’ll see what happens. You never know.”
Def Jam’s 30th Anniversary Concert will go down on Thursday, October 16. Acts include Rick Ross, DMX, EPMD, Jhene Aiko, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Onyx, 2 Chainz, Foxy Brown, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Warren G, and Jeremih.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3QO1Z1cZTI