LL Cool J believes the music industry’s focus on social media engagement and streaming numbers is distracting artists from what matters most: making good music.
The legendary rapper shared his thoughts during an Oct. 16 appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. While he acknowledged the talent coming out of today’s Hip Hop scene, he questioned how much influence statistics now have over the music industry.
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According to LL, artists and record labels can become so focused on numbers that creativity takes a back seat. He explained that musicians may feel pressured to create songs that work well in short social media clips or provide catchy captions rather than records that connect with listeners on a deeper level.
A song can attract millions of views without necessarily building a lasting relationship between an artist and their audience. For LL, online attention alone does not determine whether music has real value.
He compared the situation to professional basketball, where statistics do not always tell the full story of a player’s contribution to a team. In the same way, he believes an artist’s success should not be measured only by streams, views or social media engagement.
LL also encouraged rappers to be patient when their music does not receive immediate attention. Instead of constantly chasing the next trend, he wants artists to keep creating and focus on developing a dedicated audience.
“Make another good song,” he advised.
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The message reflects LL’s own experience returning to music after taking an extended break. When he began working on his 2024 album, The FORCE, he admitted that his early songwriting efforts were not meeting his expectations.
Rather than settling for material he did not believe in, LL challenged himself to improve and brought in fellow Hip Hop veteran Q-Tip to help guide the project. In a 2024 interview with the Associated Press, LL described the process as essentially learning how to rap again, even after decades in the industry.
“I wasn’t trying to do trendy, and I wasn’t trying to recapture anything I did before,” he explained.
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LL eventually gave Q-Tip production duties across the album, showing that he was willing to approach his craft differently instead of relying on his established reputation.
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His experience reinforces the point behind his advice. Even artists with decades of success must continue to challenge themselves and put effort into their work.
As social media continues to shape how music is promoted and discovered, LL wants rappers to remember that viral attention can fade. Creating music that people genuinely enjoy and return to may take time, but he believes that connection is worth pursuing.
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