During an appearance on the Joe Budden podcast, LL Cool J recently explained his decision to leave DMX and Jay-Z off his Mount Rushmore list for Def Jam.
Selecting groups Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys, as well as Slick Rick, LL, says he picked the acts that helped build Def Jam from the ground up.
“I know DMX is supremely talented, used to kill the stage, and sold a ton of records. I know Jay did a ton of stuff up there… I can name a zillion artists up there who did unbelievable sh_t up there. I’m very clear about that,” he said. “But I also know that when I walked into Rick Rubin’s dormitory, it was a f—king idea, bro, like you trying to talk to me about guys that are popular. I watched the sh—t when it was a f—king idea on a post-it. It’s two different conversations.”
Shannon Sharpe pushed back about leaving Jay-Z off, but LL Cool J reminded him that the rapper was on the label “a thousand years later.”
The discussion occurred at the YouTube Music Leaders and Legends Event in Los Angeles, California.
