Maps of Music
The DEFinition (2004)
Where the lyrics of The DEFinition take you, and where it was really made.
LL Cool J's tenth album sold 173,000 copies in its first week, his biggest opening week up to that point, even though it came after several albums that had not sold as well.
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Overview
- The DEFinition: tenth studio album by American rapper LL Cool J
- Released August 31, 2004 by Def Jam Recordings
- Largely produced by Timbaland, with several tracks produced by N.O. Joe, Teddy Riley, and 7 Aurelius
- Peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200
- Spawned two singles: "Headsprung" and "Hush"
- Certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies
Background
- Critics said the album was better than LL Cool J's 2002 album 10, credited to Timbaland's production
- Nominated for Best Rap Album at the 47th Grammy Awards
- Lost the Grammy to Kanye West's The College Dropout
- Timbaland's production gave the album a change in sound from New York to Southern style, according to contemporary reviews
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Artist
Career
- James Todd Smith, known as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor.
- He was among the earliest rappers to achieve crossover commercial success alongside new-school acts like Run-DMC.
- Signed by Def Jam Recordings in 1984; his breakthrough single "I Need a Beat" (1984) was followed by debut album Radio (1985).
- Later albums Bigger and Deffer (1987), Walking with a Panther (1989), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990), Mr. Smith (1995), and Phenomenon (1997) brought continued success.
- Released The FORCE (2024), his fourteenth studio album, after re-signing with Def Jam.
- Acting work includes Toys, Halloween H20, Any Given Sunday, and NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023) as Sam Hanna.
- Two-time Grammy winner; in 2017 became the first rapper to receive a Kennedy Center Honor; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 (Musical Excellence).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Critics gave the album a mild reception, saying it was better than 10 because of Timbaland's production
- Metacritic average score of 66, based on 9 reviews
- RapReviews (Steve 'Flash' Juon) called it LL's "TRUE tenth album" and praised the change in sound from New York to Southern by Timbaland
- AllMusic (David Jeffries) said the album had more energy than 10, citing Timbaland's take on the southern sound
- Rolling Stone (Gavin Edwards) praised the production for updating LL's sound along with his lyrics
- Stylus Magazine (Nick Southall) was mixed, enjoying the love jams more than the Timbaland tracks, and called the album merely good
Records
- Debuted and peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 in the week of September 18, 2004
- First-week sales of 173,000 copies, LL Cool J's biggest first week at that time, surpassing 10's 154,000
- RIAA Gold certification on October 5, 2004
- 747,000 copies sold in the United States by February 2006, according to Nielsen SoundScan
- Nominated for Best Rap Album at the 47th Grammy Awards, lost to The College Dropout
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- The album was nominated for the Grammy for Best Rap Album, but lost to Kanye West's The College Dropout
- Timbaland produced most of the album, and the sound shift from New York to Southern style was one of the main points critics noted
- Its first-week sales of 173,000 copies beat the opening sales of LL Cool J's previous album 10
- The album's two singles were "Headsprung" and "Hush"
- Several tracks were produced by N.O. Joe, Teddy Riley, and 7 Aurelius, besides Timbaland
Sources: en.wikipedia.org