LL Cool J Says He Made Exit 13 'As A Hip-Hop Fan'

LL Cool J

The first-week numbers for LL Cool J's Exit 13 will be released Wednesday, but hip-hop's G.O.A.T. said the only stat that matters is how many hits are on the album.

"People can say what they want," he said. "But this is a Mayweather moment. I'mma take a page out of Floyd's book on this one. The album is hot. It's crazy. ... I can't guarantee the first-week sales, because retail is gonna be looking at my last albums' sales and thinking about that. They gonna be caught up in that. So I don't know what I'm gonna do the first week. That's all based on how many records you put out there in the first place. But let me tell you something: That word of mouth on that album and that second week, you watch. We're gonna see.

"Mr. Smith did 80,000 the first week and sold 3 million," he added. "Mama Said Knock You Out did maybe 100,000 first week; that sold 3 million. Bigger and Deffer sold triple-platinum. I have a feeling that sold pretty well, but this is my favorite album that I've made. It is. It's hard for people to think that way. They have records that's embedded in their heads so deeply, you can't move them. But for those new hip-hop fans, its gonna be crazy."

LL spoke with so much pride about the project because it's the LP he's worked the longest on.

"Just hating on it, hating on yourself," he said about recording the album over the past two years. "I hated on the joint. Say what you want about me, but everything I do musically is on purpose and by design. I know what I'm doing. And that being said, when it's time to make a joint, I hated on the joint. 'Make a new joint, flip it. I'll make two types of joints.' There's two types of albums I make: Albums I make by myself when I'm being artsy and albums I make as a hip-hop fan. I made this album as a hip-hop fan.

"Mama Said Knock You Out — that was, maybe, almost a year," he continued. "[Exit 13] is crazy. Two years to get it right, B. I'm telling you. I promise you. It's gonna be mailmen that ain't bought a hip-hop album in 10 years that's gonna buy this album. It's gonna be junior high schools that never bought an LL album buying this album once it gets in the system, God willing."

LL is currently opening for Janet Jackson's Rock Witchu Tour. On November 21, he'll head to New Jersey's Izod Center for Hot 97's Check the Rhyme concert. Besides LL, 50 Cent, Q-Tip, T-Pain, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Ice Cube and Brandy are all on the bill.

T.I. - Dead and Gone (feat. Justin Timberlake)

T . I . on the loose

Clifford "Tip" Harris, better known as Atlanta rapper T.I., returns with "KING," his fourth major label full-length solo release, and third through his joint venture deal with Atlantic Records. Picking up where his previous effort left off, "KING" (Grand Hustle/Atlantic) builds on the sound and the success of 2004's "URBAN LEGEND" - a blockbuster project that debuted at the top of Billboard's "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums" chart and at #7 on the Billboard 200, spawned the RIAA platinum-certified single, "Bring Em Out" and the Grammy-nominated smash, "U Don't Know Me," registered over three million in ringtone sales, and was certified RIAA platinum, going on to sell over 1.3 million copies in the U.S. alone.

T.I - Whatever you like (music video)



Alongside its commercial success, "URBAN LEGEND" secured a multitude of award nominations, including Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the 2005 American Music Awards, Best Rap Video ("U Don't Know Me") at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Choice Rap Track ("Bring Em Out") at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards, plus landing T.I. his second annual VIBE Award for Street Anthem of the Year ("U Don't Know Me"). The kudos culminated with his Grammy nomination for "U Don't Know Me" for Best Rap Solo Performance, sharing the category with Common, Eminem, 50 Cent, Ludacris, and Kanye West.

Since he first burst on the scene in 2001 with his impressive solo debut, "I'M SERIOUS," T.I. has proven himself to be more than just a maker of hit records. In addition to the millions of albums sold worldwide over the course of his career, T.I.'s striking good looks, impeccable sense of style, and charismatic personality have catapulted him onto cover of VIBE (January '05) and into the fashion pages of GQ (May '05), earned him the award for Most Stylish Male at the 2005 BET Awards, and secured him spots on BET's "All Shades of Fine: 25 Hottest Men of the Last 25 Years" and Teen People's "The 25 Hottest Stars Under 25" lists. In April 2005, he became the first rapper to appear/perform on the hit Fox TV show, "The O.C." and he's been featured prominently in print ad campaigns for Reebok's S. Carter sneaker line and Sean John clothing. T.I. will make his acting debut on March 31st 2006 in the Overbrook/Warner Bros. feature film, "ATL," directed by famed video director Chris Robinson.


Over the years, T.I. has also continued to expand his already impressive business portfolio. In 2005 alone, he launched his own film production company, Grand Hustle Films, signed a multi-artist joint venture deal for his label, Grand Hustle, with Atlantic Records, and established a music publishing deal for Grand Hustle Music with Warner Chappell. He also co-executive produced the soundtrack to the hit film, "HUSTLE & FLOW," and released the collection through Grand Hustle/Atlantic and did the same for the debut album of his group P$C, "25 TO LIFE."

T.I. has stepped up his community involvement as well, taking the lead on several initiatives to help the victims devastated by Hurricane Katrina, including personally donating $50,000 to the relief effort while leading an on-air Labor Day pledge drive on Atlanta's V-103 FM that raised over $263,000 for Mississippi rapper David Banner's "Heal the Hood" Foundation. He also partnered with David Banner and Atlanta newcomer Young Jeezy for a two-day food and clothing drive at Atlanta's Club Vision and co-headlined a massive benefit concert on September 17, sharing the bill with heavyweights such as Nelly, OutKast's Big Boi, and David Banner - with 100 percent of the proceeds going to "Heal the Hood."

T.I. Ft. Justin Timberlake - Dead And Gone



In addition to his Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, T.I. worked with troubled youths at Paulding Detention Center in Atlanta, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and headlined Boost Mobile's RockCorps concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, which featured such performers as Fat Joe, Slim Thug, and Kanye West, and was held exclusively for community service volunteers. In June 2005, The Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez Foundation, named for the deceased member of multi-platinum female group TLC, and Atlanta's V-103 honored T.I. with the 2005 Lisa Lopez Award for groundbreaking achievements in music and community service. With this steady list of growing accomplishments in music, business, and community service, it's no surprise that Pharrell Williams of multi-platinum production team the Neptunes has called T.I. the "Jay-Z of the South."


"KING" marks the next phase in the evolution of T.I. as an artist. Featuring production by longtime collaborators the Neptunes, as well as Mannie Fresh, DJ Toomp, and a host of others, "KING" delivers just the mix of street bangers and club hits that the fans and the critics have come to expect from T.I.. Says T.I., "This album is a solidification of why I call myself the 'King of the South,' why I'm known as that, and a continued progression of what I've done musically and with my career." With surefire hits like "What You Know" and "Why You Wanna..." packed on to the project, coupled with T.I.'s tireless focus and determination to progress and stay on top of his game, there is no doubt that the "King of the South" will continue to reign supreme.

T.I. Feat Rihanna- Live Your Life Official Music Video