Let's swing an episode
LL Cool J was at the top of his game in 1990 with the classic "Mama Said Knock You Out". "14 Shots" I guess is supposed to be the follow-up but it disappoints. I expected the usual LL when I popped in this disc, but I just couldn't find it. Instead he's trying a little too hard to impress the new hip hop "gangsta" generation, instead of just sticking to his stuff. Obviously, his greatest strength is his soulful songs for the ladies, but only one ("Stand By Your Man") appears here. The album falls flat with songs like "Straight from Queens" and "Diggy Down". The heavy bassed "Back Seat" is the only classic on the album, but songs like "All We Got Left is the Beat" and "Funkadelic Relic", where he makes early claims that he's the greatest rapper of all time, give "14 Shots" its moments. Clearly, it's not one of LL's best but at least he came back strong with "Mr. Smith".
When I'm ridin on tha block I hear gun shots rip.........
This is by far the most underrated album by James Todd Smith (not far behind "Mr. Smith - also heavily underrated). It took LL three years to make this album after the smashing success of "Mama Said Knock You Out" and I guess the fans moved onto some other artists that were hot back in the "golden era" of hip hop (the early 1990's) - particularly that Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Death Row, West Coast gangsta sound - so presumably they "forgot about J".But this album is hot from the opening track "This Is How I'm Comin" to the closing "Crossroads". Uncle L writes dope rhymes and manages to straight up wreck tha mic. He maintains his subtle sense of humour on tracks like "Funkadelic Relic" and "Pink Cookies". "Back Seat" features production by Naughty By Nature and was the only real hit from this album. By far the best tracks - apart from the aforementioned "Back Seat" are "All We Got Left Is The Beat", "Ain't No Stoppin This", "Crossroads", "Stand By Your Man" and "This Is How I'm Comin". The others are fine too.
LL Cool J continues to make quality hip hop for heads in the know - if you slept on this in '93 go out and get it now.
MUCH BETTER
L always displays great mic skills, however this album was a lot better produced. This is LL how he should be. There a maybe 3 or 4 cuts he could have done with out.
that's a good CD
as good as "walking with a panther". the best songs are "back seat", "pink cookies..." and "stand by your man". songs like "a little somethin'", "funkadelic relic", "all we got left is the beat" and "how i'm comin'"&"buckin' em down" make this album better than average.
FUUUUUNKY!!!
Very underrated CD, probably the most underrated of all LL's CDs. "Funkadelic Relic" and "Pink Cookies" are LL classics.
