Summary
Overview
Joe Rogan sits down with hip-hop legend LL Cool J for an engaging conversation spanning martial arts, the origins of hip-hop, success mindset, ancient civilizations, and the future of AI. LL shares wisdom from his decades-long career, discusses his new jiu-jitsu training, and reflects on pioneering rap music from age 16. The conversation moves from personal discipline and creativity to speculation about lost civilizations, time travel, and consciousness beyond our dimension.
Introduction and Martial Arts Journey
The conversation opens with LL Cool J revealing he's recently started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Brian Glick in Brooklyn. He discusses how humbling the experience has been and why it's important for famous people to do something that doesn't depend on personality or status. They explore how martial arts provides a reality check and why the physical challenge is good for your head, especially when you're a celebrity by consequence rather than intention.
- LL Cool J recently started training jiu-jitsu under Brian Glick in Brooklyn, who trained under Renzo Gracie lineage
- Training reveals you're not as tough as you think - it's extremely humbling
- Good for famous people to do something that doesn't depend on personality, status, or charisma
- LL sees himself as an artist first, celebrity by consequence - not interested in fame for fame's sake
" You think you're a tough guy, but you're really a little old lady. You find out really quickly. "
" I'm a celebrity by consequence, like as a result of what I did. I'm not a guy who's celebrity-minded. I'm an artist, Joe. "
The Birth of Hip-Hop and Def Jam
LL Cool J recounts his origin story, from hearing early hip-hop tapes at age 8 to becoming Def Jam's first artist at 16. He describes meeting Rick Rubin, calling him daily from a payphone, and how his mother bought him a Korg drum machine with her tax return. The conversation explores how hip-hop emerged from nothing in the late 1970s and early 80s, with LL introducing the genre to places like Maine where it had never existed before.
- LL got into hip-hop in 1975-77, hearing tapes from Grandmaster Flash before Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight' in 1979
- His mother bought him a Korg drum machine with her tax return after he received rejection letters from labels
- Called Rick Rubin 2-3 times daily until he listened to the demo tape
- First met Rick Rubin at his NYU dorm and recorded 'I Need a Beat' - became Def Jam's first artist
- Introduced hip-hop to Maine in 1985, literally explaining to small audiences what hip-hop was
" Hip-hop was the first time that I heard young kids like me sound empowered. Instead of seeing a black kid on the news in handcuffs, it was the first time I heard people sound powerful. "
" 16 years old. You get enough bites at the apple? Most people who get that successful at 16 have a very difficult time keeping their shit together. But you just managed to keep smiling and floating through this thing. "
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