LL Cool J Says His ‘Rock the Bells’ Channel Is for the Culture: ‘It’s About the Classic Hip-Hop’ [VIDEO]
LL Cool J recently launched his radio station on SiriusXM called LL Cool J's Rock the Bells Radio. It’s a station close to his heart as it will feature classic hip-hop songs from the 1970s to the 2000s.
But it’s not a vanity project for Uncle L. In a sit-down interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! On Tuesday (April 17), the veteran said that his radio station is strictly for the culture.
"This is a radio station that’s about the culture. It’s about the classic hip-hop for real," he said.
"This is the first time in America that [classic] hip-hop is truly expose to you guys and you'll really get a chance to find out what rap music is really about," he continues. "I'm not saying you gonna like it because it's very polarizing. It's not for the faint of heart. We are not trying to be family friendly. The language is nasty. Either you love it or you don't. I'm giving it to you raw."
In describing his channel, LL said that songs by iconic hip-hoppers like Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys and others will get played alongside pioneering artists like Afrika Bambaataa, the Treacherous Three and others who have paved the way for rappers to flourish in the genre.
"You gotta understand where it comes from," he told Kimmel. "And you can understand ‘OK, what is Kendrick [Lamar] doing? What is Drake doing? Ok, how does that compare to where it came from? What does it mean?'"
LL also talked about being saluted at the Kennedy Center Honors last December. He was the first rapper to be awarded such a prestigious honor. LL hopes that the recognition will make people understand what hip-hop is really about and "get in to it."
"I'm glad that I had the impact on the country," he said. "I hope that...I can continued to impact you guys...and raise the level of culture and classic hip-hop in America."
Uncle L's classic hip-hop station LL Cool J's Rock the Bells Radio airs on SiriusXM channel 43.
Watch LL Cool J Talk About Receiving a Kennedy Center Honor
Classic Hip-Hop and R&B Albums Turning 20 in 2018