Rolling With LL Cool J to His Home Neighborhood in Queens

variety.com:

Shaheem Reid Everyone was laughing at LL Cool J. It was the fall of 1984, and the 16-year-old rapper also known as James Todd Smith was full of confidence as he jumped on the mic at a block party in his native Queens.

Not only had he recently inked a record deal, but he’d just cut his debut single “I Need A Beat” in a real studio. His bars at the party garnered love… but then things went left. “My record’s coming in November!,” he shouted to the onlookers with brash smile as he put the mic down — only to have another young dude pick it up and yell “Stop lyin!” The entire block erupted into hysterical laughter, or so it seemed. “Everybody thought I was lying,” the now-56-year-old artist says with a smile.

LL took an L that day, but he had the last laugh a long time ago. And late last month, just a stone’s throw from that block, he was back in the neighborhood that spawned him for another block party — the annual Farmers’ Day — and for the hoop championships of his LL Cool J’s Jump and Ball Community Camp.

And, of course to celebrate his 40 years as the superstar they didn’t believe he was. Later that week, just a couple of miles away, he also would celebrate the 40th anniversary of Def Jam Records, his label then and now, as part of an all-star performance at the MTV VMAs by Public Enemy, Busta Rhymes and other veterans of the company’s storied roster. (This is part 2 of Variety‘s extensive interview with LL Cool J, head here for part 1.) “The moment felt full circle,” LL said of the performance. “The sweetest part about it is I got to have my friends Public Enemy by my side.