LL Cool J comments on album flop – “I can’t be a part-time artist”

LL Cool J has spoken about his Authentic Album flop more than 10 years after its release.

The rapper, whose real name is James Todd Smith, spoke openly about the album in an interview with British newspaper The Independent published on Saturday.

Authentic dropped in 2013 and at the time LL Cool J played senior special agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles. He was a regular part of the long-running show, appearing in 323 episodes from 2009 to 2023.

“You can't be a part-time artist,” the four-time Emmy nominee told the network about trying to juggle everything. “I was on set and making creative decisions about the album on the phone. It wasn't working.”

LL Cool J, who has four children with his wife Simone Smith: Najee, Italia, Samaria and Nina, admitted that he missed his appearance at NCIS: Los Angeles would take time.

“I signed up for the show and honestly thought it would be over in a few years and I would go back to doing my own thing,” he said. “But it took off.”

Newsweek has emailed LL Cool J’s press agent for further comment.

Authentic was LL Cool J's first album to be released independently after spending his entire career with Def Jam Records. His last album was Exit 13which came out in 2008.

“With AuthenticI wanted to work on a project that shows my genuine love for music and is truly made for the fans,” the “Doin' It” rapper said in 2013, as reported Billboard.

“I'm not trying to compete with 17-year-olds on the radio, but I'm speaking directly to the people who have come on stage with me and those who love real music. We may not be teenagers anymore, but we still like to have fun.”

On September 6, LL Cool J released his latest album The powerwhich will again be released by Def Jam and coincides with the company's 40th anniversary.

In an interview with E! News earlier this month, the New York native looked back on his time at the label.

“I called it [Def Jam] my phone number every day for a week and a half. That demo led to the formation of Def Jam,” he said. “Now, 40 years later, I'm re-releasing that record on Def Jam.”

LL Cool J signed with Def Jam as a featured artist in 1984 and his first single, “I Need a Beat,” sold over 100,000 copies. He got his stage name, which means “Ladies Love Cool James,” at the age of 16. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with fellow rapper Jay-Z.

“I want to show that you can still be creative in the 40th year of hip-hop, just like a film director can still be creative after 40 years,” LL Cool J continued in his Independent interview. “There's no reason why a hip-hop artist can't continue to be innovative as long as they stay curious, stay engaged and come up with new ideas.”