Radio ( LL Cool J album ) - wikipedia Radio ( LL Cool J album ) Radio Studio album by LL Cool J Released November 18, 1985 Recorded 1984 -- 85 Studio Chung King House of Metal in New York City Genre Hip hop Length 47 : 04 Label Def Jam / Columbia / CBS Records Producer Rick Rubin, Jazzy Jay LL Cool J chronology Radio ( 1985 ) Bigger and Deffer ( 1987 ) Bigger and Deffer 1987 Radio is the debut studio album by American rapper LL Cool J. It was on November 18, 1985, by Def Jam Recordings and was the record label 's first full - length album release. Radio was recorded during 1984 to 1985 at Chung King House of Metal in New York City and produced primarily by Rick Rubin, who provided a sparse and minimal production style. The album also features a sound punctuated by DJ scratching, often brief samples, and emphasis of the downbeat. LL Cool J 's aggressive b - boy lyrics explored themes of inner city culture, teenage promiscuity, and braggadocio raps. The album experienced a significant amount of commercial success and sales for a hip hop record at the time, earning U.S. Billboard chart success and selling over 500,000 copies within its first five months of release. On April 19, 1989, Radio was certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ), following sales in excess of one million copies in the United States. Initial criticism of the album was generally positive, as LL Cool J 's lyricism and Rick Rubin 's production were praised by several music critics. It has since been recognized by critics as LL Cool J 's greatest work. Reflecting the new school and ghettoblaster subculture in the U.S. during the mid-1980s, Radio belongs to a pivotal moment in the history and culture of hip hop. Its success contributed to the displacement of the old school with the new school form and to the genre 's mainstream success during the period. Its success also served as a career breakthrough for LL Cool J and Rick Rubin. Radio has been recognized by music writers as one of the first cohesive and commercially successful hip hop albums. Contents 1 Background 2 Music and lyrics 3 Release and reception 4 Legacy and influence 5 Track listing 6 Personnel 7 Charts 8 Certifications 9 See also 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 External links Background In March 1984, when NYU student Rick Rubin and promoter - manager Russell Simmons founded the then - independent Def Jam label, 16 year -- old St. Albans, Queens native James Todd Smith was creating demo tapes in his grandparents ' home. His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, purchased him $ 2,000 worth of stereo equipment, including two turntables, an audio mixer and an amplifier. Smith later discussed his childhood background and rapping, stating that `` By the time I got that equipment, I was already a rapper. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. It 's like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all - Spanish house. I got into it when I was about 9, and since then all I wanted was to make a record and hear it on the radio. '' By using the mixing table he had received from his grandfather, Smith produced and mixed his own demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City, including Simmons ' and Rubin 's own Def Jam Recordings. Under his new stage name, LL Cool J ( an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James ), Smith was signed by Def Jam, which led to the release of his first official record, the 12 - inch single `` I Need a Beat '' ( 1984 ). The single was a hard - hitting, streetwise b - boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. Smith later discussed his search for a label, stating `` I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home. '' That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. In a later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating `` They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, started playing... As soon as it was over there were girls screaming and asking for autographs. Right then and there I said ' This is what I want to do '. '' LL 's debut single sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish both Def Jam as a label and Smith as a rapper. The commercial success of `` I Need a Beat '', along with the Beastie Boys ' single `` Rock Hard '' ( 1984 ), helped lead Def Jam to a distribution deal with Columbia Records the following year. LL Cool J dropped out of Andrew Jackson High School in Queens to record his first studio album, also the first LP to be issued by Def Jam. Recording sessions for the album took place at Chung King Studios in Manhattan 's Chinatown under Rubin 's direction throughout 1984 and 1985. Notable from the personnel line - up was LL 's DJ Jay Philpot, better known as `` Cut Creator ''. A Queens native and former trombonist, Philpot met LL at a block party and they began performing together. The audio mastering was handled by engineer Herb Powers at 130 West 42nd Street in the Frankford Wayne Mastering Labs and the album was set for release as Radio in November 1985, containing a dedication in the liner notes from LL Cool J to his mother and his grandparents. The album 's release had been anticipated by many rap fans following LL Cool J 's appearance in the hip hop movie Krush Groove, which was based on the beginnings of the Def Jam label and featured the single `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '' from Radio. Music and lyrics `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '' The ghetto - blaster anthem features sparse drum machine beats and a minimalist production. `` Rock the Bells '' The boastful track samples heavy rhythmic bass lines with chiming guitar. Problems playing these files ? See media help. The album 's production, handled entirely by Rick Rubin with a remix by DJ Jazzy Jay, has been noted by critics and music writers for Rubin 's minimalist style and stripped - down aggressiveness. Steve Huey of AllMusic described the production for Radio as `` bare - bones '' and `` skeletal '', while calling the instrumentation `` basically just a cranked - up beatbox. '' The sound of Radio is mostly punctuated by DJ scratching and features occasional brief samples, which emphasize a downbeat. In summing up the musical style of Radio, Huey stated `` The result is rap at its most skeletal, with a hard - hitting, street - level aggression that perfectly matches LL 's cocksure teenage energy. '' The lyrical themes regarding the culture and the way of life of inner city youth that surface in Radio, including the growing and popular b - boy attitude ( `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '', `` Rock the Bells '' ) and teenage promiscuity ( `` Dear Yvette '' ), along with LL 's `` teenage energy '', as described by writer Nelson George, helped appeal to a younger music audience and were essential in the album 's commercial success. LL Cool J 's lyricism on Radio is highlighted by clever disses, playful boasts and braggadocio raps. Columnist Stephen Holden of The New York Times described LL Cool J as `` a brawny young giant with the animal magnetism and amiable self - assurance of the young Muhammad Ali. '' `` I Want You '' and `` I Can Give You More '' have been recognized by listeners of hip hop as the first hip - hop ballads, and have been cited likewise by several music writers and critics. Author of the 1985 book Fresh : Hip Hop Do n't Stop, writer Nelson George further elaborated on the appeal of Radio to listeners at the time, describing LL Cool J as a `` minimalist homeboy who knows his beats '', and stating `` You can call it rap, hip hop or street, but it really is a way of hearing music -- and partying hard -- that expresses the experiences and attitudes of a great many inner city kids. L.L. Cool J is one of the best young talkologists around, because he speaks directly to and about his generation over large beats that recall Run - D.M.C., Trouble Funk, James Brown, and funky little bits of AC / DC and Yes... This teenage music is built around beats, but not just any old beats. It is all about a beat with style, with personality, and L.L. Cool J has plenty of both. '' Release and reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic MusicHound R&B 4.5 / 5 Q The Rolling Stone Album Guide The Source 5 / 5 Spin Alternative Record Guide 9 / 10 The Village Voice B+ Released November 18, 1985, on Def Jam Recordings in the United States, Radio earned a significant amount of commercial success and sales for a hip hop record at the time. It sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Radio peaked at number 6 on the Top R&B / Hip - Hop Albums chart and at number 46 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It entered the Top R&B / Hip - Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for forty - seven weeks, while also entering the Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986. Radio remained on the chart for thirty - eight weeks. By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ), after earning a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986, with sales exceeding one million copies. Radio received positive reviews from both `` street and dance music '' aficionados and mainstream music critics, including Robert Christgau from The Village Voice, who described it in a January 1986 article as `` the most engaging and original rap album of the year ''. LL Cool J 's aggressive rapping and Rick Rubin 's stripped - down production were praised by critics who also agreed that LL 's lyrics set a new standard for MC 's at the time. The songs ' lyrics were favored by critics who described LL 's songwriting as clever and fun. Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times said that he is an integral artist of hip hop 's `` second generation '' because of his `` razor - sharp wit ''. Rolling Stone magazine 's Debby Bull was impressed by his songwriting and how its originality lies in the ballads, even though `` it 's the sassier, dance - worthy songs that make this record such an irresistible party. '' The critical success of the album would later result in its comparison to other LL Cool J albums, which were not as critically successful as Radio. In his review for the Trouser Press, Ira Robbins called the album a `` primary classic of hip - hop 's original commercial surge '' and went on to write : `` From the monster boombox on the cover to grooves like ' I Ca n't Live Without My Radio ' and ' You Ca n't Dance ', LL touches all the right cultural totems, delivering his sharp - tongued lines with adolescent urgency and a deliciously snotty attitude. The rhythm tracks are stripped - down and aggressive ; raps on familiar subjects sidestep clichés and are clever enough to warrant repeated listening. '' Since its initial reception, Radio has been viewed by fans and critics as LL Cool J 's greatest work, as well as one of hip hop 's best albums. In retrospect, some critics and music writers have given more praise to producer Rick Rubin 's contributions to Radio, as well as note the importance of his production on the album. Yahoo ! Music 's Frank Meyer said that the album was `` one of the earliest records, along with Run - DMC, to combine the vocal approach of rap with the musical arrangements and riffing of rock ' n ' roll. ' I Ca n't Live Without My Radio ' is a hip - hop classic and this album set the standard for East Coast rap for a long time. '' The CD version of the album 's 1995 reissue. Radio was later ranked at number 2 on ego trip magazine 's `` Hip Hop 's 25 Greatest Albums ( 1980 - 98 ) '', number 69 on Rolling Stone 's `` 100 Best LPs of the 80s '', and number 71 on Blender 's `` 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time '' list. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 478 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ; it was ranked number 470 in a revised list in 2012. The album was also included in Rolling Stone magazine 's 1997 issue of `` The Essential 200 Rock Records ''. In 1998, Radio was selected as one of The Source magazine 's `` 100 Best Rap Albums ''. Legacy and influence With the breakthrough success of his hit single `` I Need a Beat '' and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the first hip - hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run - D.M.C. Gigs at larger venues were offered to LL as he would join the 1986 - ' 87 Raising Hell tour, opening for Run - D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. Another milestone of LL 's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show. The album 's success also helped in contributing to Rick Rubin 's credibility and repertoire as a record producer. Radio, along with Raising Hell ( 1986 ) and Licensed to Ill ( 1986 ), would form a trilogy of New York City - based, Rubin - helmed albums that helped to diversify hip - hop. Rubin 's production credit on the back cover reads `` REDUCED BY RICK RUBIN '', referring to his minimalist production style, which gave the album its stripped - down and gritty sound. This style would serve as one of Rubin 's production trademarks and would have a great impact on future hip - hop productions. Rubin 's early hip hop production work, before his exit from Def Jam to Los Angeles, helped solidify his legacy as a hip hop pioneer and establish his reputation in the music industry. Radio 's release coincided with the growing new school scene and subculture, which also marked the beginning of hip - hop 's `` golden age '' and the replacement of old school hip hop. This period of hip hop was marked by the end of the disco rap stylings of old school, which had flourished prior to the mid-80s, and the rise of a new style featuring `` ghetto blasters ''. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run - D.M.C. 's debut album, to combine the vocal approach of hip hop and rapping with the musical arrangements and riffing sound of rock music, pioneering the rap rock hybrid sound. The emerging new school scene was initially characterized by drum machine - led minimalism, often tinged with elements of rock, as well as boasts about rapping delivered in an aggressive, self - assertive style. In image as in song, the artists projected a tough, cool, street b - boy attitude. These elements contrasted sharply with the 1970s P - Funk and disco - influenced outfits, live bands, synthesizers and party rhymes of acts prevalent in 1984, rendering them old school. In contrast to the lengthy, jam - like form predominant throughout early hip hop ( `` King Tim III '', `` Rapper 's Delight '', `` The Breaks '' ), new school artists tended to compose shorter songs that would be more accessible and had potential for radio play, and conceive more cohesive LPs than their old school counterparts ; the style typified by LL Cool J 's Radio. A leading example of the new school sound is the song `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '', a loud, defiant declaration of public loyalty to his boom box, which The New York Times described as `` quintessential rap in its directness, immediacy and assertion of self ''. It was featured in the film Krush Groove ( 1985 ), which was based on the rise of Def Jam and new school acts such as Run - D.M.C. and the Fat Boys. The energy and hardcore delivery and musical style of rapping featured on Radio, as well as other new school recordings by artists such as Run - D.M.C., Schooly D, T La Rock and Steady B, proved to be influential to hip hop acts of the `` golden age '' such as Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. The decline of the old school form of hip hop also led to the closing of Sugar Hill Records, one of the labels that helped contribute to early hip - hop and that, coincidently, rejected LL 's demo tape. As the album served as an example of an expansion of hip hop music 's artistic possibilities, its commercial success and distinct sound soon led to an increase in multi-racial audiences and listeners, adding to the legacy of the album and hip hop as well. Track listing All tracks written by James Todd Smith and Rick Rubin, except where noted... Side A No. Title Producer ( s ) Length 1. `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '' Rick Rubin 5 : 28 2. `` You Ca n't Dance '' Rick Rubin 3 : 37 3. `` Dear Yvette '' Rick Rubin 4 : 07 4. `` I Can Give You More '' Rick Rubin 5 : 08 5. `` Dangerous '' Rick Rubin 4 : 40 6. `` El Shabazz '' Rick Rubin 1 : 18 Side B No. Title Producer ( s ) Length 7. `` Rock the Bells '' Rick Rubin 4 : 01 8. `` I Need a Beat ( Remix ) '' Rick Rubin, Jazzy Jay 4 : 32 9. `` That 's a Lie '' ( featuring Russell Rush ) Rick Rubin 4 : 42 10. `` You 'll Rock '' Rick Rubin 4 : 44 11. `` I Want You '' Rick Rubin 4 : 51 Notes This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2014 ) A shortened version of `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '' appears on the Krush Groove soundtrack. Track 6 -- Hidden a cappella track known as `` El Shabazz '' or `` Three the Hard Way ''. A longer version of the song was released under the title `` El Shabazz '' as the B - side of `` Rock the Bells ''. `` I Need a Beat ( Remix ) '' -- Written by Rubin, LL, and Adrock ; remixed by Jazzy Jay. Personnel Musicians James Todd Smith - Vocals ( Credited as L.L. Cool J ) Jay Philpot - DJ ( Credited as DJ Cut Creator ) Russell Rush - Guest vocals track 9 Production Rick Rubin - Producer Jazzy Jay - Producer on track 8 Steve Ett - Recording engineer Steve Byram - Album cover design Nelson George - Liner notes Herb Powers Jr. - Mastering engineer Josh Cheuse, Janette Beckman - Liner photography ( Credited on the reissue ) Charts Chart ( 1985 ) Peak position UK Albums Chart 71 US Billboard 200 46 US Billboard Top R&B / Hip - Hop Albums 6 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone See also List of hip hop albums considered to be influential New school hip hop References ^ Jump up to : `` MTV.com - LL Cool J Bio ''. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on 2008 - 05 - 15. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : Holden, Stephen. `` From Rock To Rap '', New York Times, April 26, 1987. Retrieved on 2008 - 11 - 16. Jump up ^ `` VideoETA... LL Cool J bio ''. VideoETA.com Inc. Archived from the original on 2008 - 05 - 17. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Acronyms and abbreviations by the Free Online Dictionary ''. Farlex, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 07 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Def Jam Recordings - LL Cool J Biography ''. The Island Def Jam Music Group. Archived from the original on 2008 - 04 - 29. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 25. Jump up ^ `` LL Cool J bio : Edison Force ActorTribute.ca... '' Tribute Entertainment Media Group. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Address Island / Def Jam Records... Def Jam history ''. GoDaddy.com, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008 - 07 - 24. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Biography. comRead... LL Cool J Biography ( 1968 -- ) ''. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` eNotes features... reference material ''. eNotes.com, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : `` Radio cd product notes ''. Muze Inc. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ `` DJ Cut Creator biography at Official Website ''. Cut Creator.com. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Herb Powers Jr. at discogs.com ''. Discogs. Archived from the original on February 23, 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : George ( 1990 ), pp. 1 - 4. ^ Jump up to : `` allmusic ( ( ( Radio > Review ) ) ) ''. All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved 2008 - 07 - 05. ^ Jump up to : `` Radio : LL Cool J : Review : Rolling Stone ''. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008 - 06 - 18. Retrieved 2008 - 07 - 06. ^ Jump up to : `` Wilson & Alroy 's Record Reviews - Radio ''. © 2007 - 2008 Gridwerk. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ Huey, Steve. `` Radio -- LL Cool J ''. AllMusic. Retrieved December 13, 2009. Jump up ^ Graff, Gary ; du Lac, Josh Freedom ; McFarlin, Jim, eds. ( 1998 ). `` LL Cool J ''. MusicHound R&B : The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1578590264. Jump up ^ `` LL Cool J : Radio ''. Q ( 108 ) : 134. September 1995. Jump up ^ Coleman, Mark ; Randall, Mac ( 2004 ). `` L.L. Cool J ''. In Brackett, Nathan ; Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. pp. 491 -- 92. ISBN 0 - 7432 - 0169 - 8. Jump up ^ The Source ( 150 ). March 2002. CS1 maint : Untitled periodical ( link ) Jump up ^ Weisbard, Eric ; Marks, Craig, eds. ( 1995 ). `` LL Cool J ''. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 227. ISBN 0 - 679 - 75574 - 8. Jump up ^ Christgau, Robert ( January 7, 1986 ). `` Christgau 's Consumer Guide ''. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved December 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` LL Cool J career discography at HeadSprung.net ''. Headsprung.net. Archived from the original on 2008 - 07 - 24. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : `` RIAA searchable database ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2015 - 09 - 24. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 19. ^ Jump up to : `` Billboard Music Charts - Search Results - LL Cool J Radio ''. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 04. Jump up ^ Taylor, Jonathan. `` LL Cool J Broadens Focus as Star of Rap 's Second Generation ''. Los Angeles Daily News : 4. June 15, 1986. Jump up ^ `` Christgau consumer guide ' 86 ''. Village Voice LLC. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ Johnson, Connie. `` Review : Radio ''. Los Angeles Times : 64. February 16, 1986. ( Transcription of original review at talk page ) Jump up ^ Bull, Debby. Review : Radio. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2009 - 12 - 13. ^ Jump up to : `` LL Cool J : : Radio * * RapReviews `` Back to the Lab '' series * * by Steve `` Flash '' Juon ``. RapReviews.com ; Flash Web Design Exclusive. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ `` LL Cool J at TrouserPress.com ''. Trouser Press LLC. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Unlock Austin - album comments ''. unlockaustin.com. Archived from the original on 2007 - 11 - 08. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ Meyer, Frank. Review : Radio. Yahoo ! Music. Retrieved on 2009 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Radio Ratings and Rankings ''. www.acclaimedmusic.net. Archived from the original on 2008 - 07 - 05. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ `` 500 Greatest Albums : Radio - LL Cool J ''. Rolling Stone. Jann S. Wenner. Retrieved 2012 - 05 - 11. Jump up ^ Wenner, Jann S., ed. ( 2012 ). Rolling Stone - Special Collectors Issue - The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. USA : Wenner Media Specials. ISBN 978 - 7 - 09 - 893419 - 6 Jump up ^ `` 200 : The Essential Rock Collection at rocklist.net ''. Rolling Stone, rocklist.net. Archived from the original on 2011 - 01 - 05. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time at rocklist.net ''. The Source, rocklist.net. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Biography and other information at Askmen.com ''. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008 - 07 - 20. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Career overview at McgillisMusic ''. World Wide Entertainment USA, Inc. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Kurtis Blow Presents : The History Of Rap, Vol. 1 : The Genesis ''. Rhino Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : `` About.com... Rick Rubin 's Style and Approach ''. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia... Def Jam, LL, & new school hip hop ''. © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : Yahoo ! Music : Radio Archived 2010 - 07 - 13 at WebCite. Yahoo ! Inc. Retrieved on 2008 - 11 - 16. Jump up ^ Toop ( 2000 ), p. 126. Jump up ^ Shapiro ( 2005 ), p. 228. Jump up ^ `` CaseNet.com - LL Cool J ''. CaseNet. Archived from the original on November 21, 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ Coleman ( 2007 ), p. 354. Jump up ^ `` American album certifications -- LL Cool J -- Radio ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH Bibliography Brian Coleman ( 2007 ). Check The Technique. 2nd ed. Villard / Random House, New York, NY. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8129 - 7775 - 2. Nelson George ( 1985 ). Fresh : Hip Hop Do n't Stop. Random House, New York, NY. ISBN 978 - 0 - 394 - 54487 - 8. Kurtis Blow ( 1997 ). Kurtis Blow Presents : The History of Rap, Vol. 1 & 2. CD liner booklet. Rhino / WEA International Inc. Nelson George, James Todd Smith ( 1990 ). Radio ( reissue ). CD liner booklet. Def Jam Recordings. David Toop ( 2000 ). Rap Attack. 3rd ed. Serpent 's Tail, London, UK. ISBN 978 - 1 - 85242 - 627 - 9. Peter Shapiro ( 2005 ). Rough Guide to Hip Hop. 2nd ed. Rough Guides, London, UK. ISBN 978 - 1 - 84353 - 263 - 7. External links Radio at Discogs Lyrics at Yahoo ! Music LL Cool J on Soul Train at YouTube LL Cool J Discography Studio albums Radio Bigger and Deffer Walking with a Panther Mama Said Knock You Out 14 Shots to the Dome Mr. Smith Phenomenon G.O.A.T. 10 The DEFinition Todd Smith Exit 13 Authentic Compilations All World : Greatest Hits All World 2 Singles `` I Need a Beat '' `` I Ca n't Live Without My Radio '' `` I Can Give You More '' `` Rock the Bells '' `` You 'll Rock '' `` I 'm Bad '' `` I Need Love '' `` Go Cut Creator Go '' `` Going Back to Cali '' `` I 'm That Type of Guy '' `` Big Ole Butt '' `` One Shot at Love '' `` Jingling Baby '' `` To da Break of Dawn '' `` The Boomin ' System '' `` Around the Way Girl '' `` Mama Said Knock You Out '' `` 6 Minutes of Pleasure '' `` Who 's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf ? '' `` Strictly Business '' `` How I 'm Comin ' '' `` Back Seat ( Of My Jeep ) '' `` Pink Cookies In a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed By Buildings '' `` Stand By Your Man '' `` Hey Lover '' `` Doin ' It '' `` Loungin '' `` I Shot Ya '' `` Ai n't Nobody '' `` Hit ' Em High ( The Monstars ' Anthem ) '' `` Phenomenon '' `` 4, 3, 2, 1 '' `` Father '' `` Candy '' `` Zoom '' `` Say What '' `` Deepest Bluest '' `` Hot Hot Hot '' `` Shut ' Em Down `` Imagine That '' `` You and Me '' `` Put Your Hands Up '' `` Blink Blink '' `` Luv U Better '' `` Paradise '' `` All I Have '' `` Amazin ' `` Headsprung '' `` Hush '' `` It 's LL and Santana '' `` Control Myself '' `` Freeze '' `` Cry '' `` Baby '' Featured singles `` Rampage '' `` This Is for the Lover in You '' `` Incredible '' `` Fatty Girl '' `` All I Have '' `` We Are the World 25 for Haiti '' Other songs `` Accidental Racist '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Radio_(LL_Cool_J_album)&oldid=853106675 '' Categories : 1985 debut albums LL Cool J albums Def Jam Recordings albums Albums produced by Rick Rubin Boombox culture Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Untitled periodical All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from September 2010 Webarchive template webcite links Good articles Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters All articles lacking reliable references Articles lacking reliable references from March 2016 Articles needing additional references from February 2014 All articles needing additional references Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Français Italiano Kiswahili Magyar Polski Português Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 2 August 2018, at 13 : 34 ( UTC ). 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Question: what is ll cool j's first album
Answer: Radio