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BACKSPIN
Backspin: LL Cool J — Radio (1985)
The blueprint. (91/100)
LL Cool J was different.
It was clear from the moment he crashed the party in Krush Groove. Essentially playing himself, LL bum rushes a closed talent show audition, boombox in tow. In a minute and 47 seconds, he not only commandeers a room full of stars but nearly steals the movie with an electric performance of “I Can’t Live Without My Radio.” In a quintessential film jam-packed with the era’s top rappers, the 17-year-old upstart in the Baby blue Kangol emerged as the best rapper and the brightest star.
A month after Krush Groove hit theaters, LL Cool J’s full-length debut landed on shelves. Radio wasn’t just a conductor for the electricity unleashed by LL’s cinematic cameo. It expounded upon his unique microphone prowess, star power, and unadulterated passion for hip-hop.
“I Can’t Live Without My Radio” introduces the record — as its opener and lead single. In its full five-and-a-half-minute form, the track unfurls as a love letter to LL’s suddenly famous box and hip-hop music and culture.
I’m sorry if you can’t understand
But I need a radio inside my hand
Don’t mean to offend other citizens
But I kick my volume way past 10
My story is rough, my neighborhood is tough
But I still sport gold, and I’m out…
