Those who recognize poetic value, cadence, breath control, wittiness, and vocabulary as necessary attributes of a great M.C. know that LL COOL J is top tier. That greatness is not because he's the only MC from his era to maintain such a high level of relevance for such a long period of time, his success in other mediums, or financial status; although those are admirable accomplishments.

Once LL released his first single, "I Need A Beat" in 1984, he was immediately regarded as one to watch. His vocal tone, wordplay, and cadence stood out from his contemporaries, and continued throughout a string of singles that include "Dangerous", and "I Can Give You More". Radio, Bigger And Deffer, Walking With A Panther,and Mama Said Knock You Out solidified LL as a superior MC, while his next nine albums helped to establish him as a star.

As a reminder to those who forgot, and a lesson for those who never knew, here are 6 reasons that LL COOL J belongs in all "top" MC lists and conversations.

1. LL’s Def Jam Debut Single – I Need A Beat

Consider how MC's were flowing in 1984, then listen to LL on "I Need A Beat". “Tom tom/snare/hat/bass & cymbal, like that of a cat on the mic I'm nimble”. Or “I syncopated and devised it well/the beat elevates/the scratch excels/all techniques are a comb-i-nation of skills that I have for narration”.

It isn’t about the usage of big words, but poetically telling a story using multisyllabic phrasing, cadence and other poetic techniques. Out of the gate LL showed a mastery of words & delivery and a hint of a growl that we would witness much greater later. The wordplay on this debut was so dope, that many missed that he was simply speaking about the process of programming a beat on a drum machine in the studio. "Track after track culminating on wax, the tape has slack, rewind, spin back."

2. Rock The Bells (Original Version)

For 7 minutes and 11 seconds, LL holds a master class on lyricism. Every line is a stinger. “Vocally pulsating I initiate top rating, you must respond to my bells there’s no waiting”.. “Exterminating crews with my manuscript, and the best thing you wrote was a bunch of bullshit”…… “I illuminate over any number on the richter/my throat contracts like a boa constrictor”….”ambassador- the thane of Cawdor dialect so def it’ll rip up the floor”….”on the microphone you will never recoup – when im finish wit’ cha boy you’ll be suckin’ on soup”. You get the picture, and there are still so many incredible lines.

3. The First Annual Soul Train Awards

For the first annual Soul Train awards, LL was commissioned to write a rhyme explaining the nomination process. "I'm Bad" (the 1st single to his 2nd lp, Bigger And Deffer) hadn’t been released yet, but he rhymes over the instrumental.

“Im LL Cool J and im 6ft tall, cold bouncin’ the ball up against the wall/ Price Waterhouse put the ballots in, so you can’t get mad if you don’t win”. The relevance of this performance was that he crafted a very detailed rhyme that covered the entire process, and he was able to command a crowd that still wasn’t accepting of rap as an art form. Rap records had only been in existence for 7 years or so, and rap was still very much the bastard child of Black music in many people’s eyes.

4. Making The Rap Love Ballad Standard In Hip-Hop

1987's "I Need Love" was actually LL's 3rd rap ballad. In 1985 his 2nd single was "I Want You"/"Dangerous". "I Want You" spoke to his male teen audience, as he rhymed about “seeing her in between class/one glimpse of ya eyes and my heart beats fast”. The same cat with the gold chain, boombox and Kangol wants to “sit in the living room/eat donuts and milk listen to a pop tune”. A B-Boy serenade so to speak.

Later that year the B side to "I Can’t Live Without My Radio" was another ballad, "I Can Give You More". Pleading with a female “please be his ex and be my bride”. Rick Rubin’s use of basically a drum machine (a little piano line was added to "I Can Give You More") made these boom box ready. "I Need Love", which was a gargantuan hit would influence an era of rap artist to include rap ballads on their full length albums.

5. Bigger And Deffer (1987)

Lyrically this era belonged to LL. When you add "The Original Rock The Bells" and "Jack The Ripper", that fact can’t be questioned. Slick Rick is one of the undisputed greatest story telling M.C.'s, but "The Do Wop" is the best story ever told about a cat’s day (shout out to Ice Cube’s "Today Was A Good Day"). From his 9:30 Saturday morning shower to him “stepping on stage to hear the girlies scream.” LL is in rare form here. “Her name was Rene’ her face was ok, but she had the kinda body that made Jay wanna play”.

Pick any song on the album, top tier lyrics are in abundance. “To rappers I'm a nightmare/on Elm street hellified hotter than heat/that’s why the others can’t eat/ ‘cus im a carnivore and I can eat much more than a fat man” L growls on "357 Breakdown". “Hoping and prayin’ one day I'd get on a roll, so I’d have Fila in the summer and a mink when it’s cold” is one of the many gems on "Go Cut Creator Go".

Sometimes artists are at their zenith, and the planets are just aligned perfectly, and this is the time period that prompted Black Beat Magazine to proclaim LL the “Hemingway of Hip Hop”. Lyrically LL COOL J should be mentioned in the same breath as Rakim, Kane, KRS One, Kool G. Rap, Nas and the scores of other MC's who automatically pop up in conversations about the G.O.A.T.

6. LL's 1985 Power 99 After Dark Freestyle

LL appeared live on After Midnight in 1985. This recording is from Lady B's Power 99FM Street Beat radio show. LL rhymes over the instrumental of T La Rock's 1984 game changer "It's Yours", with many of the rhymes later appearing on "The Original Rock The Bells" and "I'm Bad". This recording highlights LL's energy, breath control and witty wordplay.

Preorder LL's new album THE FORCE here.