Today is all about love and looking back at the songs that made us believe in love. LL Cool J released one of the best love songs in rap back in 1987 entitled, “I Need Love.” This track actually started a new form of rap called the rap ballad. This song was an unexpected crossover that gave LL Cool J a new reputation of someone who could be introspective and romantic besides his MC persona. It was also LL Cool J’s first big hit which peaked at #14 in the US and reached the top 10 in five European countries. Without this hit, LL Cool J might of not have been as big as he is today.
Listen to it again here:
He told sources that the lyrics only took a half hour to write while he thought deeply about his loneliness. In the song, he expresses his regret for leading women on and realizes now that it was the wrong path to take. What goes around comes back around, and now he is the one who is lonely. In contrast, his other songs objectify women, but in this one, he takes a step back. He might be a womanizer, but some can steal his heart.
He sings:
“Although I often reminisce I can’t believe that I found
A desire for true love floating around
Inside my soul because my soul is cold
One half of me deserves to be this way till I’m old
But the other half needs affection and joy”
Overall this track is not only legendary but it opened up the rap genre to explore more slowed down tunes about love and relationships. Without this song, we might not have seen rap open up their hearts to talk about more personal struggles.
