LL Cool J - Phenomenon

LL handles the mic confidently, almost too confidently, on Phenomenon, his seventh album. Whether he's going on about a messed-up father-figure, working on the ladies ("Nobody Can Freak You," "Phenomenon"), or "making a rhyme with every syllable of your name" ("4,3,2,1"), you can't help but feel like he's just selling you something. LL has built himself up considerably from the skinny punk rocking the bells in '85 to a true celebrity phenomenon, but somewhere on that journey he lost his soul. Strangely, the best tracks on the album employ guest vocalists like Busta Rhymes (on "Starsky & Hutch"), Cannibus and Method Man (both on "4,3,2,1"), where the guests unintentionally feel like the voices of ghosts, reminding LL of what it was like when rap music sold the beats and lyrics, instead of breakfast cereal and khakis. --Todd Levin Amazon.com

She loved some Tupac but hate some LL.................

Phenomenom is a okay album that finds LL working his formula of chick songs with the occasional slamming posse cut. 4,3,2,1 is that joint, with Uncle L dropping one of his fiercist verses ever!

Top Joints:
4,3,2,1
Father
April 25, 2007

Impressive

This came out when LL was at an all time high of his carrer. After a few successful movies and albums, LL's move to Lifestyles of The Rich and famous was a giving. YET..when he released this album, I wasn't expecting something this good. After a bunch of albums that I felt just didnt measure up during the early and mid 90's, 1997 proved to be good with Phenomenon. The title track is a treaure, with a smooth flow and amazing beat. Even though there is some filler material on here, there are some great songs in on this including great hip-hop artist as Redman, Busta, DMX, Cannibus, and Method Man. This one is really good folks, and the best he did since 1987's Bigger and Deffer. What a way to celebrate a 10yr aniversy of one of top 25 hip hop albums made...ENJOY January 23, 2006

Deliteful product from LL

This disc represents the world of hip-hop/rap itself.
Solid backbeats drive hypnotically and keep you hooked while LL
smoothly delivers the storytelling and lyrics. The lyrics diversely feature humor and all-the-way-live partyin' fun of all kinds in some songs and thoughtful, socially-conscious, moral themes in others. Additionally, a couple of slow jam rap songs have been well-executed. LL makes scintillating use of all of the guest vocalists and rappers on the tracks where they appear. Samples of soul classics deftly thread together the beats.
September 16, 2005

LL began running out of steam here

Everything about PHENOMENON (the production, the samples, the guest appearances) tells you that LL intended it to be a blockbuster release, one that confirmed his position as the one old school rapper who was still very relevant in his second decade as a performer. The album was a commercial success, but it artistically fails to satisfy. LL obviously spent a lot of time putting the disc together (with every production trick in the book), but failed to project much energy in the writing and performing areas.

He sounds flat out exhausted on the title track (#55 Pop, #16 R&B, #14 Rap), which also suffers from possibly the most repetitive hook that LL has ever committed to vinyl. Several songs suffer from overobvious samples (as is the case with "Candy" and "Hot, Hot, Hot"), while other tracks ("Nobody Can Free You," the whiny "Don't Be Late, Don't Come To Soon") are blatant copies of songs from MR. SMITH. The hit "4, 3, 2, 1" (#75 Pop, #24 R&B, #10 Rap) features plenty of guests (Redman, Method Man, Cannibus, and DMX all contribute), but the disjointed track has no central melody and sounds like four different songs stitched together.

On the plus side, "Starsky & Hutch (with Busta Rhymes) and "Wanna Get Paid" are energetic and fun, and the hit "Father" (#18 Pop, #12 R&B, #1 Rap) is a real classic. With the combination of a haunting instrumental (a sample from George Michael's "Father Figure," used very effectively) and LL's intense performance and lyrics, "Father" is the only track on PHENOMENON that truly can stand next to LL's best work. Nearly everything else is misguided, at best. August 16, 2005

good album

Phenomenon, starsky & hutch, 4,3,2,1, candy girl are all great tracks. This album is better than average for sure. August 4, 2005

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