Why LL Cool J And Jay-Z Don't Get Along

What do you get when two of the greatest rappers collide? Either a stellar collaboration or drama. For LL Cool J and Jay-Z, it was drama. The two rappers are said to have had beef for years, and there's a shocking reason as to why.

LL Cool J and Jay-Z haven't always had tension. Despite being around the same age, the "Mama Said Knock You Out" singer was the first of the two to come up on the music scene. His career catapulted in the 80's with tracks like "I Need Love" and "Goin' Back to Cali." It wouldn't be until a couple of years later that Jay-Z would find his success after releasing his debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," in 1996. Jay-Z and LL Cool J were dominant forces in the rap industry, so, of course, their worlds were bound to collide. It's unclear how they met, but the two seemed to create a close friendship with one another. In Jay-Z's 2004 concert documentary, the rapper even included a performance of him rapping LL Cool J's famous track, "I Need Love."

Jay-Z eventually became President of Def Jam Record in 2004, which LL Cool J was signed to. It seemed like this was the perfect mix, but Jay-Z's role in Def Jam would ultimately cause the two rappers' friendship to fall apart.

2004 was a big year for Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. The "Empire State of Mind" singer was named the President of Def Jam Recordings, per Billboard. L.A. Reid, chairman of the record company, announced the news in a statement praising Jay-Z. He wrote, "Shawn has proven himself to be an astute businessman. ...I can think of no one more relevant and credible in the hip hop community to build upon Def Jam's fantastic legacy and move the company into its next groundbreaking era."

At the time, Def Jam Recordings included various accomplished artists — LL Cool J included. But, the "Headsprung" rapper wasn't a fan of his friend's management style. In 2007, he told VH1's Behind the Music (via HipHop Hero) that he felt Jay-Z ignored him and his music to build new artists. He explained, "I need my records promoted, and your job is to promote them. He needs to be on the phone, calling radio stations. I just don't feel like he had the necessary experience to do that job." LL Cool J said how Jay-Z handled things caused him pain and ultimately led to his departure from the record label in 2008, despite Jay-Z leaving the role two years prior in 2006. LL Cool J's last album release was just two years after Jay-Z's departure, and not only did he leave his music behind, but he also left his friendship with Jay-Z in the rearview mirror.

It's hard to tell where LL Cool J and Jay-Z stand today. One minute, they will be hanging out, and the next minute, the "I Need Love" rapper will be throwing jabs at the "Run This Town" rapper.

In 2021, LL Cool J and Jay-Z reunited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where the two were photographed chatting and laughing with one another as though they had let bygones be bygones. However, this may have all been for the cameras because LL Cool J still seems to be harping on his fractured relationship with Jay-Z.

While appearing on "Big Boy's Neighborhood," LL Cool J addressed the long-speculated rumor that he used to laugh at Jay-Z's raps in high school. The rapper said, "I don't have no problem with none of these guys, man. Like I laughed, okay? I laughed at you, so now I can't have no brunch." LL Cool J was referring to the Roc Nation brunch, a gathering Jay-Z puts on every year before the Grammys that LL Cool J has never been invited to. Months after this comment, the two rappers were in the headlines again after LL Cool J called out iconic rappers for their lack of performances. LL Cool J didn't explicitly call out Jay-Z, but many fans believed he was referring to the "Empire State of Mind" singer.