Released August 31, 2004 Length 44:09 The DEFinition
(2004) Todd Smith
(2006) Release date 31 August 2004 | Recorded 2003–04 Label Def Jam
Universal Artist LL Cool J | |
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Genres Hip hop music, East Coast hip hop Producers N.O. Joe, Timbaland, 7 Aurelius, R. Kelly, Teddy Riley, Dame Grease Nominations Grammy Award for Best Rap Album Similar LL Cool J albums, Hip hop music albums | ||
Ll cool j feel the beat
The DEFinition is the tenth studio album by American rapper LL Cool J, released on August 31, 2004 by Def Jam Recordings. Produced by Timbaland, N.O. Joe and 7 Aurelius, the album peaked at number 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and spawned two singles: "Headsprung" and "Hush". It was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies.
Contents
Critical reception
The DEFinition received a mild reception from music critics, saying that it was better than 2002's 10 because of Timbaland's production. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 9 reviews.
Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews called The DEFinition LL's "TRUE tenth album," praising its change in sound from New York to Southern by Timbaland, balancing out the bangers and slow songs well and LL for still keeping his lyrical content up to date, concluding that "this new album proves he doesn't have to give up acting to keep rapping." AllMusic's David Jeffries said that the album had more energy than 10 because of Timbaland's take on the southern sound and finding a balance between braggadocious rap and lovers rap. Gavin Edwards of Rolling Stone also praised the production for updating LL's sound along with his lyrics, saying that "on the eleventh record of his amazingly consistent twenty-year career, LL Cool J has as much swaggering presence as ever." Nick Southall of Stylus Magazine was mixed about the album, saying that he enjoyed the love jams better than the Timbaland bangers which were merely passable, concluding that "there's a distinct lack of personality, meaning that LL Cool J's eleventh long player is merely good, and his reputation (and bank balance) will be neither tarnished nor expanded."
Track listing
Songs
1Headsprung4:27
2Rub My Back4:43
3I'm About to Get Her4:22