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OK, please stick with me for this incredible full-circle story! In the mid-80s, I was mostly listening to punk, but I began listening to hip-hop, including RUN DMC and LL Cool J. Being a white kid, I wasn’t sure if I was really “supposed” to like hip-hop, or welcome, but when the Beastie Boys came out, and they toured with LL and RUN DMC, I felt it was OK for me to dive into hip-hop enthusiastically.
A group I discovered shortly after that was Public Enemy, also part of the Def Jam records family. Public Enemy blew my mind both sonically and lyrically. All of the aforementioned groups became staples for me, as well as many others. They all are genre pioneers that every hip-hop artist since owes some debt to. In the early 2000s, I began making portraits of hip-hop pioneer heroes of mine. The series included Chuck D and Flava Flav from Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Biggie, and LL Cool J. Around 2009, I met LL, who had seen some of my art, including large paste-ups of his portrait and a painted mural I did of him in Brooklyn.
We had lunch together and discussed life, art, and music, including our favorite hip-hop albums. I told LL that, of course, I loved all of his classics, but a life-changing album for me was “It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” by Public Enemy. He said, “That’s an all-time favorite of mine too.” I replied that the album is nothing short of a “sonic and lyrical firestorm,” to which LL replied, “That’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard of that album!” Needless to say, I was honored to have a fun conversation and some validation from one of my musical heroes.
I didn’t see LL for a couple of years after that, but when I did see him, he leaned in for a hug and said, “Shep… sonic and lyrical firestorm!” At that moment, I realized not only does LL have a crazy memory, but he also had a strong connection to Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation of Millions.” In 2014, I did a music-themed art with 50 faux record covers in tribute to the 12” vinyl sleeve. I also made some custom turntables including a boom box with turntable that I decorated largely in tribute to LL Cool J. The front of the boombox was stenciled with “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” referencing a favorite song from LL’s first album.
In the cassette player, I decided to place my 1988 copy of Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation of Millions” as a tie-in to my great conversation with LL. As it turns out, my close friend DJ Z-Trip, who has been LL’s DJ for many years now, was able to get LL to do a guest set at the opening, which was mind-blowing and incredibly generous of him. LL saw the boombox in the show, dug it, and his agent slyly bought it as a gift for him.
Fast forward to a couple of days ago, and I was checking out a snippet of LL’s video for the song “Passion” when LL raps “Andre the Giant 3000… make ‘em obey” as a cassette tape appears on the screen for a split second. In an instant, I thought, “That tape looks kinda like my Public Enemy tape from 88”. I then froze the frame and realized it IS my PE tape from 88 on which my inky fingerprints can be seen because I’d always listen to that tape while screen printing! Anyway, my mind was blown, and I’m incredibly grateful to LL for the lyrical and visual references in the song and video. Rock the Bells!
-Shepard
