The DEFinition

The DEFinition
Studio album by LL Cool J
Released August 31, 2004
Recorded 2003–04
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length 44:09
Label
Producer
LL Cool J chronology
10
(2002)
The DEFinition
(2004)
Todd Smith
(2006)
Singles from The DEFinition
  1. "Headsprung"
    Released: June 7, 2004
  2. "Hush"
    Released: February 15, 2005

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.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic66/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[3]
The Guardian[4]
HipHopDX[5]
RapReviews7.5/10[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
The Situation3/5[8]
Stylus MagazineC[9]

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.[1]

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."[6] 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.[2] 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."[7] 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."[9]

Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Performer (s) Time
1 Headsprung Timbaland LL Cool J, Timbaland 4:27
2 Rub My Back Timbaland LL Cool J, Timbaland 4:43
3 I'm About To Get Her Teddy Riley, Eric Williams, Marquinarius "Sanchez" Holmes, R. Kelly LL Cool J, R. Kelly 4:21
4 Move Somethin' N.O. Joe LL Cool J 3:39
5 Hush 7 Aurelius 7 Aurelius, LL Cool J, Paul Bushnell, Paul Graham 3:34
6 Every Sip Timbaland LL Cool J, Candice Nelson 4:32
7 Shake It Baby N.O. Joe LL Cool J 3:48
8 Can't Explain It Timbaland LL Cool J, Candice Nelson 4:12
9 Feel The Beat Timbaland LL Cool J, Timbaland 4:17
10 Apple Cobbler Timbaland LL Cool J, Timbaland 3:39
11 1 in the Morning Dame Grease LL Cool J 3:42
Samples

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart 90
Dutch Albums Chart 85
French Albums Chart 136
German Albums Chart 50
Swiss Albums Chart 35
UK Albums Chart 66
US Billboard 200 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 3

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Year-end charts

Chart (2004) Position
Billboard 200[11] 125
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] 59

References

  1. 1 2 "Reviews for The DEFinition by LL Cool J". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Jeffries, David. "The DEFinition - LL Cool J". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  3. Browne, David (September 10, 2004). "The DEFinition". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  4. Collins, Hattie (August 27, 2004). "LL Cool J, The DEFinition". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on August 27, 2004. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  5. Tindal, K.B. (September 7, 2004). "LL Cool J - The DEFinition". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  6. 1 2 Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 31, 2004). "Feature for August 31, 2004 - LL Cool J's "The DEFinition"". RapReviews. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Edwards (September 30, 2004). "LL Cool J The DEFinition Album Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  8. Sajjad, Usman. "LL Cool J - The Definition". The Situation. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Southall, Nick (September 14, 2004). "LL Cool J - The DEFinition". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  10. "American album certifications – LL Cool J". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 1, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  11. "2004 Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  12. "2004 Year-End Charts: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
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