Videos by According2HipHop
LL Cool J isn’t just honoring hip-hop for lasting over 50 years—he’s making sure its legacy gets the flowers it deserves in every medium possible.
The rap pioneer, actor, and living legend is bringing his latest homage to the culture via Hip Hop Was Born Here, a new docuseries premiering July 22 on Paramount+. Co-created with NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, the five-part series retraces hip-hop’s roots in New York City, digging into the boroughs, basements, and backstories that birthed one of the world’s most influential art forms.
Narrated and hosted by LL himself, Hip Hop Was Born Here isn’t just about dusty archives or nostalgia. It features fresh interviews with a stacked lineup of icons and new-gen torchbearers—from Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, and Roxanne Shante to Fivio Foreign, Lady London, and Crystal Caines. Each episode breaks down the DNA of the genre through legendary studios, neighborhood corners, and key tracks that helped shape the movement.
But LL’s not just talking about it—he’s out here being about it.
Look no further than his surprise appearance at the “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber” show earlier this week in Philadelphia.
The Queen pulled a legendary move during Method Man’s segment at Wells Fargo on Sunday. Clad in a red hoodie and still razor-sharp with the mic, he traded bars with Meth on classics like “Doin It” and “4,3,2,1,” reminding everyone exactly why he’s a GOAT.
Method Man summed it up perfectly: “LL stole my show without a gun.”
Between the docuseries and spontaneous stage moments like this, LL Cool J is making it clear: he’s not here to coast on legacy. He’s here to honor the roots, uplift the culture, and remind us that hip-hop lives through those who still show up for it.
