Def Jam Confirms LL Cool J’s Departure
Responding to LL Cool J’s announcement that he is leaving Def Jam Records after fifteen years, the label’s president Lyor Cohen said yesterday, “It is true that LL Cool J is coming to the end of his contract with Def Jam. With one more album left to deliver, it is Def Jam’s intent to deliver LL’s next release.”
LL Cool J broke the news during an interview with Web site Y2G.com saying, “It’s not any bad blood. It’s not negative. It’s not like I hate them or they hate me. We did what we did for a very long time . . . You gotta grow.”
Cohen echoed LL’s sentiments calling him “one of the most important artists of his generation. He created a valuable brand in himself, catapulted Def Jam into the finest urban brand and proved once and for all rappers can have sustainable careers. I deeply appreciate his tenacity and artistic creativity. I wish LL success and happiness as he continues his journey, wherever that may be.”