I don't wanna abandon my identity as LL Cool J, but at the same time, I had to figure out how to let people know that I'm really serious about making these movies.
You've got to stay focused without being boring - because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Skinny, but dull.
I'm not giving up my history and what I've done in my music because I love it and I'm very proud of it. I just want to open it up for more people.
I feel like my peers now are artists like Madonna and the Stones, Michael Jackson and Prince. These are people who were able to take their careers beyond the normal here-today-gone-tomorrow life span.
To me, my peers are Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger. I'm not talking age-wise, but in terms of careers. Madonna. Those are my peers. And I'm okay with that.
I do about 90 percent of my own stunts, and the things I can't do for insurance reasons, like swinging out of a flying helicopter, I wouldn't want to do anyway.
I've been training as an actor for six years. Nobody goes to acting school for six years. I mean, the college course is only four years! I absolutely trained.
I've never been one to have to manipulate women. I always want it to be like a mutual thing, like everybody loves everybody.
What I don't do is try to like become whoever I'm rapping with. The people who go get an LL album want to hear LL.
I'm good at what I do, but I wouldn't be so bold and arrogant as to say something disrespectful about, say, Eminem. He's talented and he's good at what he does.
What you do in your art - TV, music, film stuff - touches people. And they want to touch you. So that's a blessing. I'm okay with it.