Hip-Hop legend LL COOL J took to his IG Live last night (9/21) to address a statement by DJ Akademiks who referred to Hip-Hop pioneers as "dusty," though he never acknowledged him by name, choosing instead to make a broader point about the artform and culture. LL started the video by encouraging viewers to record it, stressing the message's importance.
"It came to my attention that a DJ said that a lot of the pioneers in Hip-Hop are dusty and asked how could they be the people that invented Hip-Hop if they don't present like they have a lot of money," he said.
He then explained that the pioneers of Hip-Hop, specifically the first generation, created something where there was once nothing at all. "Don't think because someone failed to get money that they didn't make a contribution to the culture," he said. "No one discusses Miles Davis' bank account, or John Coltrane, or even rock and country musicians."