On Wednesday, March 28, Tiffany Haddish, Anthony Anderson, Snoop Dogg, and more, helped celebrate the launch of LL COOL J’s new classic hip-hop SiriusXM channel, “Rock the Bells Radio,” at World on Wheels in L.A.
The “Rock the Bells Radio” title was inspired by the groundbreaking debut album it came from, “Radio.” It will feature a wide range of classic hip-hop content, music, interviews and in-depth retrospectives—all curated and presented by LL COOL J, as well as other innovators of hip-hop music. A few other curators and innovators who will contribute to this station include: Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Snoop Dogg, Outkast, A Tribe Called Quest, Ultramagnetic MCs, Too Short, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Canibus, Wu-Tang Clan, Run-DMC, Brand Nubian, De La Soul, Black Moon and Ice T.
On Wednesday night’s red carpet, we spoke with LL COOL J about his wide-range of inspiration for his vision, and what this new channel means for the community.
“I guess it all started with a song in ‘86; but in reality, I’ve been working on this for a couple of years. It’s about showing people an art form in a classic sense—all through the lens of current culture,” said LL COOL J.
LL further went on to explain that his vision for the channel is bigger than the current moment. “The coolest brands in the world are the brands that have longevity or are on the road to longevity. You think about designers, fashion, watches, jewelry, cars—the coolest brands have longevity.”
This invitation-only retro roller skating event felt like a family affair, bringing together some of the most influential figures in hip-hop culture.
LL noted and further paid homage by saying, “These guys [hip-hop artists] are too important to let the world think that me and Run-DMC started rap music. It’s just not reality. I didn’t start it; I stood on the shoulders of giants, so I want to make sure that they’re respected and celebrated.”
With so many music and artist platforms today focused on the “next generation” of creators, LL COOL J is providing a platform for the originators of culture in a way that old-school hip-hop artists weren’t always granted in the past.
“Hip-hop has gotten to a point where people are more focused on business. It’s not a bad thing to do business, but being a successful businessman has nothing to do with the art form. You can be talented at capturing and monetizing the art, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not a great artist if you don’t do that. A lot of these guys weren’t able to capture that [business], but their artistic forms will last for thousands of years,” he explained.
“This is an important room, and these guys mean everything to the culture. If they didn’t do what they did, nobody is doing anything. […] It’s not about age; it’s about a state of mind.”
“Rock the Bells Radio” will air on SiriusXM channel 43, available on satellite radios, the SiriusXM app, and other connected devices.