‘Bigger and Deffer’: LL COOL J’s Triumphant Second Album
‘Radio’ made him hip-hop’s most promising rookie, but this album made him a leader that generations would follow.
Before the phrase “Get you a man who can do both” was a meme, it was LL COOL J. Armed with boisterous machismo and heartthrob appeal, the Queens rapper penetrated the mainstream by combining playboy charm with the aura of a badass. It’s a formula he refined with his 1987 sophomore album, Bigger and Deffer. Like his debut album, Radio, Bigger and Deffer was playful and powerful, bubbling with a teenager’s sense of irreverence and invincibility. Ditching Michael Rubin’s minimalistic aesthetic, Bigger and Deffer incorporated flourishes of melody to make songs more anthemic than ever. While he had broached the topic of women on Radio, he used Bigger and Deffer to – at least sometimes – get genuinely tender. The LP doubled-down on all of LL’s strengths while expanding his breadth of sounds and emotions, making him the most dynamic rap star of his era.
Listen to LL COOL J’s Bigger and Deffer now.
Although the LP is praised for its relatively increased dynamism, its opener, “I’m Bad,” is a super-charged version of Radio. Embedded with a surrealistic sample from the S.W.A.T. TV series theme song, the track sees LL pulverize the bassline with wit and searing conviction. The hook itself is an undeniable statement of purpose, but its greatest accomplishment might be making “I’ll crush you like a jelly bean” sound convincingly menacing. LL also leveled up his imagination as much as his audio aesthetics. For “The Do Wop,” he rides a 1950s R&B sample to unspool a 19-year-old’s vivid fantasy. It plays out like a playboy’s version of “Today Was a Good Day.”
Bigger and Deffer sees LL as brazenly confident as ever. But it’s also a trojan horse for new pathos. As nakedly honest as its title suggests, “I Need Love” is a forlorn lullaby for love. For the track, his aggressive shouts melt into a soft bedside whisper, and his b-boy bluster recedes into sobering vulnerability. While the track’s outright sweetness earned criticism, it became a blueprint for rap superstars who wanted credibility in the streets and the sheets.
Decades after its release, LL sophomore album stands as one of his best, having used a combination of innovation and refinement to earn critical and commercial success. It sold over two million copies worldwide, and it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. But more importantly, it demonstrated the power of duality; an MC who could be tough or sweet, depending on the beat. Radio made LL COOL J rap’s most promising rookie, but Bigger and Deffer made him a leader that generations of rappers would follow.
