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Bigger and Deffer

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Bigger and Deffer
Studio album by
LL Cool J
ReleasedMay 29, 1987[1]
Recorded1986–1987
StudioChung King House of Metal (New York City, New York)
GenreHip hop[2]
Length45:13
Label
Producer
LL Cool J chronology
Radio
(1985) 		Bigger and Deffer
(1987) 		Walking with a Panther
(1989)
Singles from Bigger and Deffer
  1. "I'm Bad"
    Released: June 13, 1987
  2. "I Need Love"
    Released: July 22, 1987
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Q[4]
RapReviews7.5/10[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/10[7]
The Village VoiceC+[8]

Bigger and Deffer (abbreviated as BAD on the album cover) is the second studio album by American rapper LL Cool J, released on May 29, 1987, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. With over two million copies sold in the United States,[1] it remains one of LL Cool J's best-selling releases. Bigger and Deffer dominated the summer of 1987, spending 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and peaking at number three on the Billboard 200. It became the fourth hip hop album to receive platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[9]

Bigger and Deffer features the hit single "I'm Bad", and the first commercially successful rap ballad, "I Need Love". It also contains the track "Go Cut Creator Go", which paid homage to his DJ. Other tracks like "Kanday", "The Do Wop", "My Rhyme Ain't Done", "The Breakthrough", and "The Bristol Hotel" were also popular with fans, and helped make the album a hip-hop classic. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. The cover photo was taken in front of Andrew Jackson High School in Queens (from which he dropped out), while standing on the hood of his Audi 5000,[10][11] and the back cover was shot in his grandmother's basement (his residence at the time). Both images were shot by Glen E. Friedman.

Critical reception

[edit]

Robert Christgau stated: "Like the pop-metal egotists he resembles every which way but white, J proves that there's something worse than a middle-class adolescent who's gotta be a big shot this instant--the same adolescent the instant he becomes a big shot. Overrated though it was, the debut had guts, spritz, musical integrity, and Rick Rubin. Breakthrough though it may be, the follow-up has a swelled head, a swollen dick, received beats, and quotes from Berry, Brown, and the Moonglows that confuse me. Could it be that the planet existed before he brought it to fruition?"[12]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks written and produced by LL Cool J and L.A. Posse, except where noted.[2]

Bigger and Deffer track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I'm Bad"
 4:39
2."Kanday"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 3:59
3."Get Down"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 3:23
4."The Bristol Hotel"
2:43
5."My Rhyme Ain't Done"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 3:45
6.".357 – Break It On Down"
  • Smith
  • Jordan
  • Pierce
  • LL Cool J
  • L.A. Posse
4:05
7."Go Cut Creator Go"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 3:57
8."The Breakthrough"
  • Smith
  • Steven Ettinger
Steve Ett4:04
9."I Need Love"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 5:23
10."Ahh, Let's Get Ill"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 3:45
11."The Do Wop"
  • Smith
  • Erving
  • Pierce
 4:59
12."On the Ill Tip" (skit)Smith 0:31
Total length:45:13

Personnel

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Charts

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Album

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Weekly chart performance for Bigger and Deffer
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] 28
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 35
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[15] 23
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 48
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 54
US Billboard 200[18] 3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19] 1

Singles

[edit]
Singles from Bigger and Deffer
Title Single information
"I'm Bad"
"I Need Love"
  • Released: July 2, 1987 (entered Billboard's Hot 100 chart week ending August 1)
  • B-side: "My Rhyme Ain't Done"
  • Billboard Hot 100 No. 14[20]
  • Hot Black Singles No. 1[21]

Certifications

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Certifications for Bigger and Deffer
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[25] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gold and Platinum Searchable Database". RIAA.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Birchmeier, Jason. "Bigger & Deffer – LL Cool J". AllMusic. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  3. ^ Johnson, Connie (July 5, 1987). "Def Doings in Rap Arena". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  4. ^ "LL Cool J: Bigger and Deffer". Q (108): 124. September 1995.
  5. ^ Walace, Emanuel (September 1, 2009). "LL Cool J :: Bigger and Deffer :: Def Jam". RapReviews.com. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  6. ^ Coleman, Mark; Randall, Mac (2004). "L.L. Cool J". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 491–92. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  7. ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). "LL Cool J". Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 227. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  8. ^ Christgau, Robert (September 1, 1987). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  9. ^ SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. December 1999.
  10. ^ "Best of Queens 2004". Queens Tribune. 2004. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012.
  11. ^ "LL Cool J Restores Original 1987 BAD Audi 5000, His First Car, and Donates It". AutoEvolution.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  12. ^ Robert Christgau: CG: LL Cool J
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – LL Cool J – BAD" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – LL Cool J – BAD" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  15. ^ "Charts.nz – LL Cool J – BAD". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  16. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – LL Cool J – BAD". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "LL Cool J Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "LL Cool J Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  22. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History: Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  23. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "Canadian album certifications – LL Cool J – Bigger and Deffer". Music Canada.
  25. ^ "American album certifications – L.L. Cool J – Bigger and Deffer". Recording Industry Association of America.
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