G.O.A.T.(LL Cool J album)

G.O.A.T.
G.O.A.T.
Studio albumby LL Cool J
Released	September 12, 2000
Genre	Hip hop
Length	73:43
Label	Def Jam; Universal;
Producer	LL Cool J(exec.); James "Bimmy" Antney(also exec.); Ill Am; Adam F; Havoc; Vada Nobles; DJ Scratch; Rockwilder; Ty Fyffe; Trackmasters; Marc Wiggins;
LL Cool Jchronology
SinglesfromG.O.A.T.
	"Imagine That"; Released: June 27, 2000; "You and Me"; Released: October 17, 2000;

G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time(simply known asG.O.A.T.) is the eighth studio album by Americanrapper LL Cool J.Released September 12, 2000 on theDef Jamlabel, the album topped the USBillboard200,the rapper's first to reach number one.

Background

The bulk of the album came about in 1999, when DJ Scratch handed LL a CD of six instrumentals. The submission of beats took place when Scratch first met LL in the studio, as both men were working on the song "Ill Bomb," forFunkmaster FlexandDJ Big Kap's album,The Tunnel(1999).^[1]

In a 2023 interview with Adam Graham ofThe Detroit News,who credited LL with creating the acronym G.O.A.T., LL said he got the term fromEarl "The Goat" ManigaultandMuhammad Ali.^[2]Ali's business entity was called G.O.A.T., Inc., based at his home inBerrien Springs, Michigan.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	73/100^[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[4]
Entertainment Weekly	B+^[5]

G.O.A.T.received generally positive reviews. AtMetacritic,which assigns anormalizedrating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received anaveragescore of 73, based on 12 reviews.^[3]Entertainment Weekly's Tom Sinclair noted that the album "finds the Queens-bred rapper in near top form. Talking trash, passing the mic to guests likeDMXandSnoop Dogg,reeling off endlessly inventive boasts — he makes it all seem as easy as chillin’ on the boulevard on a hot summer night. The only downer is the creeping note of defensiveness, as though the old goat (who's all of 32) felt compelled to convince a new generation he's still relevant. "^[5]

Nathan Rabin fromThe A.V. Clubfound that "G.O.A.T.suffers from an unsure tone and a lack of thematic cohesion. Although a solid album by a gifted performer, it feels like the work of a rapper chasing trends instead of following his own path. That lack of vision makes the boast inherent in the title seem more hopelessly far-fetched than ever. "^[6]In her mixed review forAllMusic,editor Diana Potts wrote thatG.O.A.T"disappoints. [...] The theme of L.L. as the older seducer who is better than the current man of a girlish temptress has been common through L.L.'s albums. It's like listening to the confessions of a horny 14-year-old teenage boy in the girl's locker room. Even with the help of popular rap acts like DMX and Redman, L.L. Cool J has made the same album he did once before, with no new twists."^[4]

Chart performance

G.O.A.T.debuted at number one on the USBillboard200,becoming his first album to do so.^[7]It also reached number one on theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumschart.^[8]By 2004, the album had sold 818,000 copies in the United States.^[9]

Track listing

*G.O.A.T.*track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	James Todd Smith James "Bimmy" Antney	James "Bimmy" Antney	1:52
2.	"Imagine That"(featuring LeShaun)	J.T. Smith Dana Stinson	Rockwilder	4:59
3.	"Back Where I Belong" (featuringJa Rule)	J.T. Smith Vada Nobles	Vada Nobles Marc Wiggins	4:07
4.	"LL Cool J" (featuring Kandice Love)	J.T. Smith George Spivey Jay Hawkins	DJ Scratch	4:24
5.	"Take It Off"	J.T. Smith Adam Fenton	Adam F	3:34
6.	"Skit"			0:45
7.	"Fuhgidabowdit" (featuringDMX,Method Man & Redman)	J.T. Smith Jean-Claude Olivier Samuel Barnes Earl Simmons Clifford Smith Reggie Noble	Trackmasters	4:33
8.	"Farmers" (featuring Tikki Diamondz)	J.T. Smith Edward Hinson Norman Whitfield Barrett Strong	Self	3:39
9.	"This Is Us" (featuringCarl Thomas)	J.T. Smith Nobles Carl Thomas	Vada Nobles	5:55
10.	"Can't Think"	J.T. Smith Tyrone Fyffe	Ty Fyffe	4:52
11.	"Hello" (featuringAmil)	J.T. Smith Spivey Denzil Miller Bernard Edwards	DJ Scratch	3:52
12.	"You and Me"(featuringKelly Price)	J.T. Smith Spivey Giuliano Salerni Phil Hurtt	DJ Scratch	5:31
13.	"Homicide"	J.T. Smith Spivey Carlos Guedes	DJ Scratch	5:01
14.	"U Can't Fuck with Me" (featuringSnoop Dogg,XzibitandJayo Felony)	J.T. Smith Spivey	DJ Scratch	4:26
15.	"Queens Is" (featuringProdigy)	J.T. Smith Kejuan Muchita Albert Johnson	Havoc	4:25
16.	"The G.O.A.T."	J.T. Smith Fenton	Adam F.	4:09

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
17.	"Ill Bomb" (Funkmaster Flex&Big Kapfeaturing LL Cool J)	J.T. Smith Spivey Elias Wrubel	DJ Scratch	4:02
18.	"M.I.S.S. I" (featuringCase)	J.T. Smith Tonee McClinton Karlyton Clanton	Ill Am	3:18
19.	"Shut 'Em Down"	J.T. Smith Spivey	DJ Scratch	3:23
Total length:				73:43

Sample credits^[10]

"LL Cool J" contains a sample from "I Put a Spell on You"(1956) as performed byScreaming Jay Hawkins.
"Farmers" contains a sample from "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)" (1971) as performed byThe Temptations.
"Hello" contains elements of "Telephone" (1984) as performed byDiana Ross.
"You and Me" contains an interpolation of "You'll Never Know" (1981) as performed by Hi-Gloss.
"Homicide" contains a sample from of "Harposaurus" (1992) as performed by Carlos Guedes
"Ill Bomb" contains a sample from "I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over" (1971) as performed byDavid Porter.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance forG.O.A.T.
Chart (2000)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[11]	65
Canadian Albums(Billboard)^[12]	5
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[13]	35
French Albums (SNEP)^[14]	56
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[15]	17
Scottish Albums(OCC)^[16]	49
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[17]	13
UK Albums(OCC)^[18]	29
UK R&B Albums(OCC)^[19]	4
USBillboard200^[7]	1
USTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums(Billboard)^[8]	1

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance forG.O.A.T.
Chart (2000)	Position
USBillboard200^[20]	139
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[21]	50

Certifications

Certifications forG.O.A.T.
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[22]	Gold	50,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[23]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^}Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^STAFF, AllHipHop (May 29, 2006)."DJ Scratch: Face Off".allhiphop.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2019.RetrievedDecember 17,2019.Well that was basically through the Funk Master Flex [and Big Kap] project, The Tunnel Album. I gave a beat to Flex. It was the track 'Ill Bomb.' Flex put LL on it and he killed it. And that is one of my favorite songs out of my whole discography. I went to do the scratches on the song, and LL was there in the studio, and he asked me if I had any beats. I gave him a cd with six songs on it, and he picked all of them for the album.
^Graham, Adam (August 16, 2023)."LL Cool J talks hip-hop's 50th anniversary, his new album and his relationship with Eminem".The Detroit News.RetrievedAugust 18,2023.
^^a ^b"G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time by LL Cool J, reviewed at metacritic".Metacritic.
^^a ^bErlewine, Stephen Thomas.G.O.A.T.atAllMusic.Retrieved February 16, 2023.
^^a ^bSinclair, Tom (September 22, 2000)."Music Review: 'G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith the Greatest of All Time'".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.
^Rabin, Nathan (September 12, 2000)."LL Cool J: G.O.A.T.: Greatest Of All Time".The A.V. Club.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.
^^a ^b"LL Cool J Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^^a ^b"LL Cool J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^Baker, Soren (September 2, 2004)."LL Cool J Burns It Up".The Los Angeles Times.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.
^G.O.A.T.(booklet).Def Jam,Universal.2000.
^Ryan, Gavin (2011).Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010(PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 169.
^"LL Cool J Chart History (Canadian Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Dutchcharts.nl – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Lescharts – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time".Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Offiziellecharts.de – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time"(in German).GfK Entertainment Charts.Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved February 18, 2023.
^"Swisscharts – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time".Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Official Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^"Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40".Official Charts Company.Retrieved February 18, 2023.
^"Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 17,2020.
^"Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2000".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 17,2020.
^"Canadian album certifications – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T."Music Canada.
^"American album certifications – L.L. Cool J – G.O.A.T."Recording Industry Association of America.

[1] STAFF, AllHipHop (May 29, 2006)."DJ Scratch: Face Off".allhiphop.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2019.RetrievedDecember 17,2019.Well that was basically through the Funk Master Flex [and Big Kap] project, The Tunnel Album. I gave a beat to Flex. It was the track 'Ill Bomb.' Flex put LL on it and he killed it. And that is one of my favorite songs out of my whole discography. I went to do the scratches on the song, and LL was there in the studio, and he asked me if I had any beats. I gave him a cd with six songs on it, and he picked all of them for the album.

[2] Graham, Adam (August 16, 2023)."LL Cool J talks hip-hop's 50th anniversary, his new album and his relationship with Eminem".The Detroit News.RetrievedAugust 18,2023.

[metacritic-3] "G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time by LL Cool J, reviewed at metacritic".Metacritic.

[AllMusic-4] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas.G.O.A.T.atAllMusic.Retrieved February 16, 2023.

[ew-5] Sinclair, Tom (September 22, 2000)."Music Review: 'G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith the Greatest of All Time'".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.

[avclub-6] Rabin, Nathan (September 12, 2000)."LL Cool J: G.O.A.T.: Greatest Of All Time".The A.V. Club.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.

[Billboard200-7] "LL Cool J Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[BillboardRandBHipHop-8] "LL Cool J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[9] Baker, Soren (September 2, 2004)."LL Cool J Burns It Up".The Los Angeles Times.RetrievedFebruary 16,2023.

[liner_notes-10] G.O.A.T.(booklet).Def Jam,Universal.2000.

[11] Ryan, Gavin (2011).Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010(PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 169.

[ac_BillboardCanada_LL_Cool_J-12] "LL Cool J Chart History (Canadian Albums)".Billboard.Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_Netherlands_LL_Cool_J-13] "Dutchcharts.nl – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_France_LL_Cool_J-14] "Lescharts – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time".Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_Germany4_LL_Cool_J-15] "Offiziellecharts.de – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time"(in German).GfK Entertainment Charts.Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_Scotland_-16] "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved February 18, 2023.

[ac_Switzerland_LL_Cool_J-17] "Swisscharts – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T. featuring James T. Smith - The Greatest Of All Time".Hung Medien. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_UK2_-18] "Official Albums Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[ac_UKR&B_-19] "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40".Official Charts Company.Retrieved February 18, 2023.

[20] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 17,2020.

[21] "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2000".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 17,2020.

[CanadaLL_Cool_JG.O.A.T.albumCertRef-22] "Canadian album certifications – LL Cool J – G.O.A.T."Music Canada.

[United_StatesL.L._Cool_JG.O.A.T.albumCertRef-23] "American album certifications – L.L. Cool J – G.O.A.T."Recording Industry Association of America.

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v t e LL Cool J
Discography
Studio albums	Radio Bigger and Deffer Walking with a Panther Mama Said Knock You Out 14 Shots to the Dome Mr. Smith Phenomenon G.O.A.T. 10 The DEFinition Todd Smith Exit 13 Authentic The FORCE
Compilations	All World: Greatest Hits All World 2
Singles	"I Can't Live Without My Radio" "Rock the Bells" "You'll Rock" "I'm Bad" "I Need Love" "Going Back to Cali" "I'm That Type of Guy" "Big Ole Butt" "One Shot at Love" "Jingling Baby" "To da Break of Dawn" "The Boomin' System" "Around the Way Girl" "Mama Said Knock You Out" "6 Minutes of Pleasure" "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" "Strictly Business" "How I'm Comin'" "Back Seat (of My Jeep)" "Pink Cookies In a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings" "Stand By Your Man" "Hey Lover" "Doin' It" "Loungin" "I Shot Ya" "Ain't Nobody" "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" "Phenomenon" "4, 3, 2, 1" "Hot, Hot, Hot" "Father" "Candy" "Zoom" "Say What" "Deepest Bluest" "Shut 'Em Down "Imagine That" "You and Me" "Put Your Hands Up" "Luv U Better" "Paradise" "All I Have" "Amazin' "Headsprung" "Hush" "Control Myself" "Cry" "Baby" "Murdergram Deux"
Featured singles	"Rampage" "Why Me Baby?" "This Is for the Lover in You" "Incredible" "Fatty Girl" "All I Have" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"
Other songs	"Accidental Racist"