Mr. Smith (album)

Mr. Smith is the sixth studio album by American hip hop recording artist LL Cool J, released on November 21, 1995 by Def Jam. After the commercially disappointing 14 Shots to the Dome, it was a success, being certified 2x Platinum. Three top 10 hits were released from the album, "Hey Lover", "Doin' It", and "Loungin". Unlike his previous release, which focused on hardcore rap, this album concentrates on the ballads for which he is now famous.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Robert Christgau	^[3]
Entertainment Weekly	(B)^[4]
Q	^[5]
Rolling Stone	^[6]

Mr. Smith garnered positive reviews from music critics who found it a return to form after the West Coast-influenced 14 Shots to the Dome flopped. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the album for working more towards LL's romantic side that while toned down remains sexually invigorating, concluding that "Mr. Smith isn't a perfect record – there are too many slack moments for it to qualify as one of his best – but it proves that LL Cool J remained vital a decade after his debut."^[2] Robert Christgau rated the album as a "choice cut", singling out "Doin' It" as a standout track.^[3] Mike Flaherty of Entertainment Weekly praised the album for balancing the various personas LL adopts throughout the tracks, concluding that "while his cutting-edge days are well behind him, this is far from the self-parodying effort we had every reason to expect."^[4] Cheo H. Coker of Rolling Stone also praised the album for delivering both hardcore rap songs and love ballads that contain great production and lyrical dexterity. But Coker noted that tracks like "No Airplay" and "Get da Drop on 'Em" showcase LL better as a tough lyric spitter, concluding with, "Maybe one day LL will realize that it's his electrifying flow, not his Casanova aspirations, that have made him a rap superstar for 10 years running."^[6]

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"The Intro (skit)"		1:33
2.	"Make It Hot"	Trackmasters	4:31
3.	"Hip Hop"	Trackmasters	5:00
4.	"Hey Lover" (featuring Boyz II Men)	Trackmasters	4:44
5.	"Doin It" (featuring LeShaun)	Rashad Smith	4:53
6.	"Life As..."	Easy Mo Bee	2:44
7.	"I Shot Ya" (featuring Keith Murray)	Trackmasters	3:51
8.	"Mr. Smith"	Chyskillz	3:59
9.	"No Airplay"	Chad Elliot	5:43
10.	"Loungin" (featuring Terri & Monica)	Rashad Smith	4:12
11.	"Hollis to Hollywood"	Trackmasters	3:58
12.	"God Bless"	Rashad Smith	3:47
13.	"Get da Drop on 'Em'"	Trackmasters	3:57
14.	"Prelude (skit)"		0:30
15.	"I Shot Ya (Remix)" (featuring Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe and Foxy Brown)	Trackmasters	5:03

Bonus track
Track listing
No.	Title	Length
16.	""Papa Luv It""	4:57

Track notes

"No Airplay" was edited on both the edited and explicit versions of the album. The explicit version only backmasks on the song, while the edited version even edits the intro.
"Hollis to Hollywood" is sampled from his verse of Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)" on the chorus.

Singles

Year	Song	Chart positions
Year	Song	Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles
1995	"I Shot Ya"	-	#55	-
1995	"Hey Lover"	#3	#3	#1
1996	"Doin It"	#9	#7	#2
1996	"Loungin	#3	#4	#1

All Of LL Cool J's music videos off this album were directed by Hype Williams.

Samples

"Make It Hot"

"I Like It" by DeBarge

"Hip Hop"

"Tell Me If You Still Care" by The S.O.S. Band

"Hey Lover"

"The Lady in My Life" by Michael Jackson

"Doin' It"

"My Jamaican Guy" by Grace Jones
"2 Much" by Wild Thang
"Go Stetsa I" by Stetsasonic

"I Shot Ya"

"Put It on the Line" by Lyn Collins

"Mr. Smith"

"What a Night" by Hubert Laws
"The Boss" by James Brown

"No Airplay"

"Blessed" by The Emotions
"The Boomin' System" by LL Cool J
"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" by Craig Mack
"Why Can't People Be Colors Too?" by The Whatnauts

"Loungin'"

"Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure!

"Hollis to Hollywood"

"The Look of Love" by Isaac Hayes
"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" by Craig Mack
"My Philosophy" by Boogie Down Productions

"God Bless"

"Escape-ism" by James Brown
"The Message from the Soul Sisters" by Myra Barnes
"The Def Fresh Crew" by Roxanne Shanté and Biz Markie

"Papa Luv It"

"Is It a Crime" by Sade
"Hydra" by Grover Washington, Jr.

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Dutch Albums Chart	33
German Albums Chart	75
Swedish Albums Chart	60
UK Albums Chart	90
US Billboard 200	20
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
US Billboard 200	28

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[7]	Gold	50,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[8]	Silver	60,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[9]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

References

↑ "Mr. Smith - LL Cool J - Credits". AllMusic. AllMusic. N.p., n.d. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Mr. Smith - LL Cool J". AllMusic. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
1 2 Christgau, Robert. "CG: LL Cool J". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
1 2 Flaherty, Mike (December 8, 1995). "Mr. Smith". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
↑ "Mr. Smith (CD) by LL Cool J". Tower. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
1 2 Coker, Cheo H. (February 8, 1996). "LL Cool J - Mr. Smith". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
↑ "Canadian album certifications – LL Cool J – Mr. Smith". Music Canada.
↑ "British album certifications – LL Cool J – Mr. Smith". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Mr. Smith in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
↑ "American album certifications – LL Cool J – Mr. Smith". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

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

Compilations	All World: Greatest Hits All World 2

Singles	"I Need a Beat" "I Can't Live Without My Radio" "I Can Give You More" "Rock the Bells" "You'll Rock" "I'm Bad" "I Need Love" "Go Cut Creator Go" "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" "Father" "Candy" "Zoom" "Say What" "Deepest Bluest" "Hot Hot Hot" "Shut 'Em Down "Imagine That" "You and Me" "Put Your Hands Up" "Blink Blink" "Luv U Better" "Paradise" "All I Have" "Amazin' "Headsprung" "Hush" "It's LL and Santana" "Control Myself" "Freeze" "Cry" "Baby"

Featured singles	"Rampage" "This Is for the Lover in You" "Incredible" "Fatty Girl" "All I Have" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"

Other songs	"Accidental Racist"

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