LL Cool J Explains How He Helped Create Drake

LL Cool J may have the longest, most successful career of any Hip Hop artist ever. 

The guy has been working consistently since 1985, whether it's been in music, film, or television. LL — who recently exchanged disses with Peter Rosenberg on Twitter —  is still rapping. He has an album that's coming out, solely produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest.

LL spoke with Complex this week about his music career.  In particular, his 1987 single "I Need Love," off his Bigger and Deffer album

It's considered rap's first love ballad by many. But it wasn't the first ballad the legendary artist put out. He dropped the songs "I Can Give You More" and "I Want You," which are on his first album Radio. But either way, LLsaid he paved a lane for Drake and artists like him. [Jump to 8:30]

“I put that love and that female, that vibe in there that gives dudes a lane," said LL. "People compare me to Drake all the time, but we’re very different artists because I have a lot of hard records. I’m very diverse, but in that aspect of my career, it paved the way for guys like that, which I’m happy for. I like a lot of his music too."

Do you agree with LL about creating a lane for Drake?