Rock the Bells Lyrics

[Produced by Rick Rubin]

[Intro]
LL Cool J is hard as hell
Battle anybody, I don't care who you tell

I excel, they all fell
I'm gonna crack shells, Double-L must rock the bells

[Verse 1]
You've been waitin' and debatin' for, oh, so long
Just starvin' like Marvin for a Cool J song

If you cried and thought I died, you definitely was wrong
It took a thought, plus I brought Cut Creator along
Evened up with E-Love down with the Cool J force
Specializin' in the rhymin' for the record of course
I’m a tower full of power, wind, rain and hail
Cut Creator scratch the record with his fingernail
Rock the bells!

[Verse 2]
The king of crowd rockers finally is back
My voice is your choice as the hottest wax
True as a wizard, just a blizzard, who ain't taken no crap
I'm rhymin' and designin' with your girl in my lap
The bass is kickin' always stickin' 'cause you like it that way
You think it's fresh and plus it's def because it's by Cool J
Cut Creator on the fader, my right-hand man
We rock the bells so very well 'cause that's the name of this jam
Rock the bells!
[Verse 3]
Some girls will like this jam and some girls won't
'Cause I make a lot of money and your boyfriend don't
LL went to hell, gonna rock the bells
All you washed up rappers wanna do this well
Rock the bells!

[Verse 4]
Now I'm world-wide known, whether you like it or not
My one man band is Cut Creator, a.k.a. Philpot
He'll never skip it, only rip it when he's on the fader
What's my DJ's name? (Cut Creator!)
Now you know, at my show, who’s on the wheels
He'll drive the cross fader like a cut mobile
So precise with a slice that you know he's greater
What's my DJ's name? (Cut Creator!)
Now you know, what do you know, Earl rolls the weed
I go to the store and get Old Gold
So all you crabby lookin' nappy headed girls get back
'Cause there's a ten-to-one chance that you might get smacked
Rock the bells!

[Verse 5]
The bells are circulatin' like the blood in your veins
Why are girlies on the tip? (LL's your name!)
Cut Creator's good, Cool J is good-good
You bring the wood pecker, I'll bring the wood
The bells are whippin' and rippin' at your body and soul
Why do you like Cool J? (It ain't rock and roll!)
'Cause it ain't the glory days with Bruce Springsteen
I'm not a virgin so I know I'll make Madonna scream
You hated Michael and Prince all the way, ever since
If their beats were made of meat, then they would have to be mince
Rock the bells!
[Verse 6]
So listen to the rhymes align the rhyme on time
He'll cut the record in a second, make your DJ look blind
So all you Jheri Curl suckers wearin' high-heel boots
Like ballerinas, what I mean is you're a fruit-loop troop
All you gonna-be, wanna-be, when will you learn?
Wanna be like Cool J, you gotta wait your turn
Some suckers don't like me, but I'm not concerned
Six G's for twenty minutes is the pay I earn
I'm growin' and glowin' like a forest blaze
Do you like Michael Jackson? (We like Cool J!)
That's right, I'm on the mic with the help of the bells
There's no delayin' what I'm sayin' as I'm rockin' you well
Rock the bells!

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About

Genius Annotation

Originally a 7-minute track, LL Cool J was unhappy with the first recording of “Rock The Bells”. With the assistance of The Beastie Boys' Adrock, a new reworked 4-minute recording became the popular version that appears on LL’s debut album Radio and served as the third single from it. The track peaked at #17 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-hop Chart in 1986.

The track’s name later served as the name of a festival and tour of hip-hop artists that spanned 2004-2013, and is the name of a hip-hop station on SiriusXM that includes features hosted by LL, launched in 2018.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did LL COOL J say about "Rock the Bells"?
Genius Answer

In 2012, LL recalled to Entertainment Weekly:

This came from hearing old-school rappers and old records in the street, mixtapes. It was a phrase that was creeping around. I didn’t love the original version we recorded, so I pestered Rick Rubin until we redid it. He wasn’t busy, he had time. [Laughs] Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys played a tape for him, and I went and met him in his dorm room. Back then he only had Def Jam Productions. Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons and myself — they formed the label, and I was the flagship artist.

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Release Date
November 18, 1985
Songs That Sample Rock the Bells
4,3,2,1 by LL COOL J (Ft. Canibus, DMX, Method Man & Redman), Backseat Freestyle by Kendrick Lamar, Big Beast by Killer Mike (Ft. Bun B, T.I. & Trouble), Mama Said Knock You Out by LL COOL J, I'm Bad by LL COOL J, The Ripper Strikes Back by LL COOL J, Ill Bomb by Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap (Ft. LL COOL J), Go Cut Creator Go by LL COOL J, Protect Ya Neck by Wu-Tang Clan, Let's Get It Started by MC Hammer, Cool Breeze on the Rocks by De La Soul, 1 of the Hardest by PRhyme, History of Rap 6 by Jimmy Fallon (Ft. Justin Timberlake), Whaddup by LL COOL J (Ft. Chuck D, Tom Morello, Travis Barker & Z-Trip), Backseat Freestyle by Reek Da Villian & J-Doe, Hard as Hell by The Real Milli Vanilli, Mama Said Knock You Out (Original Recipe - Short) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (Original Recipe - Long) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (For Steering Pleasure) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (Bonus Beats) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (12" Remix) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (Hot Mix - Short) by LL COOL J, Mama Said Knock You Out (Hot Mix - Long) by LL COOL J, 88 by O.C. & PF Cuttin', Play That Funky Music by Vanilla Ice, Blow It Up by Kilo Ali, I'm Serious by Bobcat, 4 Tha Record by MC Zappa, The Rappers by Jovanotti, So Whatcha Want Nigga! (Street Version) by MF Grimm, Breakfast of Champions by Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, Mama Said Knock You Out (The Four Performance) by Sharaya J, Let's Get Ugly by Pop Will Eat Itself, Triple M Bass by Worse 'Em, Shadows by G15 Official, Per Averti Qui by Fabri Fibra, 20 Zoll Mann (Live) by Äi-Tiem, Death Blow by Kool Moe Dee, Raise the Roof by Public Enemy, Groundhog Day by Eminem, Foxy's Bells by Foxy Brown, Wooo by Mac (Ft. Big Ed, Kane & Abel, Mia X, Mr. Serv-On & Snoop Dogg), Ego Trippin' (Original 12" Version) by Ultramagnetic MC's (Ft. Ronnie T), Battle by Erick Sermon (Ft. Sy Scott) & Yesterday by Black Eyed Peas
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