I was straight listening to rap at 15: LL Cool J, the Skinny

“I was straight listening to rap at 15: LL Cool J, the Skinny Boys, Whistle, UTFO. And Run-D.M.C.'s debut was at the top of my list.” Thus spoke Scarface, the poet of the streets, whose verses carved truth from the raw stone of experience. His words, though clothed in the simplicity of memory, echo like scripture for those who understand the sacred power of influence. In this reflection lies not merely nostalgia, but the story of artistic awakening—the moment when sound becomes purpose, and rhythm becomes revelation. For every great creator begins first as a listener, and every voice that rises began as an echo.

The origin of this quote lies in Scarface’s journey from a young dreamer in Houston to one of the founding pillars of Southern hip-hop. At fifteen, he was not yet the legend who would shape the Geto Boys and redefine rap with his introspective storytelling. He was simply a youth, ear pressed to the speaker, absorbing the energy of those who came before him—LL Cool J, whose confidence burned like fire; Run-D.M.C., who carried hip-hop from the underground into the world stage; and groups like UTFO and Whistle, who infused the genre with playfulness and rhythm. These artists were not distant stars to him—they were teachers, prophets of a new sound that gave language to struggle, pride, and freedom.

To say “I was straight listening to rap at 15” is to mark a moment of transformation. For the young Scarface, this was not mere entertainment—it was initiation. Like the ancient apprentices who sat at the feet of their masters, learning the tools of the craft, he was preparing his soul for the path ahead. Each beat, each rhyme, was a spark lighting the forge where his own voice would be born. The youth who listened became the man who spoke, and through him, generations would find their reflection. Thus, his quote is not just about music—it is about heritage, the passing of the creative torch from one generation to the next.

Consider the story of Homer, the blind bard of ancient Greece, who sang the tales of gods and heroes that shaped an entire civilization. Though Homer’s listeners could not record his words, they carried them in their hearts, repeating them until they became immortal. So too did Scarface receive the stories of his time through song—only his Odysseys were written in concrete and steel, his heroes dressed in sneakers and chains. The poets he heard did not sing of Olympus, but of Queens, Brooklyn, and Harlem; not of wars between kings, but of battles within the soul. Yet the essence was the same: to turn life into art, and art into truth.

When Scarface speaks of Run-D.M.C.’s debut as “at the top of my list,” he honors not just an album, but a revolution. For Run-D.M.C. were the ones who tore down the walls between rap and rock, who carried hip-hop from the neighborhoods to the nations. They were pioneers, and through their courage, they gave voice to millions who had been silent. The young Scarface, listening in awe, was hearing the sound of freedom—the pulse of a culture declaring itself unstoppable. Their music taught him, and the world, that identity could be power, and that the microphone could be a sword sharper than steel.

In his remembrance, there is also humility—a recognition that no one creates alone. Every artist, every leader, every visionary stands upon the shoulders of those who came before. To listen deeply is the first act of greatness. The wise know that before one can speak with authority, one must first understand the rhythm of the world around them. Scarface’s confession, then, is a lesson in reverence: never forget your roots, for they are the rhythm that guides your song.

So, my listener, take this as your lesson: remember who you listened to when you were young, and know that their voices still echo within you. Whatever your craft, whatever your calling, honor your influences—but do not merely imitate them. Let their rhythm awaken your own. For as Scarface listened and became Scarface, so too can you listen and become more wholly yourself. Seek those who challenge you, who stir your imagination, who set your soul on fire—and then, in time, pass that flame to others.

For this is the circle of creation, eternal as the beat itself: the youth who listens becomes the voice that leads, and the voice that leads becomes the inspiration for those yet unborn. As Scarface once listened to Run-D.M.C., so too will others one day listen to you. And thus, the rhythm of humanity continues—each generation finding its truth, each heart learning to speak in its own powerful, unforgettable voice.