The legendary rapper LL Cool J linked up with Complex in a Skype interview last month and reminded Hip-Hop fans that he paved the way for men to rap about their feelings, including the Drakes and Jadakisses.

I’m very grateful, very thankful and I’m glad that it created a genre. I’m glad that now, years later, a Fabolous can go out and do his thing and still be very well-respected as a lyricist. Jadakiss can do his love song and still be well-respected as a lyricist.

LL Cool J

The veteran rap icon added,

I put that love [and] female [based] vibe in there that gives dudes, like, you know, these guys a lane. People compare me to Drake all the time, but we’re very different artists because I have a lot of hard records and I’m very diverse. But in that aspect of my career, it paved the way for guys like that … who I’m happy for. I like a lot of his music too.

LL Cool J

LL Cool J also talked about the advice music icon Michael Jackson once gave him, meeting 50 Cent pre-fame and more.