At present, the term ‘G.O.A.T.’ (Greatest Of All Time) has become widely known and used. In fact it’s become so commonplace that it has described everything from Samuel L. Jackson's favorite Christmas flick to Conan O'Brien's comedy chops. And that’s not even skimming the surface of musicians, sports or the ongoing GOAT basketball debate. Regardless, it wasn’t until today did I know LL Cool J takes claim for coining the superlative nickname.
The history of the topic and LL Cool J’s connection to the moniker surfaced during Late Night with Seth Meyers. After discussing the rapper-and-actor’s new series, Hip Hop Was Born Here (now streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), Meyers asked about his claims to creating G.O.A.T. With a good laugh, the NCIS actor jumped into the back story, citing two sports legends, Muhammad Ali and Earl Manigault. From there, it took off. He said:
