Legendary rapper and actor LL Cool J recently reflected on his long career and shared a surprising insight: he never expected to invent one of the most widely used expressions in modern culture.

As he approaches the 40-year mark in the entertainment industry, LL—born James Todd Smith—continues to balance a successful music career with major roles in film and television. After more than a decade away from releasing a full album, he has returned with The FORCE, a project produced entirely by Q-Tip and released through Def Jam, the label where he first launched his career in 1984.

LL explained that the end of NCIS: Los Angeles, where he spent 14 years starring as Special Agent Sam Hanna, opened the door for him to focus on music again. Though he has enjoyed acting, he says songwriting remains his first passion and something he feels drawn back to whenever inspiration hits.

Amid discussing his new work, LL addressed a cultural contribution that has followed him for more than two decades. In 2000, he titled an album G.O.A.T., short for “Greatest of All Time.” The acronym blended Muhammad Ali’s famous self-proclamation with a nod to street basketball legend Earl “The Goat” Manigault. LL had no idea the term would spread worldwide and become a staple in sports and pop culture.

While he jokes that he wishes he had trademarked it, LL sees its global reach as motivation. To him, the phrase’s popularity is proof that creativity can have an impact far beyond its original intention.