Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Kennedy Center Honoree, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J officially released his first new album in over a decade, THE FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), via Def Jam Recordings / Virgin Music Group. The 14-track record is a powerful return that marks a new era for both LL and Hip-Hop. Produced entirely by A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip (who also drew the album artwork himself while in the studio recording), THE FORCE is a testament to LL COOL J’s relentless passion and dedication to his craft, offering fans a dynamic blend of modern sounds and classic Hip-Hop energy. Stream/download the album HERE.
THE FORCE is a potent reminder of just how visceral his music can be. The album represents years of intense work, which the Queens emcee likens to “learning how to rap again.” “It’s like a director going back to film school after he’s had blockbusters,” LL says, or “Denzel going back to acting class.” The result is an album that sounds thoroughly modern—full of razor-sharp writing and nimble, elastic vocals—but rooted in a rich tradition. As LL COOL J drops THE FORCE, it’s a reminder of just how long he’s been shaping the culture – when his debut album hit the streets, Michael Jordan was still a rookie. Now, decades later, LL continues to innovate and elevate the game, proving that greatness endures.
The album opens with the wildly inventive “Spirit of Cyrus,” the sort of unexpected jab to the jaw that would rattle even a seasoned prize fighter. That track is buoyed by a typically silky hook from Snoop Dogg, and elsewhere on THE FORCE, LL flexes his considerable skills as a collaborator, trading bars with Nas, Eminem, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie, Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D., Mad Squablz, and Sona Jobarteh. The Busta duet, “Huey In Da Chair,” pays tribute to LL’s aunt, Joan, the first female Black Panther.
At the core of all the irresistible beats and staggering displays of technical skill, however, is that grit that LL mentions as missing from so many accomplished artists’ lives. Nowhere is this clearer than on “30 Decembers.” Written at the height of the pandemic, that record recounts LL’s rare chances to go incognito: black mask and shades under a black hoodie, he would take the train around New York with no security, revisiting project hallways and long-forgotten corners, the sense memories coming back in a flood.
“It feels good to finally have this record out in the world,” LL said. “As I’ve said before, this album brings a whole new vibe. I’m returning to my roots…you all better buckle up.”
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