Nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hip-Hop icon, two-time Grammy winner, Kennedy Center Honoree, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder/CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J releases his first album in a decade, “THE FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy)”.
The 14-track album is a powerful return that marks a new era for both LL COOL J and Hip-Hop. Produced entirely by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest (who also designed the album cover during studio recordings), THE FORCE is proof of LL COOL J’s tireless passion and dedication to his craft, offering fans a dynamic mix of modern sounds.
THE FORCE is a powerful reminder of how visceral his music can be. The album represents years of intense work, which the Queens MC compares to “learning how to rap again.” “It’s like a filmmaker going back to film school after making blockbusters,” says LL. The result is an album that sounds modern. The fact that LL COOL J is releasing THE FORCE is a reminder of how long the rapper has been shaping culture – when his debut album hit the streets, Michael Jordan was still a young man. Now, decades later, LL continues to innovate, proving that greatness endures.
The album opens with the inventive “Spirit of Cyrus,” the kind of unexpected punch in the jaw that would shake even an experienced fighter. This song is driven by a typically silky chorus from Snoop Dogg, and on other songs from The FORCE, LL exercises his skills as a collaborator, trading rhymes with Nas, Eminem, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie, Don Pablito, J-S.AND, Mad Squablz, and Sona Jobarteh. The duet with Busta, “Huey In Da Chair,” pays homage to LL’s aunt, Joan, the first female member of the Black Panthers.
At the centre of all the irresistible beats and impressive displays of technical skill, however, is that courage that LL mentions as absent in the lives of so many talented artists. Nowhere is this clearer than in “30 Decembers.” Written at the height of the pandemic, this record chronicles LL’s rare chances to go incognito: black mask and sunglasses under a black hoodie, at the time he was taking the New York subway without security, revisiting long-forgotten corridors and corners. Over time, the memories of the sensation came flooding back.
“It feels good to finally release this album to the world,” said LL. “As I’ve said before, this album brings a whole new energy. I’m going back to my roots… you better fasten your seatbelts.”
THE FORCE covers topics such as racial injustice, police brutality, isolation and observations triggered by the pandemic, legacy and reflections on LL’s place in the canon while remaining vital, entertaining and one of LL’s most urgent lyrical works. With this album, LL offers a map for an entire genre and culture to draw enough inspiration.
To accompany the release of THE FORCE, the lead single “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem, iconic paradigm-shifting artist and Hip-Hop icon and innovator, LL COOL J (who coined the term “G.O.A.T.”), features exclusive lyrical verses from both artists. The song attacks on all fronts, mixing LL COOL J’s masterful flow with Eminem’s razor-sharp wit, creating a dynamic that is both explosive and unforgettable.
From the opening bars, “Murdergram Deux” sets the tone for an unrelenting listening experience, drawing listeners into a world with an intense narrative and vivid imagery of two Hip-Hop legends. The official video, to be released soon, promises to be a visual feast.
“THE FORCE”:
1. “Spirit of Cyrus (Featuring Snoop Dogg)”
2. “The FORCE”
3. “Saturday Night Special (Featuring Rick Ross and Fat Joe)”
4. “Black Code Suite (Featuring Sona Jobarteh)”
5. “Passion”
6. “Proclivities (Featuring Saweetie)”
7. “Post Modern”
8. “30 Decembers”
9. “Runnit Back”
10. “Huey In Da Chair (Featuring Busta Rhymes)”
11. “Basquiat Energy”
12. “Praise Him (Featuring Nas)”
13. “Murdergram Deux (Featuring Eminem)”
14. “The Vow (Featuring Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D., and Don Pablito)”
To celebrate the release of The FORCE next week, on Wednesday, September 11, LL COOL J will take to the stage of the ”VMAs” for an unmissable performance of the music of the new album.
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