LL Cool J announces new album featuring Eminem and Snoop Dogg
After over a decade without a musical release, the legendary LL Cool J is back with the announcement of a new album. The record, The Force, is set to feature guest collaborations from the likes of Snoop Dogg and Eminem as he welcomes a slew of friends to help him find his form again.
Across the album’s 14 tracks, he offers up an all-star cast of Nas, Eminem, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie, Snoop Dogg, Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D., Mad Squablz, and Sona Jobarteh. This makes it one hell of a stacked return and showcases how the hip hop icon has lost none of his appeal during his lengthy absence.
The famed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy Award-winning musician and actor also teamed-up with his old friend Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, who produced the record in its entirety. They promise that this gives it an old-school vibe, sharpened by LL Cool J’s always biting style.
The rapper from Queens said that he relished the process of re-learning his craft. “It’s like a director going back to film school after he’s had blockbusters,” he said in a press release. “Denzel going back to acting class.” However, he certainly doesn’t think that has tempered the results.
“We’re talking 14 tracks of straight fire, all crafted by myself and the one and only Q-Tip,” he added. “When you listen to this album, you’re not just hearing music, you’re experiencing a whole new vibe, a whole new level of artistic passion.”
However, he certainly hasn’t been quiet during his period away from the studio. He has continued with his extensive charity work and acting and in December 2017, he became the first rapper to earn the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. The award is given to “those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture”, and is regarded as the highest honour an American artist can receive.
You can listen to the groovy, old-school single ‘Passion’ below. The video not only showcases the slickness of his work, but the fact he’s barely left the gym in the last decade to boot.