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LL Cool J Announces First Album in 11 Years: ‘The FORCE’
LL Cool J has announced his first album in 11 years, with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee assembling an impressive guest list for new LP The FORCE .
Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Saweetie, and Busta Rhymes are just some of the talents that grace LL’s 14th studio album and first since 2013’s Authentic , with Q-Tip serving as producer on the entire project.
“We’re talking 14 tracks of straight fire, all crafted by myself and the one and only Q-Tip,” LL said in a statement. “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.”
Ahead of The FORCE ’s September 6 release via Def Jam Recordings / Virgin Music Group, the rapper has shared the album’s second single “Passion”.
For The FORCE — short for Frequencies of Real Creative Energy — LL Cool J likened his years working on the album as “learning how to rap again.” “It’s like a director going back to film school after he’s had blockbusters,” he added in a statement. “Denzel going back to acting class.”
LL Cool J first teased The FORCE back in 2023 when he named his first arena tour in 30 years under that moniker. Like the upcoming album, that trek was an all-star affair with appearances by the Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and more across select cities.
The FORCE Track List
- Spirit of Cyrus (Featuring Snoop Dogg)
- The FORCE
- Saturday Night Special (Featuring Rick Ross and Fat Joe)
- Black Code Suite (Featuring Sona Jobarteh)
- Passion
- Proclivities (Featuring Saweetie)
- Post Modern
- 30 Decembers
- Runnit Back
- Huey In Da Chair (Featuring Busta Rhymes)
- Basquiat Energy
- Praise Him (Featuring Nas)
- Murdergram Deux (Featuring Eminem)
- The Vow (Featuring Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D., and Don Pablito)
LL Cool J is marking his return to the music scene after an 11-year hiatus with the announcement of his new album, The FORCE. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has pulled together an impressive roster of guest artists for his 14th studio album, which promises to be a hit among fans.
The new album features an array of notable collaborators, including Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Saweetie, and Busta Rhymes. This marks LL Cool J’s first album since the release of Authentic in 2013. For this project, he teamed up with Q-Tip, who served as the producer for the entire album.
In an official statement, LL Cool J expressed his excitement about the new release. “We’re talking 14 tracks of straight fire, all crafted by myself and the one and only Q-Tip,” he said. “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.”
Fans don’t have to wait long to get a taste of the new music. Ahead of its September 6 release via Def Jam Recordings/Virgin Music Group, LL Cool J has already shared the album’s second single, “Passion”, giving listeners a preview of what’s to come.
Reflecting on his work on The FORCE — which stands for Frequencies of Real Creative Energy — LL Cool J compared this period to “learning how to rap again.” He added, “It’s like a director going back to film school after he’s had blockbusters. Denzel going back to acting class.”
LL Cool J initially teased the new album back in 2023 by naming his first arena tour in 30 years after it. The tour itself was a star-studded event, featuring performances by the Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, among others in select cities.
For those eager to dive into the full album, here is the track list for The FORCE:
This new album promises to showcase LL Cool J’s reignited passion for rap and highlight his ability to evolve in the dynamic landscape of hip-hop. The combination of seasoned talent and LL’s fresh artistic vision is set to create a unique listening experience for fans.
Source: Rolling Stone, Def Jam Recordings, Virgin Music Group
