The new project will feature Nas, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and more
Rapper LL Cool J has announced his 14th studio album The FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) will be released on Friday, September 6th via Def Jam Recordings/Virgin Music Group. The highly anticipated 14-track record features Nas, Eminem, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie, Snoop Dogg, Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D., Mad Squablz, and Sona Jobarteh.
The FORCE, LL’s first new album in more than a decade, is a potent reminder of just how visceral his music can be. Produced in its entirety by A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, The FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) represents years of intense work, which the Queen 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. With The FORCE, LL returns to the music scene to show fans that an artist of his status can continue to achieve greatness so many years later.
The album highlights new music styles from LL, all with the lyrical and conceptual genius one can always expect from him. The FORCE covers heady topical themes like racial injustice, law enforcement abuses, isolation, and observations brought on by the pandemic, legacy, and musings on LL’s place in the canon while remaining vital, fun, and some of LL’s most urgent lyrical work. With his 14th studio album, LL offers a roadmap for the terrain an entire genre and culture might soon be inspired enough to explore.
“We’re talking 14 tracks of straight fire, all crafted by myself and the one and only Q-Tip,” LL states. “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.”
Riding the wave of the first single “Saturday Night Special” featuring Rick Ross and Fat Joe, LL also released the second track from The FORCE, “Passion.” Kicking off with the sounds of static electricity trapped inside the vinyl, “Passion” features a dynamic beat as LL dances on the lyrics, creating a quintessential Hip-Hop track that is sure to have fans seeking more. Through the track, LL hones in on the importance of passion and the role it plays in success. The closing line of the last verse states: “That’s always been your problem, Dennis / No passion.”
- 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)
