Wikipedia

The Force (LL Cool J album)

The Force, stylized as The FORCE (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), is the upcoming fourteen studio album by rapper and actor LL Cool J. It is currently scheduled for a September 6, 2024 release. It will be LL Cool J's first official studio album in over eleven years since his 2013 predecessor, Authentic and his first under Def Jam Recordings since 2008's Exit 13.[1] Rather than Def Jam and parent company Universal Music Group, the album will instead be distributed by both companies' independent sister label, Virgin Music Group.[2]

The Force
Studio album by
LL Cool J
ReleasedSeptember 6, 2024 (2024-09-06)
Recorded2017 – 2024
GenreHip hop
Label
ProducerQ-Tip
LL Cool J chronology
Authentic
(2013) 		The Force
(2024)
Singles from The FORCE
  1. "Saturday Night Special"
    Released: June 14, 2024
  2. "Passion"
    Released: July 12, 2024

The album is mainly produced by Q-Tip, which it has been in development since late 2020.[3]

Background

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The album was originally set for development in the summer of 2014 under the title, GOAT 2, alluding to it being a sequel to LL Cool J's 2000 number-one album, G.O.A.T.[4] During 2015, he went idle from music to focus on acting (NCIS: Los Angeles)[5] and hosting (Lip Sync Battle).[6]

In March 2016, he announced his intentions to retire from recording music to focus more on his acting career.[7] After negative feedback from fans, LL would later reiterate his announcement and decided to scrap the original album and create a new one.[8] The then-untitled album was left under development hell from 2017 to 2023.[citation needed] In 2019, it was announced that LL Cool J and former labelmate DMX (who would later die in 2021)[9] resigned with Def Jam Recordings for their upcoming albums to be released.[10] No follow-ups were heard of LL's album afterwards until March 2022, when he confirmed on Instagram that producer Q-Tip was assigned to produce a majority of the album.[3]

On February 22, 2023, LL playfully reminded his social media followers that his album was scrapped because "it was too hot", before instating that it was "not yet worthy of a release" that year.[11] That March, he and various artists embarked on a promotional tour leading up to the release of the album.[12][13][14][15] On July 12, 2024, in celebration for the fortieth anniversary of the founding of his label, Def Jam, he announced the newly-titled The FORCE, claiming that he "had to learn how to rap again".[16]

On July 22, the album's track list was revealed.[16]

Projected guest appearances

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Artists who are predicted to appear on the album are rappers Nas, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Saweetie, Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D., Mad Squabiz, Busta Rhymes and singer/musician Sona Jobarteh.[16]

Singles

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On June 15, 2024, the first projected single for the album, "Saturday Night Special", was released. It features Fat Joe and Rick Ross.[17] According to LL, it was originally intended for a joint collaborative album he recorded with rapper 50 Cent; it would ultimately be cancelled, because it "didn't fit my style", said LL.[18][19]

On July 12, 2024, the second single, "Passion", was released at the same time the album was announced.[20]

Track list

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All tracks are written by James Todd Smith, except where indicated.

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Spirit of Cyrus" (featuring Snoop Dogg)   
2."The Force" (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy)   
3."Saturday Night Special" (featuring Fat Joe and Rick Ross)
Kamaal Fareed 
4."Black Code Suite" (featuring Sona Jobarteh)   
5."Passion"   
6."Provactive" (featuring Saweetie)
Fareed 
7."Post Modern"   
8."30 Decembers"   
9."Runnit Back"   
10."Huey in the Chair" (featuring Busta Rhymes)
Fareed 
11."Basquiat Energy"   
12."Praise Him" (featuring Nas)
Fareed 
13."Murdergram Deux" (featuring Eminem)
Fareed 
14."The Don" (featuring Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D. and Mad Squabiz)   

References

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  1. ^ Strauss, Matthew (2024-07-12). "LL Cool J Announces First Album in 11 Years, Shares New "Passion" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  2. ^ Kreps, Daniel (2024-07-12). "LL Cool J Announces First Album in 11 Years, 'The FORCE'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  3. ^ a b S, Lynn (2020-01-02). "LL Cool J Reveals He & Q-Tip Are Working On An Album For Def Jam Records". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  4. ^ "LL Cool J Collaborates With Eminem, T.I. for G.O.A.T. 2". BET. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  5. ^ "LL Cool J just returned to 'NCIS' in a finale cameo. Looks like he's there to stay". Los Angeles Times. 2023-05-23. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  6. ^ Quan, Denise (2018-01-17). "Chrissy Teigen & LL Cool J Talk 'Lip Sync Battle' Season 4: 'It's Fun to See Celebrities Squirm a Little Bit'". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  7. ^ Greenwald,Billboard, Morgan (2016-03-15). "LL Cool J 'retires,' then announces new album". CNN. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  8. ^ Donaldson, Erich "Sermon" (2016-03-15). "Unretired Rap Legend LL Cool J Shares New Album Details & Offers 'G.O.A.T. 2' Update". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  9. ^ Drake, David (2021-04-09). "DMX, Rapper Who Blended Aggressive Menace With Emotional Sincerity, Dead at 50". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  10. ^ "LL Cool J and DMX reportedly return to Def Jam Records". KISS 104.1 FM. 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  11. ^ "LL Cool J Scraps Comeback Album Before Changing His Mind". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  12. ^ "Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Present The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies Of Real Creative Energy) Live North American Summer Tour Headlined By LL COOL J". Music Recall Magazine. 2023-05-01. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  13. ^ Malcolm X Abram, cleveland com (2023-08-11). "LL Cool J leads THE F.O.R.C.E. Live, but the lineup offers two decades of hip hop legends on one stage". cleveland. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  14. ^ "Hip-hop legends a 'F.O.R.C.E' to be reckoned with at United Center show". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-08-14. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  15. ^ Galindo, Thomas (2023-04-26). "LL Cool J Reveals Star-Studded "The F.O.R.C.E. Live" Tour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  16. ^ a b c Kaufman, Gil (2024-07-12). "LL Cool J Reveals Tracklist for 'The FORCE,' Says He Had to Learn 'How to Rap Again' For First Album in 11 Years". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  17. ^ Ekpo, Ime. "LL Cool J Teams Up With Rick Ross And Fat Joe For New Q-Tip Produced Single". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  18. ^ REVOLT. "LL Cool J talks about nixed joint album with 50 Cent, says it didn't reflect his style". REVOLT. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  19. ^ "LL COOL J Sheds Light On Scrapped Album With 50 Cent: 'It Didn't Work'". HipHopDX. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  20. ^ Quan, Jay. "Listen To LL COOL J's New Single, 'Passion'". rockthebells.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
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