On May 22, 2017, in the dead of night, LL COOL J posted a tweet that has become the stuff of internet legend: “If I hear one more terrible rap record I’m gonna have to do it to these meatballs.” The message, while hilarious in format, painted a picture of an artist who was hungry for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the hip-hop industry. Again.
LL COOL J is familiar with making his presence known—it’s not an exaggeration to say that he is still a commanding figure in hip-hop nearly four decades after his debut, 1985’s Radio. His face, voice, and physique are instantly recognizable for even the most casual of rap fans. That’s partially because of his acting career, which has been capped off by a successful run on the popular TV crime procedural NCIS: Los Angeles. As many accolades as LL has received for his time on the screen—a side quest solidified by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—his place as a pioneer of hip-hop culture remains his most prized status.
Born James Todd Smith in 1968, just five years before hip-hop’s apocryphal birthday, LL COOL J was destined to be immersed in the genre. His home state of New York, the birthplace of hip-hop, all but solidified his future. His early albums are revolutionary: the aforementioned Radio; 1987’s Bigger And Deffer; and 1990’s Mama Said Knock You Out. These projects presented an articulate MC who was focused on building the incredibly crucial foundation of a budding art form. His following albums, such as 1995’s Mr. Smith, 1997’s Phenomenon, and 2002’s 10, were a showcase of an artist making a seamless transition from young up-and-comer to solidified veteran. His projects from that point have been less impactful; his most recent effort, 2013’s Authentic, was bloated beyond enjoyment, brimming with features that overpowered the well-known essence of LL COOL J.
More than a decade later, the MC has released his fourteenth album, THE FORCE. With a considerably more careful eye toward featured guests, LL uses this album to continue striving toward the title of GOAT (greatest of all time). He already released an album by that name, in 2000, but 24 years later, LL still feels he has a point to prove.
Produced entirely by another figure of hip-hop royalty, Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, THE FORCE sounds intentionally disjointed, but broad and cinematic. Q-Tip’s production style tends to incorporate far-flung samples that weave themselves into a cohesive, hard-hitting beat. The sound of THE FORCE is eclectic and jazz-inflected, but filled with the bass and snares that make hip-hop go round. On the opening track, the Snoop Dogg-assisted “Spirit Of Cyrus,” LL COOL J imagines the life and decisions of a Black vigilante: “Don’t let the lies deceive you, they pushed me to my limit / Racism’s a disease, it’s only right I kill it.”
LL COOL J grapples with the multifaceted aspects of the Black experience here and elsewhere, like on the ambling “Black Code Suite.” Over a dusty groove of a beat, the rapper references NBA player Kyrie Irving, W. E. B. Du Bois, Harriet Tubman, and Diana Ross in a potent, if not slightly misguided, verse that points out the different ways of being Black. LL COOL J also tag-teams with Busta Rhymes on “Huey In The Chair,” a song inspired by the late Black and human rights activist Huey P. Newton. The title of the song references an iconic photo of an armed Newton sitting in a tall wicker chair that has been stylistically replicated across time.
Never one to forget his roots, LL COOL J incorporates his playboy persona that has been on display since his first hip-hop ballad, 1987’s “I Need Love.” With “Proclivities,” featuring Saweetie, LL harkens back to the style of rhymes that have made him into a household name. Even though Saweetie hadn’t yet been born when LL released “Jingling Baby” in 1989, she interpolates the song and offers her feminine take, straddling the line between innocent flirtation and outright sexual desires.
The bright spots of THE FORCE are the moments when LL feels challenged, and when he feels up for that challenge. “Saturday Night Special” with Rick Ross and Fat Joe is a hip-hop lover’s dream, capped off by what might be Q-Tip’s best beat on the project. Navigating a thick synth line down the center of the track, the three MCs rap confidently about their authenticity, accomplishments, and aspirations. On the opposite end of the energetic spectrum, LL goes toe-to-toe with Eminem on “Murdergram Deux.” A sequel to “Murdergram,” from the 1990 album Mama Said Knock You Out, the song features a skittering beat that’s perfect for LL and Em to toss frenetic verses back and forth. The songs when LL goes it alone, like “Passion,” reveal an artist who’s driven to keep up with the times. His lyrical abilities are still limber, and his desire to connect with a young audience is crystal clear. It’s also apparent that LL is still finding ways to coexist with his peers and successors, in a new landscape.
While THE FORCE isn’t genre-defining, it’s not a knock against LL COOL J. As an artist who was at the forefront of constructing the sound, feel, and attitude of hip-hop, LL is partly responsible for the genre’s widespread acceptance and adoration today. In a recent interview with The Independent, LL offered his perspective on his longevity. “I wanna show you can be creative in your 40th year of hip-hop, just like a film director can be creative 40 years in,” he said. “There’s no reason why an artist in hip-hop can’t continue to be innovative, so long as they stay curious and keep caring and coming up with new ideas.” That knowledge of self pumps through the veins of THE FORCE, a strong statement from an artist who has been, and will continue to be, committed to pushing hip-hop forward.
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