LL Cool J
The FORCE
Def Jam/VMG/LL Cool J, Inc.
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It pleases me that we’ve reached the point in hip-hop music where wish fulfillment can happen. And I’m not just talking about previously defunct groups getting back together: in 2024, legacy artists that hip-hop heads have long wanted to work together are making dreams reality. James Todd Smith a.k.a. LL Cool J has taken part in some wish fulfillment with The FORCE, his fourteenth studio album. It’s a collaborative project with Kamaal “Q-Tip” Fareed, best known as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.
The pair certainly took their time to make this project a reality. They’ve been working on the album since at least 2020. LL hadn’t released an album since Authentic (2013), and during the decade since, he has conceived and scrapped numerous follow-ups.
Which makes The FORCE a pleasant surprise. It’s an enjoyable project that succeeds on the basis of both LL’s rhymes and Q-Tip’s production. The lengthy process to complete the album does not appear to have affected its quality, as it’s the best LL project in nearly three-and-a-half decades.
It’s also very…weird. Both LL and Q-Tip’s approaches are different than any album that either artist has released in the past. I certainly applaud LL and Q-Tip’s decision to go left metaphorically, especially when it would have been relatively easy to try to relive past glories.
LL has said in numerous interviews that part of the reason for the delays is that he had to “re-learn how to rhyme.” Which is his way of saying that he needed to step up his game. And he does. He does so by not trying to relive his glory as the 16-year-old flamethrowing lyricist or by chasing new trends. He brings the wisdom of four decades in the game to his verses, while modifying his flows and delivery.
Q-Tip plays an equal role in The Force’s success. Producing nearly all of the album, he works outside of his normal comfort zone in crafting beats for LL. His tracks are dynamic, always fitting LL’s style and delivery. He never drops a proper verse on the album, but is a frequent vocal presence, providing hooks and ad-libs throughout the project.
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Q-Tip’s production is the strongest part of singles like “Saturday Night Special” and “Proclivities,” as well as the album’s title track. He gets very ambitious on the multi-movement “Black Code Suite.” After LL breaks down the small details and eccentricities that help define the Black experience in the United States, the track shifts to an exhibition for Sona Jobarteh, the acclaimed Gambian kora player and griot.
LL delivers a spirited performance on “Basquiat Energy,” matching the vitality of the track, made up of funky guitar licks and hissing percussion. He considers his impact as an artist over the last four decades, using his past as motivation to strive for future dominance. “Sent Rick a demo and he said it was a go,” he raps. “So, I ran up in his dorm, got to kickin' in the door / He’s standing by the drum machine, records on the floor / That's when we became the baddest motherfuckers that you know.”
Occasionally the pair deliver some material that harkens back to their glory days. “Passion” is a jazzy concoction with all the hallmarks of a classic Tribe Called Quest track. LL rhymes with ferocity over the blistering electric guitars on “Post Modern,” recounting his origins and describing his drive to continue to achieve. “I'm on a mission of beatin' the odds, feed me some more,” he raps. “Got a vision, I'm raisin' the bar up to the Lord.”
LL delivers some unorthodox storytelling on The FORCE. He raps from the perspective of a vigilante on “Spirit of Cyrus,” dedicating himself to eradicating racist police officers who terrorize the Black community. On “30 Decembers,” he assumes the role of a newly released former crime don, riding the subway after a lengthy bid in prison, trying to acclimate to a world that he no longer understands. I imagine that the song could also be a metaphor for LL’s reintegration into modern hip-hop.
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LL and Q-Tip do incorporate guest emcees throughout The FORCE. Among the best tracks is “Huey In the Chair,” where he and Busta Rhymes deliver a throwback militant anthem while sounding like a pair of bad-asses. LL teams with Nas on “Praise Him,” another song dedicated to the importance of the work ethic that’s necessary to achieve long-term success. Q-Tip hooks up a solid drum and percussion track, accompanied by sprinkles of keys, while LL and Nas reflect on how far they’ve come over their respective lengthy careers.
LL teams with Eminem on “Murdergram Deux,” the sequel to an album cut of Mama Said Knock You Out (1990). Em has long spoken about being a fan of LL and has detailed at length his love for Mama Said Knock You Out. This is the pair’s first collaboration together, and mileage may vary, but I personally found the song a lot of fun. The two emcees take turns lyrically sprinting across the track, rhyming at warp speeds and using off-the-wall imagery. I’m well aware that Em’s final lines on the song are extremely juvenile, but I cannot lie, I busted out laughing the first time that I heard them.
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LL and Q-Tip end The FORCE by showcasing future talent on “The Vow,” which functions as the inverse of “Farmers Blvd.” from Mama Said. Instead of giving mic time to longtime homies from LL’s earliest days, LL and Tip mostly cede the spotlight to young and upcoming emcees. Mad Squablz, Don Pablito, J-S.A.N.D all do their thing on the mic, with the latter also handling the track’s production. Yet it’s LL who shines the brightest. That’s no disrespect to the three newcomers, as Uncle L delivers likely his best verse on the album. “Gil Heron with the camouflage gear on,” he raps. “Ignorance is the virus, my ink is the Interferon / The Last Poet, revolutionary with guns loaded / Back to elevate the culture, that's my only motive.”
I’m certainly happy to see that LL worked hard to deliver an album that’s different than everything else in his discography. Many artists from his generation prefer to collect checks when they can by performing their tried-and-true hits. The FORCE adds to the legends of LL and Q-Tip, establishing that they are willing to challenge themselves, rather than rest on their respective laurels.
Notable Tracks: “30 Decembers” | “Basquiat Energy” | “Praise Him” | “The Vow”
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