With his name cemented in hip-hop history, there’s nothing left for LL Cool J to prove, but he’s coming with some new heat anyway. His hunger for hip-hop is still very much there, and he’s pouring it into The Force (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), a Q-Tip-produced new album set to drop on September 6. To go along with the news, he released “Passion,” a dynamic new single that only builds momentum for his upcoming drop. Check it out for yourself below.
The 14-track album is reportedly set to look into LL’s mindstate over the last few years. According to LL himself, the album’s origins stem from a dream he had a while back. At the time, he said, he wasn’t satisfied with the quality of the music he was crafting. In an interview with the Associated Press, he explained that in the dream, he saw the late A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg. “He told me, ‘Yo, man, that new music you’re working on is great, man,’ LL explained. “But he had a look on his face like a Cheshire cat, like he was lying to me.” Soon after, LL got in touch with Q-Tip and made him the sole producer of The Force.
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J Boog
Tuesday, June 16 @ UC Theater, Berkeley
DaBoyDame w/ Keyshia Cole, Plies +more
Friday, June 19 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Buju Banton & Stephen Marley
Saturday, June 20 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Kev Choice Ensemble
Friday, June 26 @ Yoshi's, Oakland
Khalid
Friday, June 26 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
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Saturday, Aug 15 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
Jungle
Wednesday, Oct 7 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
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