LL COOL J “THE FORCE” Album Review

LL COOL J’s new album THE FORCE closes a 40-year loop with Def Jam Recordings, through which he released his and the label’s first song “I Need A Beat” in 1984. While this isn’t the end of his career, it does feel like a last hurrah of sorts. After all, hip-hop recently turned half a century old, it’s LL’s first album in 11 years, and the rap game definitely looks unrecognizable compared to when he first entered. But even with all this in mind, what makes this new project particularly compelling is that it still sounds fresh, hungry, grounded, and above all, passionate. With Q-Tip at the production helm and so much perspective to reflect on through his pen, Mr. “Ladies Love Cool James” successfully translates his dominance of fundamental skills into the contemporary era.

Rather than sticking to a traditionally conservative idea of boom-bap, Q-Tip mixes in many different styles and sonic moods through his instrumentals as THE FORCE‘s main beatsmith. The opening track “Spirit Of Cyrus” featuring Snoop Dogg is an immediate example: ambient sounds of nature at night add vivid atmosphere to LL’s condemnation of police brutality, contrasted by a crisp drum pattern, warm wah guitars, eerie synthesizers, and haunting vocal samples. In addition, the modern mixes on these songs make them fully come alive more so than his typical material. The modular progression on “Black Code Suite” with Sona Jobarteh is a captivating mix of timbres, “Proclivities” with Saweetie is one of the Queens MC’s most dreamy and woozy beats to date, and “30 Decembers” dazzles with a surprisingly psychedelic guitar line.

Read More: LL COOL J Gets Real About Joe Budden Finally Going Gold In 2024

LL COOL J’s Pen Is Still Sharp

As for lyricism, it’s very simple: LL COOL J’s still got it. He delivers single-issue odes, paralleling religion and culture, like “For the sake of equality, I’m fathering the song/ Spirit of God, bring he and her along” on “Praise Him” featuring Nas. LL sharpens his rhyme schemes and double entendres for more aggressive onslaughts, such as “This Halloween: them candy bars’ll get you killed in the forest” off of “Murdergram Deux” with Eminem. James Todd Smith doesn’t stray far from his typical wheelhouse, exploring generational changes, decades-long luxurious success, Black empowerment and solidarity, youthful memories, and fulfilling his family’s lifelong goals. For the most part, he also frames his bars within a focused linear structure that nurtures his streams of consciousness. One example is “Saturday Night Special” with Rick Ross and Fat Joe thanks to its piece-by-piece character portrait of an insecure gangster.

On that note, LL Cool J’s decades of lived experience make these topics much more nuanced than his past material. However, they are still retreads at the end of the day. One of THE FORCE‘s biggest flaws is its sense of repetition to varying degrees, whether it’s a relatively mid-tempo journey for most of the LP or its recycled themes or flows. Even though the production is always quality and does bring some variety to the table (see the resuscitated and warped ’80s drum machine worship on “Post Modern”), tracks like “Runnit Back” don’t revisit the themes of wealth and competition in notably fresh ways. But all in all, these are minimal missteps across this album’s runtime. The quality standard is consistent, even if the ceiling isn’t the highest among “old-school” hip-hop releases this year.

Read More: LL COOL J Clarifies Why He Excluded Jay-Z & DMX From His Def Jam Mount Rushmore

How Will THE FORCE Live On?

That ceiling is lower because, well, LL COOL J is a legend. You can’t hear a classically funky cut like “Basquiat Energy” or the title track and act particularly surprised; he’s always made these gems. The deliciously jazzy keys and bass on “Passion” are beloved Q-Tip-style production, of which there are a hundred other stunning examples. But throughout THE FORCE, there are amazing and cathartic instrumental moments, killer features, and standout bars such as “King of the Jungle, but still humble at the Panther Party” on “Huey In The Chair” with Busta Rhymes. Finally, the closer “The Vow” is a very fitting end to this story. LL narrates his birth as the first GOAT MC with revolutionary rhetoric and then hands the mic over to younger MCs: Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D., and Don Pablito.

Furthermore, LL COOL J knows his place in the game. He has the power and knowledge to follow his own intuition and ideology regarding hip-hop and is excited about tomorrow’s rap music. It’s part of what comprises the “Frequencies of Real Creative Energy”: you have your message, you honor your traditions, and you find a way to preserve and adapt them to a new dawn. LL doesn’t come across as an old-head pining for his prime, or that of the art form. He’s leading by example, joining forces with Q-Tip to present a distilled, cohesive, and refined image of classic hip-hop that appeals to and connects with current musical standards. In that way, THE FORCE is the perfect palate cleanser for rap music in 2024. If you ever get lost while exploring the culture’s ecosystem, just come back to these roots and you’ll feel that spark again.

Read More: LL COOL J Says Kendrick Lamar’s Beef Tactics Against Drake Were “The Funniest S**t In The World”

The post LL COOL J “THE FORCE” Album Review appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

STARZ Drops Explosive Trailer and Premiere Date for ‘Power Book IV: Force’ Season 2

STARZ Drops Explosive Trailer and Premiere Date for 'Power Book IV: Force' Season 2

STARZ has unleashed the high-octane trailer for the upcoming second season of Power Book IV: Force, along with captivating gallery images and key art, intensifying excitement for the highly anticipated drama. The series returns on Friday, September 1, at midnight ET on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms, and internationally on LIONSGATE+’s premium streaming platform in the UK and Ireland. Linear viewers in the U.S. and Canada can catch the debut at 8 PM ET/PT on STARZ.

The season’s synopsis reads:

Nothing stands in Tommy Egan’s way this season as he makes his play at becoming the sole drug distributor in Chicago. Alliances form and competitors become targets as a turf war heats up and Tommy must race to stay one step ahead of everyone. Meanwhile, a federal task force is zeroed in on him and he has an eye on a special someone, forcing him to decide what he is willing to sacrifice to claim Chicago as his.    

Starring Joseph Sikora as “Tommy Egan,” the show’s cast features a powerhouse ensemble, including Lili Simmons, Shane Harper, Kris D. Lofton, Carmela Zumbado, and Tommy Flanagan.

“Power Book IV: Force” is the latest addition to the expansive “Power” Universe franchise, with Gary Lennon as showrunner and executive producer for the thrilling second season. The series is produced by Lionsgate Television for STARZ, with Courtney A. Kemp, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Mark Canton among the executive producers. Get ready for another intense chapter in the gripping “Power” saga.

The post STARZ Drops Explosive Trailer and Premiere Date for ‘Power Book IV: Force’ Season 2 first appeared on The Source.

The post STARZ Drops Explosive Trailer and Premiere Date for ‘Power Book IV: Force’ Season 2 appeared first on The Source.

YK Osiris’ Treatment Of Sukihana Gets Slammed By Wack 100

The Internet is becoming increasingly and unfortunately divided over YK Osiris’ unwanted advances towards Sukihana, who he grabbed and repeatedly tried to kiss despite her reluctance while she commentated a basketball game. Instead of scolding the artist for his behavior, defending the Delaware native’s rights, and acknowledging the violation of them, many instead focused on the reaction to these actions, labeling it another witch hunt and asking people to downplay what happened. No such reaction came from Wack 100, though, who had strong words for Osiris. Via Instagram, he defended the “Love & Hip Hop: Miami” star and called out those defending the rapper.

“@ykosiris I’ve been knowing you for a while,” Wack 100’s message began. “But for this you need ya a** whooped! Those men that sat there & watched that were in arms reach y’all COWARDS as well! So what if a women works at a strip club. So what if she has a only fans doing whatever, so what if she raps songs about how good something is. That gives no man the right to force themselves on any women. @meekmill if you ain’t gone check @ykosiris publicly don’t ask this woman to look the other way publicly. They make a few places for people like this… prison, ER, mortuary.”

Read More: Meek Mill To Sukihana About YK Osiris: “Don’t Do This To Him”

Wack 100 Slams YK Osiris

Many criticized Wack 100’s response not because they disagreed, but because his artist Blueface is known to mistreat women as well. In the hours since the incident made headlines, YK Osiris apologized for his actions. “I want to publicly offer my sincerest apology to Sukihana,” he posted on Instagram. “In an attempt to be playful, I misread the moment and violated Sukihana’s boundaries. I understand the importance of consent and I am embarrassed by my behavior, I take full responsibility and have made multiple attempts to apologize. I have the utmost admiration for Sukihana and it was never my intention to disrespect her.”

Said apology came soon after Sukihana deleted her Twitter account, an action that followed a series of tweets seemingly addressing the situation. In them, she expressed feeling “hurt and scared to stand up for” herself, “crying all day,” once using alcohol to cope and then leaving it behind, and feeling the need to disappear for some time. Her mother slammed the rapper’s apology as “fake” in a since-deleted post. No matter your take on the situation, two wrongs don’t make a right, and certainly don’t warrant attacks on Sukihana or her family for what happened. For the latest updates and news on YK Osiris, Wack 100, and Sukihana, stay up to date on HNHH.

Read More: Amber Rose Voices Support For Sukihana After YK Osiris Incident

The post YK Osiris’ Treatment Of Sukihana Gets Slammed By Wack 100 appeared first on HotNewHipHop.