LL Cool J Backtracks After Claiming He’s Shelving Q-Tip-Produced Album

LL Cool J just graced the stage at the Grammys, holding down hosting duties during the Hip-Hop 50 tribute set. The concert brought forth the OGs and pioneers with the new generation of artists to emerge. Who would’ve thought they’d ever see Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King and Lil Uzi Vert on the same stage? Ultimately, it showcased the power of hip-hop 50 years after its inception as a block party in the Bronx. Coming off of the momentum of the performance, LL Cool J began ramping up the efforts for his next studio album

The comeback album has been in the works for a few years with Q-Tip at the helm of production. The two began working on the project in 2020 but following the Grammys, LL Cool J provided a promising update. “I know all the tricks. I got this covered,” he said during an interview on the Grammys red carpet. “Look, it was executive produced by Q-Tip. The album I think is really, really special. I think it’s something it’s modern without chasing. It’s a whole new thing. I can’t wait for the people to see it.”

LL Cool J Cancels Then Backtracks

This morning, LL Cool J startled fans when he announced that the project wouldn’t drop. He shared three tweets where he stated that he won’t release the project. “Just not feeling like this album is worthy of being released [face palm emoji] I tried… Not dropping it,” he wrote after claiming that he’s working relentlessly to put the album out. It seemed odd, especially with Q-Tip’s involvement, that the project wasn’t to his liking. 

Ultimately, he deleted the tweets and it seems that he was either trolling or Q-Tip convinced him to backtrack. LL hit the ‘Gram with another video where he explained the reason why he didn’t want to drop the project. “I was considering not putting the record out because… IT’S TOO FUCKIN’ GOOD,” he said with a laugh. “Q-Tip, you a genius, baby!” He added that it’s his favorite album that he’s ever made before confirming that he’ll be dropping a release date and tracklist soon. Who do you think will land on the project? Sound off in the comments.