James Todd Smith is one of the most influential people in hip-hop, when he hit the scene in 1985 he bought something new and something different to hip-hop. L(adies) L(ove) Cool J or now it could be L(iving) L(egend) Cool J is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, which has grown to a really solid acting career.  But along the way putting out 13 albums, with that distinctive voice with some great tough lyrics, but also becoming the master of the hip-hop slow jam tracks about the ladies.  How many rappers tried (and in many cases failed) to do those slow jams? I’ll be honest, I was never a huge fan of LL, but I’d put him up there with the other greats of hip-hop; KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Kool Moe D were all my favorites, but no denying LL is a legend and one of the greatest of all time.  Maybe it was the fact that he hit that commercial level with his music that I wasn’t into him as much as some of those others.  My boy growing up; Mike from the boogie down Bronx, aka Money Mike, aka Maker, aka Herbie Love, LOVED LL, and was always playing his music.  So, I heard LL the time.  To this day when I hear “Go Cut Creator Go” I think about Herbie Love. When I heard he was coming out with a new album, his 14th studio album, I thought why, what does he need to prove.  He’s one of GOAT’s. But I guess the question should be, WHY NOT? Hip-hop today lacks something, no it lacks a lot. So, if LL Cool J can bring something good to hip-hop, he should do it. It doesn’t matter how long he’s been doing this, and some could say he’s past his heyday in hip-hop, but his impact on hip-hop is enormous and undeniable, and is still felt today.

When I first listen to an album, especially if I am going to review it, I don’t look at any information, who produced it, collaborations, nothing. I like to go in fresh with a clean slate. So, when I started listening to The Force I was thinking this is LL Cool J rhyming over A Tribe Called Quest beats. Sure enough, we have LL’s lyrics over Q-Tip’s production to bring us a nice mash-up of styles and a pleasant surprise.  They started working on this project in 2020, so this has taken time to create and complete, and it is worth the wait. This is unfiltered hip-hop. The album starts off with “Spirit of Cyrus” which brings an unexpected opener, not in a bad way, and portrays a black vigilante, with their gun pointed at the crooked cops that are always targeting the black communities. LL is fierce and vicious right out the start! This song features Snoop Dogg, I only wish Snoop would have had a verse in this joint. One of Q-Tips strongest productions is on the title track “The FORCE.” Love this beat! The jazzy abstract beats laid out with LL’s flow makes this a hit. “Saturday Night Special” featuring Rick Ross & Fat Joe comes to us next, this is a dope groove with the Q-Tip production and LL kills it with his flow and lyrics. Rick Ross and Fat Joe both do their thing, but compared to LL’s flow, just kind of fall flat. Cool J and Gambian singer Sonia Jobarteh bring us “Black Code Suite” where LL reflects on his life and really defines his blackness. The message is great, the song falls a little flat with both the production and lyrical flow. I love Sonia’s voice and would have like to hear more.

“Passion” is next up, another one of those tracks that takes us back to the glory days, it is a jazzy concoction with the hallmarks of that classic Tribe groove while LL flows over top of the beat.  LL takes us back to those great love songs he’s known for adding Saweetie to “Proclivities.” There is something about the way LL shares his fantasies in his songs, not dirty and raw like so many hip-hop artists do, he makes it sound almost classy! It’s the way he hits us with the storytelling to get his point across. Saweetie sounds so good and is a perfect fit in this joint, the chemistry between them is on point. This brings us to a great song, “Post Modern.” The music is great with blazing electric guitars over a tough, strong beat with LL giving us some ferocious rhymes telling us about his time starting out and his drive to achieve; “My intuition is speakin', I'm tweakin', I can't ignore it/I'm on a mission of beatin' the odds, feed me some more/Got a vision, I'm raisin' the bar up to the Lord/Sowin' and reapin', so pockets are never leakin'. “30 Decembers” gives us a nice classic beat over that Tribe background sound, LL giving us a song about his self-worth, his struggles and growing confidence. One of the better lyrical songs on the album. “Runnit Back” comes on and you think it’s a Tribe or Q-Tip tune, but LL comes in with a slap in the face, BAM it’s me…..flowing straight through talking about his past accomplishments and carrying through his mission to destroy his opposition. “Yo, yo, you gettin' money, you really don't need to talk about it/Move quiet, you should try it, there's some clout around it/Chasin' hoes and overthinkin' the process/Outside of the gates spewin' the nonsense.”

“Huey In The Chair” featuring Busta Rhymes is next, and while not loving this one, both LL and Busta do flex in this one and give us some powerful moments. They bring the energy which helps get this song through.  We get taken back in time with the production in “Basquiat Energy” and those amazing LL bars we have always been used to. “Roll some smoke and throw on Kid Creole/We in it to bring in the dough, not control hoes/In life, you gotta dance to your own rhythm/Nothin' fuckin' wit ya mans, got a bold vision/Devils in the system actin' like they have religion/When the bullets get to whizzing, where is all the moralism?” Nas joins LL on “Praise Him,” for another great song. Love seeing Nas join him on this joint, two legends going head-to-head, two legends that have been doing it for years and are still on top of their game and on top of the hip-hop world. Such a great flow from LL. “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem comes in with that Slim Shady beat feel.  I have the utmost respect for Em, never really got into his music and style, but he can rap with the best of them.  I think he falls a little short in this though, kind of blah with is flow, kinda like been there done that. And I think that carried over to LL’s flow. The album is finished off with “The Vow” featuring Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D. & Don Pablito. We are taken back to a more old school beat and flow, and some of L’s best lyrics and flow on the album. I love the production in this one, but it’s LL’s flow that makes this one of the top tracks, and a perfect way to finish off this project. The young MC’s do a nice job, and I love LL bringing them onto this song, but it is Uncle L that truly delivers.

I’ve been a hip-hop fan for most of my life, been listening since the mid-80’s, and while most of today’s hip-hop doesn’t do it for me, when a legend can come back and hit us with a dope, lyrically strong album it keeps that love of hip-hop alive in me. It’s not great, but it’s powerful, and LL Cool J is still a master rapper, he did say that he had to re-learn how to rhyme while making this album. I think what he is saying is, he didn’t want to just bring us the old school LL, he wanted to keep those strong lyrics and flows, but he needed to step up his game and hit us with some powerful lyrics and rhymes.  And he succeeded! Q-Tip plays an important role as well, bringing a new and fresh style to LL, bringing us some great beats and grooves.  It all comes together, for the most part, and works well.  He brings dynamic tracks that just works with LL's style, flow and delivery. THE FORCE is not flawless, but it is incredibly good and in todays hip-hop…..great. The 56-year-old flexes, brings strong lyrics, gives us some of that old school Uncle L, but also brings us a nice growth and new style. Don’t call it a comeback, he’s been here for years…..and still bringing it!

One Love – Todd Judd