American rapper and actor LL Cool J poses for a portrait in New York, NY, on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. He joined Morning edition to talk about his return to rap after 11 years.
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LL Cool J, two-time Grammy winner, has never lost his rapping skills. At the age of 56, the legend is rapping again The power — short for Frequencies of Real Creative Energy — his first album in 11 years.
LL Cool J’s new album features collaborations with Nas, Eminem and Snoop Dogg.
© 2024 LL COOL J, Inc.
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© 2024 LL COOL J, Inc.
His new album, out September 6, was produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest and features several of his contemporaries, including Nas, Eminem and Snoop Dogg. Across 14 tracks, the album tackles themes such as social injustice and racism. But it’s not all hard-hitting; in a collaboration with rapper Saweetie, the two rap about seduction and lust.
In 2017, LL Cool J became the first hip-hop artist to receive the Kennedy Center Honors for his lifetime achievement in American culture. The previous year, his star was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He has had a successful acting career in film and television and played a special agent in the crime drama “NCIS: Los Angeles”.
The musician from Queens, New York, rose to fame in the 1980s. At the age of 16, he recorded his first record, “I Need a Beat.” This was followed by numerous huge hits, including his Grammy-winning rap performance, “Mama Said Knock You Out.”
In his new song “30 Decembers,” LL Cool J takes a trip down memory lane. At the height of the COVID pandemic, he rode the subway in New York City and recorded his observations. “Writing is about really being inspired by something,” he said in an interview with NPR’s A Martínez.
He also talked about how he won’t be hanging up his hat anytime soon.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Listen Morning edition to hear the full interview.
“When you’re trying to write songs that really speak to people, you have to be able to relate to them,” LL said. “And one of the things you forget is the danger. You forget that real things happen to real people every day.”
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A Martínez: Tell us about Frequencies of Real Creative Energy. Why did you want to make this album now?
LL Cool J: If filmmakers can continue to make great films for many years to come, and if the Stones and Mick can still walk around at 80-something years old, which I love and respect – if they can do that, LL Cool J can create art that is not just mediocre, that is not a 2-star rating, but actually something that is, in my view, a 1-star project. And put it out there in the world and touch the culture. That was the point I wanted to prove.
A Martínez: I read that you had to relearn how to rap since it’s been 11 years since you released new music. What’s that process like relearning how to rap?
LL Cool J: I think it’s about developing new skills and sharpening skills you already had. Maybe you’ve ridden a bike your whole life but you’ve never done a wheelie. It’s like learning how to do wheelies. It’s like learning how to ride a unicycle.
A Martínez: Many of your pieces sound autobiographical. Tell us the story you tell in “Black Code Suite”.
LL Cool J: This story is really about the black experience in America and how I connect that with my roots in Africa. And that journey and that world and what it’s like. I think it’s just a raw and honest, fun-loving look at black culture.
A Martínez: You wrote “30 Decembers” at the height of the pandemic. What was the story behind this song?
LL Cool J: During the pandemic, I got an opportunity because of all the masks and restrictions. I used it as an opportunity to just travel around New York City anonymously. And for me, that was great because I could ride the subway by myself — alone. I was everywhere, man. From Marcy to the pink houses in the Bronx. I was just running all over the city because you can’t make art for people you can’t relate to. When you’re trying to write songs that really connect with people, you have to be able to relate. And one of the things you forget is the danger. You forget that real things happen to real people on a daily basis. You could get lost in this little, elevated bubble. Everything I documented in that song was real.
“Because ultimately the real questions are answered by the quality of the art,” said LL.
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A Martínez: Do you still consider rap to be the competitive sport that you may have been doing when you were 16 or 17?
LL Cool J: A thousand percent. You know, the stakes are different, but I see it as an attempt to prove a point. It’s not lost on me that in my 40th year, I’m making a culturally relevant and impactful album. Because, you know, in art, you should get better – you should be more curious. I would say Picasso got better. Miles Davis got better.
A Martínez: Now please forgive me for the way I ask the next question, but can we call this album a comeback?
LL Cool J: No! Absolutely not. I’ve been here for years, baby. How can you call it a comeback when I’ve been here for years, man? How you gonna do that? I’m just in jail, you know what I mean.
A Martínez: Fifty-year-olds will be lifelong fans of yours and will play this album in the car as they drive their kids to school. The kids will ask, “Who’s that, Mommy? Who’s that, Dad?” What do you hope those moms and dads will say when they describe to you the artist you were when they were young and the artist you are today?
LL Cool J: I hope that it doesn’t even have to be talked about that much because when they press play they just think it’s cool. Because at the end of the day the real questions are answered by the quality of the art. I’ve had people want to tell their kids about me and stuff, which is cool, but I don’t even think about it in those terms. It’s like saying, “Yo, this is my music. If you got into the world of LL Cool J here and discovered me here, then that’s it. It’s up to you. I just want to share my art with the world, share this project with the world and see them enjoy listening to it.”
The digital version of this interview was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
