LL Cool J has new visuals from his native New York City in the video for “30 Decembers,” featuring The Overlordian. He takes a tour of the subway, Queens, and Manhattan and realizes how much things have changed literally over the time span of 30 Decembers. The subway no longer uses tokens and people no longer read newspapers because they are playing with their smartphones. He can walk around freely because he has on a mask. This is the latest video from The FORCE that was released in 2024 and is exclusively produced by Q-Tip and one of the best albums of LL’s career. 

LL Cool J has a new video for “Rock The Bells,” forty years after its original release. The black-and-white clip, directed by Gregory Bunkalla, features a new generation of rap fans lip-syncing to the song in different spots around New York City. The video comes ahead of the reissue of his All World: Greatest Hits and Phenomenon albums back on vinyl. The albums will be available in standard black 2LP pressings and limited-edition color variant 2LP pressings. All World originally came out in 1996, and it was a nice overview of the best moments of his career. Classics like “Rock The Bells,” “Going Back To Cali,” and “I Need Love” were included among the stellar tracklisting. Phenomenon is his seventh studio album, and it was released in 1997. At that point in his career, critics agreed it was his best album since Mama Said Knock You Out. Both reissues come out April 11th and can be preordered now. LL Cool J is offering this mini-retrospective, but the release of The FORCE, which is his best album in almost 20 years, proves that these reissues are not an ending but a reflection and history lesson. 

 

All World: Greatest Hits Tracklisting

1.     I Can’t Live Without My Radio

2.     Rock the Bells

3.     I’m Bad

4.     I Need Love

5.     Going Back to Cali

6.     Jack the Ripper

7.     Jingling Baby (Remixed But Still Jingling)

8.     Big Ole Butt

9.     The Boomin’ System

10.  Around the Way Girl

11.  Mama Said Knock You Out

12.  Back Seat

13.  I Need a Beat

14.  Doin It

15.  Loungin (Who Do Ya Luv) [feat. Total]

16.  Hey Lover [feat. Boyz II Men]

 

Phenomenon Tracklisting

1.     Phenomenon

2.     Candy [Ricky Bell & Ralph Tresvant]

3.     Starsky & Hitch [feat. Busta Rhymes]

4.     Another Dollar

5.     Nobody Can Freak You

6.     Hot, Hot Hot

7.     4, 3, 2, 1 [feat. Canibus, DMX, Master P, & Method Man & Redman]

8.     Wanna Get Paid [feat. The Lost Boyz]

9.     Father

10.  Don’t Be Late, Don’t Come Too Soon [feat. Tamia]

 

Is LL Cool J the most important rapper ever? 

 

 

 

LL Cool J returns with the video for the Q-Tip-produced “Saturday Night Special” featuring Fat Joe and Rick Ross. LL drops a reminder of what New York sounds like as he reminisces about an old friend who was a street legend. His rap is an instructional blueprint for success emphasizing integrity by keeping your word, paying debts, and resisting greed. It is the first single from his forthcoming album The Force. More than a decade ago, his last album Authentic was released. Q-Tip’s dreamy beat is the beginning of LL’s new sound and there is a lot of anticipation to hear what he did with the whole album. LL explained on his social media that the tracklisting and further details will be revealed soon and to look for The Force to have a release date in the fall.