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LL COOL J doesn’t need to prove himself as a rapper as he’s cemented in the annals of Hip-Hop history as one of the culture’s living legends. However, a spark still exists within the Queens star, and his new track “Saturday Night Special” featuring Fat Joe and Rick Ross proves that his comeback promises were not a fluke.
LL COOL J has been teasing his upcoming 14th studio album, The FORCE ((Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), with fellow Queens native Q-Tip executive producing the project.
Produced by Q-Tip, who also shows up on the hook, “Saturday Night Special” displays LL COOL J giving a grim warning about a tough street cat that you shouldn’t cross. Sounding invigorated, LL doesn’t appear to have lost any of the fire that he displayed over the 1980s and 1990s and finds an interesting pocket atop the A Tribe Called Quest legend’s airy production.
Rick Ross takes over for the second verse, sounding comfortable over the soulful boom-bap, and Fat Joe, no stranger to this type of bop, added his flair. Even better, all three MCs stick to the same common theme and each verse has its standout moments among them.
LL’s return to music was a long time coming as it has been over a decade since he’s lost put out a project. Fans were curious to know how LL would sound over Q-Tip’s production and the results are seemingly pleasing even to the most hardened online critics. Of course, there are your requisite detractors but that’s to be expected in the “keyboard kourage” era.
For now, check out the video for “Saturday Night Special” below and keep scrolling to see reactions from X, formerly Twitter.
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Photo: Getty
6. Can’t win ’em all.
10. This facts.
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Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
There’s a musical based on the life and achievements of boxing legend Muhammad Ali on its way to Broadway in fall 2024, and one of the artists tapped to work on the music for the stage play is none other than rapper, producer, songwriter and Hip-Hop legend Q-Tip.
According to Deadline, Richard Willis, the lead producer of the musical titled Ali, signed Q-Tip, whose real name is Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, as the play’s music producer, co-lyricist and cast album producer. Besides being part of the team that brings to melodic life the story of arguably the greatest boxer in history, Q-Tip gets the privilege of working alongside director, author and deputy artistic director of UK’s National Theatre Clint Dyer, who directed Othello as well as Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical. The “Vivrant Thing” rapper will also work with the show’s composer Teddy Abrams, whose past work bringing music and Ali’s legacy together inspired the new production.
From Deadline:
Back in 2017, Abrams wrote multimedia opera-rap-oratorio mashup The Greatest: Muhammad Ali, which premiered with the Louisville Orchestra at the Kentucky Center in Louisville.
That production got Abrams, and others, thinking that there should be a full-scale Broadway musical about the pivotal historical figure who transcended his sporting achievements.
“I am very excited to be collaborating with Teddy, Clint, Casey and Sean in telling The Greatest’s story on stage,” Q-Tip told Deadline. “Muhammad Ali has always been a hero to me!”
And the show’s producer is just as excited to have the A Tribe Called Quest veteran on board.
“We want to take the traditional musical theater structure that works and then tip it on its ear a little bit,” Willis said. “Q-Tip produces songs and albums for a massive audience so he knows how to do that thing that’s slightly different than what normal musical theater is. So we tip it, and make it original and fresh and new and hummable. All that energy in the right direction is the job, right?”
Dyer agrees.
“Q-Tip has proven himself as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of his generation and beyond,” he said. “Having his talents onboard will give this musical every possibility to honor Ali’s greatness. I could not be happier with this appointment.”
“We’ll use his hip-hop beats, and his talents will be used in other areas as well,” Dyer continued. “This show’s covering a lot of areas of music and we’ll exhaust all of Q-Tip’s knowledge. You’ve got to remember that Q-Tip’s into all kinds of music, not just jazz and hip-hop. For instance, his next album is all rock ‘n’ roll, so hold on. Let’s see what he comes up with for Ali!”
Actually, back in 2020, Q-Tip teased the future releases of three new albums, but as of now, his last solo studio album is still 2009’s Kamaal The Abstract. So, it looks like Dyer might know something we don’t. Either way, it’s always great to see Q-Tip out here doing big things as both a solo artist and collaborator. Salute!
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LL Cool J gave his legion of fans a scare after it appeared that he was looking to scrap an upcoming studio album produced by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest fame. As it stands, the album is still very much in the works and a release date and tracklist are coming soon.
LL Cool J, 55, appeared to question the decision of putting the album out with his fellows Queens cohort in Q-Tip, aka Kamaal Fareed, via Twitter in recent times which raised alarms naturally. This was especially jarring as LL was just gushing over the album at this year’s Grammy Awards on the red carpet.
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The album’s details have been shrouded in mystery but most Hip-Hop fans know that Q-Tip is a masterful producer and can work with a variety as evidenced by his involvement with Megan Thee Stallion and working with Detroit rapper Danny Brown among his other creative endeavors.
Taking to Instagram, LL Cool J posted a reel revealing that the album is his favorite among his previous works and will reveal details shortly. It will be the Hip-Hop legend’s 14th studio release.
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Photo: Kevin Winter / Getty
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