LL COOL J spoke fondly at the Grammy Awards of Q-Tip’s prowess on the production side of his anticipated forthcoming album arriving later this year.
E! News caught up with the Queens native on the red carpet Sunday night (February 5) where he set expectations sky-high for his first LP in over a decade, but ultimately knows the fans will decide the record’s greatness.
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“I know all the tricks. I got this covered,” he began. “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.
“I think honestly and sincerely that Q-Tip as a producer is unbelievable and what he did on this record for me, I think is amazing. So the world will decide.”
The “Mama Said Knock You Out” rapper added to the hype by confirming that the untitled album would be out later this year.
“My new album is coming this year,” he wrote.
Last month, LL shed light on his plans for the album while celebrating his 55th birthday, which will serve as his first since 2013’s Authentic.
“I’m competing with myself on this new album. Wait til you hear this MF. [musical notes emoji],” he tweeted. “This year B. It’s coming.”
It was a busy Grammy Awards for LL COOL J, who was tasked with hosting the Hip Hop 50 Tribute segment alongside The Roots drummer Questlove (curator) as they blended generations of rap for one of the night’s many highlights and memorable performances.
With DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Drama holding down the turntables, a parade of artists, starting with the Furious Five and Run-DMC, kicked off a journey celebrating the genre’s full history.
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Following acts like De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Public Enemy and Rakim, the show moved into the late ’90s and early 2000s with appearances by Method Man, The Lox, Missy Elliott and Nelly.
The show was closed out by GloRilla, Lil Baby and Lil Uzi Vert representing the current generation of Hip Hop talent.
