recallsLL Cool Jof hip-hops early years and the reaction audiences would have.
On August 11, LL will start up Round 2 of The F.O.R.C.E.
With a September stop in LA, the tour will culminate on November 19 in Boston.
LL Cool J and others onstage at the 2023 GrammysGetty Images
DEADLINE:What was it, who was it, that drew you into hip-hop growing up?
or the Beastie Boys, I just was attracted to that magnetic confidence and energy in the musical dynamics.
It just it just made me crazy, man.
From left: DJ Cool V, Roxanne Shante, Geoff Yang, LL Cool J, DJ Chuck Chillout and Papoose outside NASDAQ after ringing the opening bell on August 3. (Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
I just loved it.
I fell in love with it instantly.
Its like what I was born for.
and I was like, This is where its at.
People were like, Oh, who was this they bring it on tour?
It just works, man thats really how it was done.
And that is about dreaming, right?
Like if you want to accomplish anything, you got to dream.
And then you got what you got to act.
So you got to listen, you got to learn and you got to act.
You got to take action.
What was that like back then?
What are you doing to those record players?
So those turntables, I used to call them record players.
But, you know, the flip side of that is they were curious and showed up.
LL COOL J:Yeah, so I got DJ Z-Trip, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Roots.
So this is a whole new take on live hip-hop performances.
I think that thats going to be take it to another level, you know?
LL COOL J:I appreciate you saying that, I think it is.
Its perfect for us because its what we love to do and what we want to do, right?
You know, we had so much fun doing theGrammys thats where the idea was sparked.
Tour is like the Grammys tribute to hip-hop from Februarys ceremony.
Its not kinda like, Oh, we stop and then theres a set change.
LL COOL J:Its funny you say that, because I been thinking about it a lot recently.
It definitely doesnt make me feel like anything negated.
I mean, if anything, Im just blessed to have more than one talent.
But there are a lot many who see me as a host, some dont even know I act.
To me, I do think its an opportunity to put people up on something new.
You come to the Rock the Bells festival.
You come to the LL Cool J tour.
For some people, it is going to be a new experience, and thats OK. Look, hip-hop has never had a Santana moment.
Hip-hop has never had an artist that was able to go away for a decade and then reappear.
To re-emerge and impact new generations in a major way.
Partially thats because the genre is so young.
Beyond me, that is what I want to do for hip-hop culture.
And I say, You know what, these artists deserve to be celebrated at a higher level.
They deserve to play on the biggest stages and be seen in the biggest way.
This festival, the tour, is not about LL Cool J.
Its about my desire to see hip-hop culture celebrated and elevated at the highest level.
Whats your perspective on that?
LL COOL J:It makes me feel amazing, because this is what I wanted to see.
I believe in hip-hop.
I love the fact that people are celebrating it.
I just want the celebrations to be done at the right level executed properly.
And its all good.
