LL Cool J Backtracks After Claiming He's Shelving Q-Tip-Produced Album

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"The Night That Changed America: A GRAMMY Salute To The Beatles" - Fixed Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27: Host LL Cool J speaks onstage during "The Night That Changed America: A GRAMMY Salute To The Beatles" at the Los Angeles Convention Center on January 27, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS)
LL Cool J seemingly trolled fans after he said he wasn't going to drop his upcoming album with Q-Tip.

LL Cool J just graced the stage at the Grammys, holding down hosting duties during the Hip-Hop 50 tribute set. The concert brought forth the OGs and pioneers with the new generation of artists to emerge. Who would’ve thought they’d ever see Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King and Lil Uzi Vert on the same stage? Ultimately, it showcased the power of hip-hop 50 years after its inception as a block party in the Bronx. Coming off of the momentum of the performance, LL Cool J began ramping up the efforts for his next studio album. 

The comeback album has been in the works for a few years with Q-Tip at the helm of production. The two began working on the project in 2020 but following the Grammys, LL Cool J provided a promising update. “I know all the tricks. I got this covered,” he said during an interview on the Grammys red carpet. “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.”

LL Cool J Cancels Then Backtracks

This morning, LL Cool J startled fans when he announced that the project wouldn’t drop. He shared three tweets where he stated that he won’t release the project. “Just not feeling like this album is worthy of being released [face palm emoji] I tried… Not dropping it,” he wrote after claiming that he’s working relentlessly to put the album out. It seemed odd, especially with Q-Tip’s involvement, that the project wasn’t to his liking. 

Ultimately, he deleted the tweets and it seems that he was either trolling or Q-Tip convinced him to backtrack. LL hit the ‘Gram with another video where he explained the reason why he didn’t want to drop the project. “I was considering not putting the record out because… IT’S TOO FUCKIN’ GOOD,” he said with a laugh. “Q-Tip, you a genius, baby!” He added that it’s his favorite album that he’s ever made before confirming that he’ll be dropping a release date and tracklist soon. Who do you think will land on the project? Sound off in the comments. 

About The Author
Aron A.
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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