LL Cool J relearned ‘how to rap’ on his first album in 11 years, ‘The FORCE.’ Here’s how

NEW YORK — The Grammy award winning rapper-actor- author LL COOL J will release his first new album in 11 years, “The FORCE” in September — 40 years into his hip-hop career. “I wasn’t trying to do trendy, and I wasn’t trying to recapture anything I did before.” “The FORCE” is an inventive rap record, informed by LL COOL J’s lengthy career, touching on various themes, like the power of self-motivation, full-force swag, not-safe-for-work sensuality and cautionary tales, as evidenced in the lead single, “Saturday Night Special” featuring Rick Ross and Fat Joe. Particularly effective is the one-two punch of “Huey in the Chair,” — a reference to a famous photo of Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton — what the rapper describes as “taking a stand for what you believe in,” into the funky downtown beats of “Basquiat Energy,” a celebration of the namesake artist’s innovative spirit. “It’s about wanting to vibrate at a high level.” And following the 50th anniversary of hip-hop last year, LL COOL J says he “wanted to show people that artists that have had long storied careers, so to speak, can make modern contributions to hip-hop that have a major impact.