LL Cool J has announced that for
his next album he will be working with none other than G-Unit head honcho, Curtis
“50 Cent” Jackson. The album will be a follow
up sequel to the album he released earlier this year, Todd Smith, and
will allegedly carry the name, Todd Smith, Part 2: Back to Cool and is
due in the fall.
LL told Vh1, “ It’s my last Def
Jam record so I wanted to make it something special and something really
unique and kinda get back to my roots a little bit, 50 reminds me a lot
of the things that I used to do and the places I used to be in my life, and I
think we can have a good time together.” LL will forever be
remembered as the first artists to release a single on the Def Jam imprint with
his 1985 debut, Radio.
“He’s talented and I feel like I have something I want
to say — I think he can help me get it off my chest”, added LL. The two can be heard working together currently
with Lloyd Banks on a remix for “Freeze”, which for some
reason, LL is calling “You Can Bump This”. The
two are still deciding if and how much 50 himself and G-Unit artists will be
featured.
“I don’t know if I’m gonna do as many
collaborations on this record,” said LL, whose most recent
release, April’s Todd Smith, features a multitude of guest appearances, “I
think that me and 50 is enough.” We’re definitely putting our heads
together, we definitely have subject matter in mind and I’m definitely focused
on making it as hot as it can be,” LL said.
Being his last record from Def Jam, LL has been
working hard to reach his fans, but despite guest appearances from Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Teairra Marí,
112, Ginuwine, Freeway, Mary Mary and Juelz Santana, the albums
first week numbers at 116,000 copies, was only enough for a #6 on the
charts. Which was not LL‘s finest opening; 2000’s G.O.A.T.
Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time bowed at #1 with 209,000
scans, and 2002’s 10 debuted at #2 with sales of 154,000 plus. The most
recent of his previous outings, 2004’s The DEFinition, opened as Billboard‘s
#4 entrant, selling more than 173,000 copies.
Hoping for a contract renewal or possibly leaving the
game forever, LL has certainly had an impressive career since 1985, adding “I’m a blessed guy, I’m lucky,” LL said.
“I didn’t know it would end up like this. It’s pretty wild.”
