LL Cool J’s current day job is on TV as a series regular on the CBS show “NCIS: Los Angeles.” But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have the urge to pic up a mic. After all, he does have one tattoo on his arm and in his prior life, he’s firmly established as one of hip-hop’s most prolific pioneers.
Fans of his music will be pleased to know that LL’s been in the studio and is releasing a new CD, “Authentic Hip-Hop,” next February. It’s his 14th release in a career that has spanned 30 years. The two-time Grammy winner already released the singles “Rachet” and “Take It,” and on this latest project he’s working again with Trackmasters, the production team behind many of his biggest hits. “Authentic Hip-Hop” is available for pre-order now via iTunes.
“With Authentic Hip-Hop, I wanted to work on a project that got me back to my roots,” LL said in a statement. “This album took me back to what originally brought me into this world of hip-hop—pure and honest rap and writing good rhymes that aren’t contrived.”
He may be picking up the mic again, isn’t planning to leave TV behind. “NCIS: Los Angeles” is a top-rated show in the CBS lineup and is seen in over 200 countries. LL’s music cred and association with CBS came in handy when he was tapped to be the 2012 Grammy Awards host – an honor he proved worthy of when his hosting debut coincided with the death of Whitney Houston just 24 hours before the live telecast.
This year, LL will again get the hosting nod for the 2012 Grammy Nominations concert airing live from Nashville on December 5 at 10 p.m. He has hosted the annual concert since it began in 2008. For more information on LL, go to www.llcoolj.com.
