As previously reported by REVOLT, LL Cool J is slated to embark upon his first arena tour in 30 years alongside The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. The musical trek is dubbed “The F.O.R.C.E. Live Tour” and kicks off on June 25 in Boston. In total, the hip hop legends will make 24 stops, with the final show taking place on Sept. 3 in Los Angeles.
LL teased the show as one that fans will not want to miss in an April 29 Instagram Live. The Queens, New York, emcee also implored supporters to get their tickets ASAP. Now, even more anticipation is being built around the tour, which boasts guest appearances from the likes of Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, Method Man, Redman, Jadakiss, Big Boi, and Rick Ross, just to name a few.
“We goin’ hard. This is going to be a show unlike anything,” said the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee during the Instagram Live conversation with Questlove. “I haven’t done an arena tour in many years, you know what I’m sayin’? And I put all my energy into making this thing right. This is like everything we’ve ever done on super [ste]roids. So it’s going to be way more than you can imagine,” he continued.
Questlove added that he had no plans of reinventing the wheel but had every hope that the concert would be unforgettable. “I’m also trying to give people something that they’ve never seen before,” said the Best Original Documentary Oscar winner. “The way we’re formatting the show, it’s going to be like the Grammys performance on steroids.”
Questlove helped curate the tribute to honor the 50th anniversary of hip hop at the 2023 Grammys. LL Cool J was among the artists who performed a medley of past and present hits. The tribute also included younger artists like GloRilla and Lil Uzi Vert, who represent the genre’s next generation. While on the red carpet for the ceremony, the musician revealed that Will Smith was originally part of the 14-minute performance lineup. However, a scheduling conflict prevented the actor from participating. Neither Questlove, LL, nor Smith’s longtime collaborator, DJ Jazzy Jeff, has hinted at the superstar popping up for one of the tour dates.
Check out LL and Questlove’s conversation below.