ll cool j the roots tour 2023

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LL Cool J Announces New "The F.O.R.C.E. Live" Tour Dates

18 star-studded shows featuring the roots, dj jazzy jeff, dj z-trip and more..

LL Cool J is hitting the road for his first headlining tour in 30 years. The rapper left hip-hop fans disappointed when he rescheduled “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” tour last month, citing his priority to “make sure everything is done right,” in order to “give [his] fans an experience that is unforgettable.” But now the rapper is ready to bring “The F.O.R.C.E” to 18 major U.S. cities – with a major supporting lineup including The Roots , DJ Z-Trip, and DJ Jazzy Jeff , and a slew of special guests including Common , Salt-n-Pepa , Juvenile , Rick Ross , Ice-T and more.

“The F.O.R.C.E” – which stands for “Frequencies of Real Creative Energy” – will kick off in Baltimore on August 11. While the initial tour dates saw the first show at Boston’s TD Garden, the rerouted tour will now close out at the legendary Boston venue on November 19. The rapper will make stops in cities including Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles as well.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by LL COOL J (@llcoolj)

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The F.O.R.C.E. Tour LL COOL J, THE ROOTS, DJ JAZZY JEFF, & DJ Z-TRIP

Live Nation Urban reveals details for a brand new once-in-a-lifetime touring experience and a celebration of Hip-Hop culture – Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Kennedy Center® Honoree, two time GRAMMY® Award winner, and Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J.  The historic tour will mark LL COOL J’s first headline arena tour in 30 years. Living up to the acronym F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), the lineup for this tour is personally curated by LL COOL J himself. 

Building off of their amazing performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates will feature collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots.

Lineup subject to change

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LL COOL J Announces First Headline Tour in 30 Years, Joined By Hip-Hop’s Biggest Names

Experience a brand new once-in-a-lifetime tour and a celebration of hip-hop culture in one. This is not a moment, it’s a movement.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Experience a brand new once-in-a-lifetime tour and a celebration of hip-hop culture in one during Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live. Headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Kennedy Center® Honoree, two-time GRAMMY® Award winner, Rock The Bells Radio (Ch. 43) curator, and all around hip-hop icon LL COOL J , this marks his first headline arena tour in 30 years.

Listen to Nonstop Classic Hip-Hop on LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Radio (Ch. 43)

The F.O.R.C.E. Live begins June 25 in Boston, MA, rolling through arenas across North American before closing out on September 3 in Los Angeles, CA. With a lineup personally curated by LL COOL J himself, all dates feature collaborative live performances with The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Breaking tradition, the show will be “a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots,” according to the press release.

The rotating cast of acts includes: Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, and more.

How to Get Tickets

Verizon will offer customers an exclusive presale for the tour in the U.S. through Verizon Up. Customers will have access to purchase presale tickets for select shows beginning April 25. For more details visit Verizon Up .

Citi is the official card of the tour. Citi cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets for select shows beginning April 25 through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit Citi Entertainment .

On April 27, fans may purchase tickets through either the Live Nation presale, Ticketmaster presale, or local venue and radio presales. General on-sale kicks off April 28 at 10am local time. Tickets will be available HERE .

The F.O.R.C.E. Live 2023 Tour Dates

6/25 Boston, MA – TD Garden

6/27 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

6/28 Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

6/29 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

7/1 Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena

7/2 Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

7/4 Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

7/6 Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

7/8 Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena

7/9 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

8/12 Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

8/13 Chicago, IL – United Center

8/18 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

8/19 St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center

8/20 Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse

8/22 Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum

8/23 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center

8/24 Ft. Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

8/25 Houston, TX – Toyota Center

8/27 Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Casino Amphitheater

8/29 Denver, CO – Ball Arena

9/1 San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

9/2 Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena

9/3 Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

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LL Cool J Announces Special Guest-Filled ‘The F.O.R.C.E Live’ With the Roots

• By Tomás Mier

LL Cool J is celebrating hip-hop on the road. On Tuesday, the rap star announced his “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” tour, his first time on the road hitting arenas in 30 years — and he’s planning to bring some massive guests on the road with him.

Along with featuring the Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip as supporting acts, Cool J is also scheduled to bring out the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, among others in select cities across the tour.

 “I’m excited to be on my first arena tour in 30 years,” Cool J said in a statement. “It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some nonstop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”

Cool J will start his tour at Boston’s TD Garden on June 25 before stopping in cities such as Atlanta, Raleigh, Chicago, New Orleans, and San Francisco. He wraps his tour in Los Angeles on Sept. 3. It’s unclear which guests will join him on which tour dates. You can find tickets here at VividSeats.com .

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The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour dates

June 25 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden June 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center June 28 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center June 29 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena July 1 – Baltimore, MD @CFG Bank Arena July 2 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena July 4 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena July 6 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel July 8 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena July 9 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center Aug. 12 – Cleveland, OH @Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Aug. 13 – Chicago, IL @ United Center Aug. 18 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena Aug. 19 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center Aug. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Aug. 22 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum Aug. 23 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center Aug. 24 – Ft. Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena Aug. 25 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center Aug. 27 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sandia Casino Amphitheater Aug. 29 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena Sept. 1 – San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center Sept. 2 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena Sept. 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum

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LL Cool J, Queen Latifah & The Roots - The F.O.R.C.E. Live Tour

Hip hop icon LL Cool J has announced a colossal 2023 tour across North America alongside The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Z-Trip. The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour kicks off June 25 in Boston and continues into September visiting tons of major markets including Brooklyn, Toronto, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Inglewood. Joining the tour on select dates will be special guests Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice-T, De La Soul, Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Juvenile and Rick Ross.

Tickets are on sale NOW – Use special code 327RK20 to get %20 off!

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All dates will feature collaborative live performances with The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip.

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Live Nation Urban has revealed details for a brand new once-in-a-lifetime touring experience and a celebration of Hip-Hop culture: Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live headlined by Hip-Hop icon LL Cool J .

Shop the best of LL Cool J’s discography on vinyl and more.

The historic tour will mark LL Cool J’s first headlining arena tour in 30 years. Living up to the acronym F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), the lineup for this tour is personally curated by LL Cool J himself.

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Building off of their amazing performance together on the Grammy Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates will feature collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots , the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots.

In select cities, the bill also boasts a rotating cast of iconic acts, including Salt-N-Pepa , Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common , MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross , and more.

Speaking on the tour, LL COOL J says, “I’m excited to be on my first arena tour in 30 years. It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”

The F.O.R.C.E. Live hits the road on June 25 in Boston, Massachusetts at TD Garden before stopping in Brooklyn, New York at Barclays Center on June 27, rolling through arenas across the U.S. and Canada, and closing out on September 3 in Los Angeles, California at Kia Forum.

Verizon will offer customers an exclusive presale for the tour in the U.S. through Verizon Up. Customers will have access to purchase presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, April 25 at 12PM local time through Thursday, April 27 at 10PM local time.

Visit the official F.O.R.C.E. website for more information.

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The F.O.R.C.E. Live With Support From The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Z-Trip, Salt-N-Pepa, Big Boi, Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, Ice-T and Rakim

Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Kennedy Center® Honoree, two time GRAMMY® Award winner, and Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J. The historic tour will mark LL COOL J’s first headline arena tour in 30 years. Living up to the acronym F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), the lineup for this tour is personally curated by LL COOL J himself. Building off of their amazing performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates will feature collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots.

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LL Cool J To Headline 'The F.O.R.C.E. Tour' With The Roots & More Guests

By Tony M. Centeno

April 27, 2023

LL Cool J is getting ready to hit the road for his first arena tour with a squad of some of the most influential voices in Hip-Hop history. On Tuesday, April 25, Live Nation Urban and Rock The Bells announce its plans for the "The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live" featuring headliner LL Cool J. The 30-city tour, which will be curated by LL himself, will be the New York native's first headlining tour in 30 years. The "Headsprung" rapper will lead the show alongside The Roots , DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Z-Trip as well as other special guests from all aspects of the Hip-Hop spectrum.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LL COOL J (@llcoolj)

“I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years," LL said in a press release. "It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!” This tour won't follow the usual "opener followed by main act" formula. The F.O.R.C.E. Tour will be a rare mash-up of performances from special guests like Salt-N-Pepa , Queen Latifah , Rakim , Common , MC Lyte , Method Man & Redman , Big Boi , Bone Thugs-N-Harmony , Ice T , Juvenile , Doug E. Fresh , Slick Rick , De La Soul , Goodie Mob , Jadakiss , Rick Ross and more. The epic tour will kick off in Boston on June 25 and will travel across the U.S. and Canada to hit up major cities like Brooklyn, Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis, Denver, and more until it wraps up in Los Angeles in September. Verizon and Citi customers currently have access to pre-sale tickets while Live Nation & Ticketmaster pre-sales will be available today from 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. General on-sale tickets begin on Friday, April 28 at 10 a.m. Check out the full list of dates for "The F.O.R.C.E. Tour" below.

The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live Tour Dates June 25 Boston, MA TD Garden

June 27 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center

June 28 Newark, NJ Prudential Center

June 29 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena

July 1 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena

July 2 Washington, DC Capital One Arena

July 4 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena

July 6 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

July 8 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena

July 9 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center

August 12 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

August 13 Chicago, IL United Center

August 18 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena

August 19 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center

August 20 Indianapolis, IN Gainbridge Fieldhouse

August 22 Memphis, TN FedEx Forum

August 23 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center

August 24 Ft. Worth, TX Dickies Arena

August 25 Houston, TX Toyota Center

August 27 Albuquerque, NM Sandia Casino Amphitheater

August 29 Denver, CO Ball Arena

September 1 San Francisco, CA Chase Center

September 2 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena

September 3 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum

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LL Cool J announces first headline tour in 30 years

The 2023 The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour will also feature special guests Common, Salt n' Peppa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Slick Rick and many more.

LL Cool J has revealed his first headline tour in 30 years – featuring the likes of The Roots , DJ Jazzy Jeff , Salt-N-Pepa and many more.

The F.O.R.C.E. Live, standing for Frequencies Of Real Creative Energy, Live tour is set to commence on  June 25 in Boston at TD Garden. It will also be stopping in Brooklyn at Barclays Center on June 27, rolling through arenas across the US and Canada, and wrapping things up on September 3 in Los Angeles at Kia Forum

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the 24-city run tour is set to feature a rotating cast of supporting acts.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LL COOL J (@llcoolj)

LL Cool J, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip will take the stage every night playing with special guests – including Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah , Rakim , Common , MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman , Big Boi , Bone Thugs-N-Harmony , Ice T , Juvenile , Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick , Goodie Mob , Jadakiss , and more.

Check out the all of the tour dates below and visit here for tickets.

“The F.O.R.C.E. Live” 2023 tour dates are:

JUNE 25 – Boston, MA, TD Garden 27 – Brooklyn, NY, Barclays Center 28 – Newark, NJ, Prudential Center 29 – Toronto, ON, Scotiabank Arena

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JULY 1 – Baltimore, MD, CFG Bank Arena 2 – Washington, DC, Capital One Arena 4 – Atlanta, GA, State Farm Arena 6 – Hollywood, FL, Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood 8 – Raleigh, NC, PNC Arena 9 – Charlotte, NC, Spectrum Center

AUGUST 12 – Cleveland, OH, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse 13 – Chicago, IL, United Center 18 – Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena 19 – St. Louis, MO, Enterprise Center 20 – Indianapolis, IN, Gainbridge Fieldhouse 22 – Memphis, TN, FedEx Forum 23 – New Orleans, LA, Smoothie King Center 24 – Ft. Worth, TX, Dickies Arena 25 – Houston, TX, Toyota Center 27 – Albuquerque, NM, Sandia Casino Amphitheater 29 – Denver, CO, Ball Arena

SEPTEMBER 1 – San Francisco, CA, Chase Center 2 – Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand Garden Arena 3 – Los Angeles, CA, Kia Forum

The rapper took to social media to post a teaser trailer as the tour announcement. The caption read: “This is not a moment, it’s a movement. For my first Arena tour in 30 years, I am bringing you THE F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy.)  @theroots, @ztrip & @djjazzyjeff will join me in the ultimate Hip-Hop mash-up with a legendary non-stop continuous set!”

Earlier this year, the rapper performed at the 2023 Grammys as part of the star-studded celebration of hip-hop in honour of the 50th anniversary of the genre .

Fans can buy and sell tickets for LL Cool J at global marketplace, viagogo here .

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The F.O.R.C.E. Live

                    ROCK THE BELLS & LIVE NATION URBAN PRESENT

THE F.O.R.C.E. (FREQUENCIES OF REAL CREATIVE ENERGY) LIVE

NORTH AMERICAN SUMMER TOUR HEADLINED BY LL COOL J

 THE ULTIMATE HIP-HOP MASH-UP WILL BE ONE NONSTOP CONTINUOUS SET AND WILL FEATURE THE LEGENDARY ROOTS AS THE MUSICAL BACKBONE, ALONGSIDE DJ JAZZY JEFF & DJ Z-TRIP 

 SELECT CITIES TO FEATURE SALT-N-PEPA, QUEEN LATIFAH, RAKIM, COMMON, MC LYTE, BIG BOI, BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, ICE T, JUVENILE, DOUG E. FRESH & SLICK RICK, DE LA SOUL, RICK ROSS, GOODIE MOB, & JADAKISS

(New York, NY): Live Nation Urban reveals details for a brand-new once-in-a-lifetime touring experience and a celebration of Hip-Hop culture – Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Kennedy Center® Honoree, two-time GRAMMY® Award winner, and Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J. The historic tour will mark LL COOL J’s first headline arena tour in 30 years.

Living up to the acronym F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), the lineup for this tour is personally curated by LL COOL J himself.

Building off of their amazing performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates will feature collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots. In select cities, the bill also boasts a rotating cast of iconic acts, including Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross and more.

Speaking on the tour, LL COOL J says, “I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years. It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non-stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”

The F.O.R.C.E. Live hits the road on June 25th in Boston, MA at TD Garden before stopping in Brooklyn, NY at Barclays Center on June 27th, rolling through arenas across the U.S. and Canada, and closing out on September 3rd in Los Angeles, CA at Kia Forum.

Verizon will offer customers an exclusive presale for the tour in the U.S. through Verizon Up. Customers will have access to purchase presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, April 25th at 12PM local time through Thursday, April 27th at 10PM local time. For more details visit Verizon Up.

Citi is the official card of the tour. Citi cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets for select shows beginning Tuesday, April 25th at 12PM local time through Thursday, April 27th at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit  www.citientertainment.com .

On Thursday, April 27th between 10AM-10PM local time, fans may purchase tickets through either the Live Nation presale, Ticketmaster presale, or local venue and radio presales. General on-sale kicks off Friday, April 28th at 10AM local time. 

There has never been a traveling Hip-Hop extravaganza of this magnitude. Feel The F.O.R.C.E. Live in 2023. This is not a moment, it’s a movement.

Be on the lookout for more.

ABOUT LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit  www.livenationentertainment.com .

Live Nation Urban (LNU) is a partnership with Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company. Specifically focusing on Hip-Hop, R&B and Gospel, LNU builds platforms, events, and festivals globally and develops dynamic content strategies based upon the live properties created. Live Nation Urban considers itself the most powerful source for live urban music. For additional information, visit  www.livenationurban.com .

ABOUT ROCK THE BELLS

Rock The Bells is the preeminent voice for timeless Hip-Hop. Founded in 2018 by LL COOL J and Geoff Yang, Rock The Bells focuses on content, commerce and experiences that honor the CULTURE and the core elements of Hip-Hop — MCs, DJs, Breakers, Graffiti Artists — and more. Rock The Bells is the bridge between OG's and those inspired by their groundbreaking influences on the culture. Visit us at  www.RockTheBells.com , stream LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM Channel 43 and follow us on Instagram @RockTheBells.

About Hornets Sports & Entertainment

Hornets Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm and Hornets Venom GT, and operates Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the NBA’s Southeast Division.  Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands and a positive impact throughout the community. The name of the city’s original NBA team from 1988-2002, the Hornets moniker returned to Charlotte in May 2014, uniting the rich history of NBA basketball in the Carolinas. The Greensboro Swarm are the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets and play at the Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Hornets Venom GT is the organization’s esports team affiliate that joined the NBA 2K League in 2020. Spectrum Center is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually. For more information, please visit  hornets.com ,  gsoswarm.com ,  HornetsVenomGT.com  or  spectrumcentercharlotte.com .

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• Consequence

LL Cool J Announces “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” Tour with The Roots, De La Soul, and More

The 18-show outing also promises Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Queen Latifah, Method Man & Redman, and more

Hip-hop heads, rejoice: LL Cool J  is about to embark on his first headline arena tour in 30 years, and he’s bringing a particularly stacked crew along with him. The rapper has curated the “F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live” tour, an upcoming traveling concert — a bit like his iconic Rock the Bells festival — that also promises performances from The Roots, De La Soul, Rick Ross, and many more.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” tour will feature 18 shows each with a rotating cast of supporting acts. Each night will bring LL Cool J, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip to the stage, playing alongside a rotating cast of acts that include Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, and more. (Many of whom will also appear on the Rock the Bells Cruise going down this November.)

“The F.O.R.C.E. Live” tour begins on August 11th in Baltimore, with further dates scheduled in Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Memphis, Denver, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and beyond. Prior to the start of the tour, LL Cool J will headline the Rock the Bells Festival in Queens, New York.

Tickets are available via StubHub , where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

See a trailer for “The F.O.R.C.E. Live” tour and its full schedule below.

Earlier this year, LL Cool J participated in a massive medley at the Grammys celebrating half a century of hip-hop.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect the tour’s re-routed dates

“The F.O.R.C.E. Live” 2023 Tour Dates: 08/05 – Queens, NY @ Rock the Bells 08/11 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena 08/12 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse 08/13 – Chicago, IL @ United Center 08/18 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena 08/19 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena 08/21 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena 08/22 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum 08/24 – Ft. Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena 08/25 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center 08/27 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sandia Casino Amphitheater 08/29 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena 09/01 – San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center 09/02 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena 09/03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum 09/09 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center 09/10 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena 10/15 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena 11/19 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LL COOL J (@llcoolj)

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Ll cool j announces "the f.o.r.c.e. live" tour with the roots, de la soul, and more.

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Ll cool j announces 1st arena tour in over 25 years: get tickets today.

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The last time LL Cool J went on an arena tour in 1996, Bill Clinton was in office, Beanie Babies were crazy popular and the internet was still in its infancy.

Now, in 2023, he’s back at it again.

Starting June 25, LL Cool J will take off on his ‘THE F.O.R.C.E. Tour’ ( F requencies O f R eal C reative E nergy) that will send him all over North America including stops at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on June 27 and Newark’s Prudential Center on June 28.

But the “Mama Said Knock You Out” rapper isn’t going it alone this summer.

On select dates, he’ll be bringing along titans of hip-hop Big Boi, Salt-N-Pepa, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Queen Latifah along for the ride.

That’s not all though.

Common, Ice-T, Rakim, MC Lyte, Method Man and Redman will be there too for certain concerts on the run.

Let’s not forget Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Juvenile, Rick Ross and Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick are also set to appear.

Basically, if you have a hip-hop bucket list, you can cross off quite a few items by attending this mega tour.

Allegedly, that’s not all.

Somehow, the ‘F.O.R.C.E. Tour’ is advertising more special guests that have yet to be named.

“Get ready for some nonstop beats and rhymes,” LL Cool J said in the tour announcement.

Truer words have never been spoken.

And if you need tickets today, we’re here to make that happen.

Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Friday, April 28, fans who want to ensure they have tickets ahead of time can purchase on sites like Vivid Seats before tickets are officially on sale.

Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.

LL Cool J 2023 tour schedule

A complete calendar of all LL Cool J tour dates, venues, show start times and links to buy tickets can be found below.

Huge hip-hop tours in 2023

2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for live hip-hop.

Don’t believe us?

Here are just five of our favorite acts who are staging nationwide tours these next few months.

•  Wu-Tang Clan with Nas

• Snoop Dogg with Wiz Khalifa and Too $hort

• Lil Wayne

•  Drake

Who else is touring? Check out our list of the 52 biggest stars on tour in 2023 here .

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Bbc sparks anger after going back to drawing board in search for first royal editor, ll cool j on hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, looking for that “santana moment” & celebrating the culture on his mash-up tour with the roots.

By Dominic Patten

Dominic Patten

Executive Editor, Legal, Labor & Politics

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Editors’ Note: This interview is the first in a series commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop on August 11

“I mean, there were people who used to look at us at that time and say, ‘Where is the band?’” recalls LL Cool J of hip-hop’s early years and the reaction audiences would have.

As the genre hits its 50th birthday on August 11, no one is asking where the band is anymore. The culture that has emerged out of what Kool Herc was doing that night in 1973 in the rec room of 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the West Bronx is the most popular musical genre on the planet.

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Tonight, Queens-raised LL will headline the Rock the Bells Festival at Forest Hills Stadium alongside the likes of The Roots , Run-D.M.C, fellow CBSer Queen Latifah, De La Soul and Rakim, to name a few. On August 11, LL will start up Round 2 of The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live tour with The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Z-Trip and a mash-up of some of hip-hop’s finest. With a September stop in LA, the tour will culminate on November 19 in Boston.

A self-admitted fan as much as icon, LL has emerged as one of hip-hop’s foremost chroniclers with his Rock the Bells business and initiative. Coming off ringing the opening bell on the Nasdaq this week as a part of celebrating hip-hop’s golden anniversary, LL spoke with me about the history of the genre, the culture and how it all looks from his perspective.

DEADLINE: What was it, who was it, that drew you into hip-hop growing up?

DEADLINE: When I was a kid, I saw Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five open for the Clash. and I was like, “This is where it’s at. “

LL COOL J: Yeah, and you think about the Clash having Flash open for them — there was a lot of backlash, I remember at that time. People were like, “Oh, who was this they bring it on tour?” and Grandmaster Flash and the Five ended up crushing it and being one of the most revolutionary groups

You know, it’s that magnetic confidence — you’re a kid and you love it. I think, as you grow older, evolve as an artist, maintaining that creative inspiration and maintaining that joy, and maintaining that energy, that jovial vibe. That feeling. It just works, man — that’s really how it was done. And that is about dreaming, right? Like if you want to accomplish anything, you got to dream. And then you got what you got to act. So you got to listen, you got to learn and you got to act. You got to take action.

DEADLINE: Certainly, hip-hop had established itself in New York by the early 1980s, but you went on some of the first tours taking it outside the five boroughs. What was that like back then?

LL COOL J: (Laughs) I mean, there were people who used to look at us at that time and say, “Where is the band?” Right? “What are you doing to those record players?” So those turntables, I used to call them record players. I remember going to Maine and having to explain to people that my DJ was cutting the record back and forth and, you know, like actually having to do a tutorial on what they were witnessing just so they could have some context, so that they can relate. But, you know, the flip side of that is they were curious and showed up.

DEADLINE: Now, you are heading back out on your first arena tour in decades with The Roots, plus the God MC himself Rakim, Queen Latifah, Big Boi, Method Man and Redman, many more. It’s all going to conclude on September 3 here in L.A. What brought you back on the road like that for the 50th anniversary?

LL COOL J: Well, we’re actually doing some really innovative because we’re combining the band and the DJs

DEADLINE: Oh.

LL COOL J: Yeah, so I got DJ Z-Trip, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Roots. So this is a whole new take on live hip-hop performances. It won’t be like anything that anybody has seen because it’s not just acoustic, it’s a mash-up of all of these vibes and sounds. I think that that’s going to be take it to another level, you know?

DEADLINE: In a way that seems like the perfect celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, unto itself.

LL COOL J: I appreciate you saying that, I think it is.

It’s perfect for us because it’s what we love to do and what we want to do, right? You know, we had so much fun doing the Grammys — that’s where the idea was sparked. We performed on the Grammys together, and it was myself and The Roots obviously and then all the other acts were involved ..

DEADLINE: That tribute was amazing, everyone was there, and it was seamless …

DEADLINE: I know you’ve heard this before, but as you get ready for the show at Forest Hills Stadium with the Rock the Bells Festival and then the F.O.R.C.E. Tour, there’s also that large swath of your fan base who know you as an actor, on NCIS: LA and more, not as a rapper. Does that negate some of your legacy for you, or do you see it as an opportunity of sorts?

LL COOL J: It’s funny you say that, because I been thinking about it a lot recently. It definitely doesn’t make me feel like anything negated. I mean, if anything, I’m just blessed to have more than one talent. So to me, it is absolutely an opportunity … remember that’s not everybody … a lot of our listeners on our Rock the Bells radio channel are under 25. But there are a lot many who see me as a host, some don’t even know I act. To me, I do think it’s an opportunity to put people up on something new. You come to the Rock the Bells festival. You come to the LL Cool J tour. For some people, it is going to be a new experience, and that’s OK.

DEADLINE: In a way, you are going back to your own roots with this tour, with The Roots …

LL COOL J: Kind of. Look, hip-hop has never had a Santana moment. Hip-hop has never had an artist that was able to go away for a decade and then reappear. To re-emerge and impact new generations in a major way. Partially that’s because the genre is so young.

Beyond me, that is what I want to do for hip-hop culture. I looked at the way Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney and those guys were treated in the rock genre. Then I looked at how the Rakims, the Method Mans and Ludacris and different acts were treated in this genre. And I say, “You know what, these artists deserve to be celebrated at a higher level. They deserve to play on the biggest stages and be seen in the biggest way.” This festival, the tour, is not about LL Cool J. It’s about my desire to see hip-hop culture celebrated and elevated at the highest level.

DEADLINE: With the 50th anniversary coming next week, your career has in many ways spanned most of the first five decades of the genre. Not a position a lot of artists in any genre, in any medium, find themselves in – as an artist and, with Rock the Bells, an archivist to some degree. What’s your perspective on that?

LL COOL J: It makes me feel amazing, because this is what I wanted to see. I wanted, I wanted the new generations of hip-hop and the earliest generations of hip-hop to be able to coexist and to be equally as popular with their cohorts, so to speak.

For everybody to be able to be respected and loved and be able to have fun and do music and do shows at a high level and be on top. I believe in hip-hop. I respect hip-hop artists as much as I respect to Miles Davis or Charlie Parker and various acts and other genres. I love the fact that people are celebrating it. I just want the celebrations to be done at the right level executed properly. And it’s all good.

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LL Cool J, The Roots Reveal Exciting Details About Upcoming Tour Via Instagram Live

Photos: Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images and Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Hip-hop fans get excited.

In just a matter of months, LL Cool J, Questlove and The Roots are slated to hit the road for their The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour, and according to those who are slated to take center stage, it’s going to be major.

Taking to Instagram Live Saturday (April 29), LL, Questlove and Black Thought relayed their chemistry in some friendly wisecracking before providing some details about the star-studded trek across America, which is scheduled to begin on June 25 in Boston.

“You’ve done arena tours before. I’ve done arena tours before. But I’ve never really felt like they were mine,” Questlove said during their conversation. “They were always, like, festivals, or opening up for other acts. This is super major, man.”

LL Cool J Announces First Arena Tour In 30 Years And It Includes A Star-Studded Cast Of Guests

LL replied: “You know what I’m excited about, Quest? When the first snare hits, like…it ain’t stopping. We going hard. This is going to be a show unlike anything. I haven’t done an arena tour in many years, you know what I’m saying? And I put all my energy into making this thing right. This is like everything we’ve ever done on super-roids. So it’s going to be way more than you can imagine, you know what I’m saying?”

Questlove then proclaimed that their shows will be similar to the gravatas they put on for the Hip-Hop 50 tribute at February’s Grammy Awards .

“I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I’m also trying to give people something that they’ve never seen before,” the Roots member said. “The way we’re formatting the show, it’s going to be like the Grammys performance on steroids.”

LL also discussed the new music he has on the way and confirmed that Q-Tip is behind the beats.

“Q-Tip did all the production, all the beats,” he said. “There will be some new music coming in the next couple of weeks or so.”

Through LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells and Live Nation Urban, The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour will begin in Boston on June 25 and will make its way through North America before ending at Inglewood’s Kia Forum on September 3.

Watch the conversation below.

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The F.O.R.C.E. Live with LL COOL J And The Roots

With special guests dj jazzy jeff, dj z-trip, big boi, bone thugs-n-harmony, goodie mob, juvenile and rakim.

Toyota Center is excited to host The F.O.R.C.E Live with LL COOL J and The Roots on August 25th! The Frequencies Of Real Creative Energy Tour will also feature performances from DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Z-Trip, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Goodie Mob, Juvenile and Rakim! This one-of-a-kind mashup is a night of hip hop you won't want to miss! 

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• Date November 19 , 2023
• Event Starts 8:00PM
• Doors All doors open at 7:00PM
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Event Information

EVENT UPDATE: LL Cool J’s show at TD Garden originally scheduled for June 25 has been rescheduled to November 19. Tickets for the originally scheduled date will be honored for the newly announced show date. Refunds are available at the original point of purchase.

Live Nation Urban reveals details for a brand new once-in-a-lifetime touring experience and a celebration of Hip-Hop culture – Rock The Bells & Live Nation Urban Presents The F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live headlined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Kennedy Center® Honoree, two time GRAMMY® Award winner, and Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J. The historic tour will mark LL COOL J’s first headline arena tour in 30 years. Living up to the acronym F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy), the lineup for this tour is personally curated by LL COOL J himself.

Building off of their amazing performance together on the GRAMMY® Awards earlier this year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, all dates will feature collaborative live performances with preeminent Award-winning Hip-Hop band The Roots, the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip. Unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots. In select cities, the bill also boasts a rotating cast of iconic acts, including Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross and more.

The F.O.R.C.E. Live hits the road on June 25th in Boston, MA at TD Garden. General on-sale kicks off Friday, April 28th at 10AM local time. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com

WATCH THE OFFICIAL TOUR TRAILER HERE

Speaking on the tour, LL COOL J says, “I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years. It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”

* Lineup subject to change without notice.

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Courtyard Boston Downtown/North Station

Experience a unique sense of comfort and style at the Courtyard Boston Downtown/North Station, located in the heart of downtown, steps away from the TD Garden and within walking distance to Boston’s Financial District, Government Center and North End neighborhood

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SYpherSights

Capturing The Sights Of Toronto's Hip-Hop Scene

Concert Review: LL Cool J & The Roots at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto (2023.08.19)

For Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, LL Cool J and The Roots have played a major role in the celebrations going on throughout the year. It started with their curating of the the 2023 Grammy Awards’ Hip-Hop 5 0 segment , where they somehow gathered dozens of artists to represent each decade of Hip-Hop from the 1970s all the way through to the 2020s, all performing in a tightly coordinated 13-minute time slot. LL Cool J would proclaim on that Grammy stage that this was just a taste of the celebrations he had in store for the year, and time has proven him right. He would go on to assemble an epic lineup of all-time Hip-Hop greats to perform at his annual Rock The Bells Festival in his hometown Queens, New York, before hitting the road and embarking on The F.O.R.C.E. Tour with The Roots, DJ Z-Trip and DJ Jazzy Jeff all backing him.

Although the tour is named after his upcoming 14th studio album, Frequencies Of Real Creative Energy , this wouldn’t simply be LL Cool J returning to headline his first stadium-sized tour in 30 years, as he’d be joined by an epic lineup of artists sharing the stage with him. The F.O.R.C.E. Tour was originally announced with over 20 of Hip-Hop’s most iconic legends, including names like Queen Latifah, Rakim, De La Soul, Salt-N-Peppa, Method Man & Redman, Goodie Mob, Slick Rick and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, among many others, with a different group of them joining LL and The Roots for select tour dates. LL Cool J and Questlove of The Roots have described the show they’ve curated for each city as their Grammys segment on steroids, as it would be a continuous flow of different artists and music on stage rather than traditional openers and headliners, with enough stage time for each to dive into their discographies. The hype was high going into this one, as the fans had no idea what to expect besides a list of names slated to join the touring group for the Toronto stop at Scotiabank Arena: Queen Latifah, Jadakiss, and Rakim (the latter of whom would sadly be removed from the bill just a day prior to the show).

We got to Scotiabank Arena early, me being particularly excited to have floor seats at this venue for the first time. With Pop stars The Jonas Brothers performing this same night at the only bigger venue in town, the Rogers Centre (Skydome), this Scotiabank Arena show was far from sold out, with the entire upper level being closed off and fans being upgraded to have seats in the lower bowl/floor level of the arena. The merch booths had t-shirts and hoodies commemorating Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, and DJ Shortkut would be spinning classic records with their vintage music videos playing on the big screens. You could tell Shortkut curates his set for each city, as this Toronto show had local legends Kardinal Offishall and Saukrates mixed in with the vintage ’80s and ’90s Hip-Hop videos, along with some Reggae/Dancehall chunes to add some Caribana flavour. He’d close out by playing a music video by one of Toronto’s Hip-Hop pioneers, Maestro Fresh Wes, with the 1989 classic “Let Your Backbone Slide” before The Roots came out on stage.

The Roots would set up on their instruments as an intro played through the speakers with dialogue reminding fans of the occasion we were all here to celebrate, along with hundreds of names of Hip-Hop artists representing the 50-year history being displayed on the jumbo screens behind them, from Melle Mel to Ice Spice. Staying true to their name and really painting a picture of Hip-Hop’s origins, The Roots began their set by performing covers of 1970s Funk and Soul records that were the foundations to some of Hip-Hop’s most iconic breakbeats sampled over the years. They’d get the crowd grooving as they covered 1972’s “It’s Just Begun” by The Jimmy Castor Bunch, complete with the trumpet solo, as well as Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul’s “I’ve Got So Much Trouble On My Mind,” giving some room for the trumpet and bass players to shine with some solos. DJ Jazzy Jeff would also get set up behind the turntables and the band would let him cut up some samples to get some love from the crowd, eventually moving on into some of their own original songs.

Always ones to give you a different experience on stage from what you hear on their studio recordings, The Roots would maintain the Funk and Soul grooves, never letting the music stop from their previous segment, and would transition into their 2006 track “Here I Come” over that ’70s style groove they were in. Being one of the most versatile emcees to ever perform live on stage, Black Thought effortlessly adapted his flow to fit the Funk groove, performing his own verse as well as covering Dice Raw and the late Malik B’s verses with impeccable breath control. As he’d been doing for the ’70s covers, Questlove would join in on the mic for the hooks while playing drums, and he’d pull it back to let Black Thought really show off his flow on the third verse over just the bassline by itself, the band’s bass player getting some extra shine.

The band would next transition into an epic performance of their Grammy award-winning 1999 single “You Got Me,” with Captain Kirk of course taking the spotlight by covering Erykah Badu’s vocals on the hook and doing one of his staple 7+ minute guitar solos he’s known to drop after Black Thought’s third verse. He’d mesmerize the crowd with his ability to match his high pitched vocals with the chord he played on guitar and would take the crowd through a range of emotions, going from playing the instrument above his head to lying down center stage at one point. Keeping it Hip-Hop, he’d also somehow mix in a cover of Dr. Dre’s “Xxplosive” along the way, with Black Thought covering the hook. While The Roots usually save “You Got Me” to perform towards the middle or end of their shows, with Captain Kirk’s guitar solo always making it an epic, stand-out moment, you knew this was going to be a special show with the way they pulled it out just 2 songs in.

Whether they’re in the main spotlight or playing a supporting role, each of The Roots’ band members showed that they can do both before they’d all fall back as support, and Black Thought would introduce the original G.O.A.T. emcee who coined the term in the first place, LL Cool J. With a cloud of smoke and bright light coming from backstage along with The Roots playing an epic intro, LL Cool J came in like a superhero, cranking the energy up with his 1987 hit “I’m Bad,” still sounding smooth as ever on the mic. By now DJ Z-Trip had joined The Roots on stage and would perform the cuts on most of LL’s songs, and as The Roots always do, the music would never stop but rather continuously transition between songs. LL would take us through a medley of hits from the mid ’90s, getting the ladies to dance to “Doin’ It,” giving Black Thought some shine as they both got to rap on “4, 3, 2, 1,” (Thought doing his verse from Money Making Jam Boys’ “We Not Playing”) and getting heads to nod to the boom-bap Bad Boy-era classic “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix).”

Living up to the LL part of his name, Mr. Cool J had the ladies loving his next segment of songs, going from the teenage heartbreaker on “Big Ole Butt” to the more grown and romantic “Luv U Better,” which transitioned smoothly into the throwback “Around The Way Girl,” all while showing off all the muscles he still has even in his mid-50s. He’d follow up with one of the most hype songs of the evening, with DJ Z-Trip teasing the hook to LL’s 2004 club hit “Headsprung” as The Roots built up the beat, and they’d get the crowd to jump once the beat dropped, remixing it to throw in a classic sample from “The Champ” by The Mohawks. The energy was cranked once LL dropped that classic opening line, “they call me Big Elle,” as he’d go on to rap the entire first verse while jumping up and down, and had the crowd jumping and waving their arms with him.

Keeping the dance vibes going while still jumping between eras to showcase his longevity, LL Cool J next pulled out a throwback with his feature on EPMD’s 1991 single “Rampage,” with Black Thought getting to spit another verse. They’d follow up with a couple 1989 tracks, performing “It Gets No Rougher” and “Going Back To Cali,” with The Roots along with DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Z-Trip cutting up the samples and building up the instrumental between songs. LL would switch up the lyrics in the last chorus of “Going Back To Cali,” saying “I don’t think so… I’m staying in Toronto!” before leaving the stage and mentioning that he’d be back. It was time to bring out the first special guest of the evening, as following one of the original Kings of Hip-Hop would be the first Queen of Hip-Hop, none other than Queen Latifah.

Similar to how LL Cool J made an epic entrance, The Roots would build up the beat to play in Queen Latifah, and she’d come out spitting her 1991 throwback “Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here,” spelling out her name in the first verse to introduce herself. The jumbo screen behind Queen Latifah would depict a throne room filled with all her gold plaques, magazine covers, and Grammy, Emmy, BET and Golden Globe awards as she performed. With Queen Latifah’s career so focused on TV and film over the years, some fans may have forgotten what kind of a beast she was on the mic, and she made sure to remind us as she absolutely ripped through her verses on her 1988 debut single “Wrath of My Madness,” and had everyone singing along to “Just Another Day.” Clearly the Queen’s still got it.

Queen Latifah would bounce between eras, taking us to 1997 with her more soulful RnB track “It’s Alright” before bringing it back to the ’80s for the day-one fans. She’d bring out surprise guest and fellow Native Tongue member Monie Love, and together they’d do a hype performance of the classic “Ladies First,” both emcees nailing their rapid-fire verses word for word. Monie would get a little extra shine, as “Ladies First” smoothly transitioned into her single “Monie In The Middle,” and she’d nail every verse on the track by herself, with Black Thought playing hypeman on the hook. The Queen would return with another RnB hit, doing her feature on Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down” before getting the DJs to play some House records for the crowd to dance to. This would eventually turn into the groovy “Come Into My House,” as Queen Latifah flowed smoothly to the up-tempo beat and kept the crowd moving.

To close out her set, Queen Latifah would do an epic performance of her Grammy award-winning single, “U.N.I.T.Y.,” not even having to ask the arena to sing along with her, as we all naturally joined in on the iconic Hip-Hop anthem. It had been a long time since the Toronto fans got to see Queen Latifah perform live, this actually being my first time personally, and you could tell this crowd appreciated seeing her rock the mic, showing she hasn’t lost a step when it comes to rapping live in person. Her synergy with Monie Love on stage was also incredible, as they both killed their performance with raw skill and no gimmicks.

As Queen Latifah and Monie Love headed backstage, The Roots kept the music going, building up the instrumental to their ode to Hip-Hop, “Act Too (The Love Of My Life).” They’d use this as a bit of an interlude, as Black Thought did a little call-and-response to check the crowd’s energy levels before diving into a full performance of the track. He’d then highlight Stro Elliott and Questlove of The Roots, along with DJ Jazzy Jeff collectively controlling the sound while other band members got a rest, and together they’d jump into a medley of classic Hip-Hop tracks, playing the samples before transitioning into the song itself. Black Thought would perform covers as they flipped a horn sample to recreate C-Murder’s “Down For My N’s,” and similarly recreated Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement” and Camp Lo’s “Luchini.”

The Roots and Jazzy Jeff would continue to showcase their sampling techniques as they moved into some tributes to fallen Hip-Hop legends, covering The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Unbelievable” with Black Thought rapping part of his verse from The Roots’ “Game Theory” over the beat. They’d also do Big Pun’s “Still Not A Player,” and Black Thought would stand out with an on-point cover of DMX’s cadence for “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” but the most epic might have been when they played Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet” and isolated that piano sample used to create Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” DJ Jazzy Jeff would close out the tribute segment by doing some more wicked cuts on the turntables, and the rest of The Roots bandmates would return as Black Thought introduced the next special guest, Jadakiss.

Again picking a perfect track to introduce the artist to the stage, The Roots played the beat from The LOX’ “Money, Power, Respect” to bring out Jadakiss, cranking the energy up from the beginning as ‘Kiss nailed his verse word for word. Shouting out Canadian customs agents for letting him cross the border with no issues this time, Jadakiss would then remind the fans where he’s from, performing his feature on Ja Rule’s “New York” and getting everyone to sing the chorus with him. While much of Jadakiss’ set was similar to when we saw him perform with The LOX at Queen Elizabeth Theatre back in June, including classics like “Knock Yourself Out” and “It’s All About The Benjamins,” having him perform solo opened him up to doing more songs from his solo albums. He’d particularly lean into his 2004 Kiss Of Death album, doing deep cuts like “By Your Side,” the Mariah Carey-assisted “U Make Me Wanna,” and the standout single “Why.” These slower-paced songs had the crowd swaying and bobbing their heads.

Picking up the energy towards the end of his set, Jadakiss would do his classic 2001 single “We Gonna Make It,” the fans ready to rap along with him and wave their arms to the beat. With the original version of the song having Styles P rapping bar-for-bar on a back and forth with Jadakiss, you’d think Black Thought would step in to cover Styles’ vocals, but instead Jadakiss effortlessly performed both his own and Styles’ bars, making it seem like one fluid verse. ‘Kiss would then close out with what’s become known as the show-stealing moment when The LOX had their Verzuz matchup against The Diplomats back in 2021, performing his 2010 freestyle over Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya.” The crowd was with Jadakiss for every word, shouting out his punchlines even though he rapped the entire verse by himself, Black Thought doing minimal hypeman work.

Jadakiss would make his way backstage, passing DJ Z-Trip who was returning to his turntables, ready to scratch some records and play a bit of an interlude between artists. DJ Z-Trip would mash up some classic Hip-Hop songs, blending eras as he went from the ’80s with Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s “The Message” to the 2000s with Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” then back to the ’90s with Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours.” The interlude gave The Roots a chance to rest and fans a moment to run to the washroom and re-up on drinks, although most didn’t want to miss Z-Trip chopping it up on the turntables. Pretty soon, The Roots would return, and it would be time to bring back the one who put this tour together, LL Cool J.

Returning to the stage wearing a shirt that read Hip-Hop Champion , LL Cool J would start things off slow, doing his groundbreaking romantic hit “I Need Love” to set the tone, the crowd lighting up their cell phones to fit the vibe. He’d keep up similar themes with his Grammy award-winning single “Hey Lover,” performing the track over the beat from The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa” to give it some extra energy, and would get the crowd to wave their arms as they let the Biggie song play in tribute to the late legend. LL would do one more romantic track for the ladies, performing his Jennifer Lopez collab “All I Have” with a video playing on the jumbo screen of JLo singing into the camera, before getting into his more hardcore tracks.

After showing fans how he first popularized softer, more romantic songs in Hip-Hop, LL Cool J then reminded us how he also handled his rap battles back in the day, performing more aggressive tracks like “I Shot Ya (Remix)” and “Jack The Ripper,” with 1985’s “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” thrown in between. LL would walk around stage with a portable mic stand in hand, swinging it around and showing off his mic mastery as he rapped these more energetic verses and nailed his flows. Being sure not to simply stick to the hits, LL also performed some deep album cuts and rarities, including “Kanday,” “Eat ‘Em Up L Chill,” and “Ill Bomb” to show off more of his raw rap skills. Finding the perfect balance between the bar-heavy verses hardcore fans want to hear and the grooves the ladies want to dance to, LL Cool J would serve up a mix of some more of his hits from over the years, including “Paradise,” “Phenomenon,” and “Loungin,” with deep album cuts like “1-900-LL Cool J” and “Mr. Goodbar” sprinkled in.

With LL Cool J’s second set showcasing his impact on Hip-Hop, from the diverse range of styles to the longevity, the jumbo screen would display each of his album covers as he got into my personal favourite song of his, “Momma Said Knock You Out.” Smoke machines would shoot out from the front of the stage as the beat dropped, and Questlove’s drums added an extra punch to give the beat more energy, LL reciprocating that through his aggressive raps. After working up a sweat, LL Cool J would take a moment to thank the crowd for embarking on this journey through Hip-Hop history with him, calling Hip-Hop his first love despite having moved on into TV and film over the years. He would then close out with one final song for the day-ones, The Roots and him coordinating perfectly to nail the timing as he kicked off “Rock The Bells.” “LL Cool J is hard as hell!!!”

LL Cool J, DJ Z-Trip, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Roots all tore the house down with that final performance, capping off what was an epic concert that honoured Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary. While the lineup of artists Toronto got may have been smaller than other cities on the tour, some fans being disappointed that Rakim was pulled from the lineup last minute, we still got one hell of a show from the artists who were here. The Roots proved yet again to be one of the greatest bands to perform live, as they kept the music going for the entire 3-hour set, making it look effortless with the way they adapt to every artist they collaborate with. Black Thought brought a ton of energy to the stage, playing hypeman and backing up each of the other emcees with perfect timing with his mic presence. My only gripe with this show is that he didn’t get to rap more; The Roots have one of Hip-Hop’s best discographies spanning over a dozen albums that they barely tapped into.

While The Roots may not have gotten to celebrate their own music to the same extent, they played the perfect support for all the other artists, each having their own legacies worth celebrating. Representing that authentic, true-school Hip-Hop, each emcee who blessed the stage killed their performances and showcased that raw skill that the foundations of emceeing and DJing were built on. Queen Latifah & Monie Love took us back to that Native Tongue era of Hip-Hop, delivering meaningful messages in their raps that still hold up to this day, while Jadakiss brought the hardcore late ’90s/early 2000s vibe. LL Cool J of course put on an epic performance, showing incredible health, energy and athleticism for his age as he put a ton of passion and enthusiasm into each song he performed, not to mention the synergy and choreography he had with The Roots as they backed him. Covering over 3 decades of Hip-Hop with just his own discography, LL still has the juice when it comes to rocking a stage and dominating the mic.

The F.O.R.C.E. Tour continues through the USA throughout August and September with a different lineup in each city, tickets can be found here .

Check out the  SYpherSights Youtube channel  for more concert videos.

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