September 2024
Monthly Reviews | September 2024
Just like last month, September was another quiet month and I didn’t dive into many albums that were released in September. Only two releases caught my eye and I was eager to check them out. The first being the brand new album from Hip-Hop legend, LL Cool J. Over a decade since his last album, how did the 56 year old veteran fare out with his brand album, which was entirely produced by Q-Tip? Additionally, Tommy Richman released his debut album, Coyote. Following two successful singles, with “Million Dollar Baby” and “Devil Is a Lie”, I was really excited to hear his new album. Find out below if it lived up to the hype.
LL Cool J — The Force
Release Date — 6th September
After over a decade long hiatus from music, LL Cool J’s The FORCE marks a powerful comeback for the Hip-Hop veteran, reuniting him with the genre that propelled him to stardom in the 1980s, as the rapper enlists fellow Queens legend Q-Top to produce the entire project. Since his last release, Authentic back in 2013, LL Cool J pushed his focus on his acting and TV hosting career, but he’s come back and has released a really good album. There are standout records such as “30 Decembers”, which reminds the listener on how long LL has been around. Whilst the album boasts multiple guest features from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Busta Rhymes. However, no one remotely has a better guest spot than Nas on the track “Praise Him”.
Q-Tip’s production on the album shines, and he does a fantastic job on providing LL a clear and polished sound that enhances LL’s distinctive voice and delivery. The best production work being on the album’s first single, “Saturday Night Special”, which features Rick Ross and Fat Joe. What Q-Tip provides is a mix of both vintage and new sounds to the album, without sounding cliche, dated or out of touch. Without the legendary producer and rapper, that album wouldn’t be half as good as it is. LL Cool J sounds incredibly reinvigorated for someone who hasn’t released an album in over a decade, and his last album - Authentic - wasn’t viewed highly.
There are some weak spots and the album isn’t perfect, “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem, doesn’t have much replay value due to it sonically not being that pleasant to hear, especially Eminem’s fast robotic delivery that he has favoured for the last decade. “Huey In The Chair” with Busta Rhymes is quite chaotic with how it sounds and not in a good way. “The Vow” featuring Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D. and Don Pablito is decent but isn’t a standout in comparison to the album’s tracks, and the same can be said for “Basquiat Energy”.
Besides from the songs mentioned previously, The FORCE, is a good album and perhaps a surprising one, as many would have casted doubt on LL Cool J coming back with a good project at 56 years old and over a decade long absence. However, just like Nas and Jay-Z, he has shown that Hip-Hop isn’t just a young mans game. With Hip-Hop only 50 years old, we are now starting to see what music is like from the genre’s veterans, and it’s fantastic. In fact it’s at times better than what we are hearing from newer and younger artists.
Tommy Richman — Coyote
Release Date — 27th September
Tommy Richman's new album - Coyote - solidifies his breakout year, following his viral success with "Devil Is A Lie" and in particular "Million Dollar Baby." With this 14-track release, Richman embraces his momentum and and brings a fresh energy to contemporary R&B. The album is unique in its refusal to rely on his two biggest singles, which is different and brave in the day and age of artists trying to push up their streaming numbers for their albums.
Throughout the album, Richman demonstrates his vocal range and knack for selecting lush, fitting instrumentals, creating an atmospheric journey for the listener. His sound feels deeply influenced by the 1980s, with tracks like “Give It All” that samples One Way’s "Don’t Stop," while others, such as "Temptations," sonically seems to be inspired by Prince. This retro touch continues with standouts like "Whitney" and "Vanity," blending nostalgia with modern energy.
The album's strongest material is packed into its opening five tracks, which set an incredibly high bar for the rest of the album. While the majority of the album maintains this high standard, "Tennessee" is the only track that feels like a minor dip. The song itself is simply just okay, but it diverges slightly from the album’s cohesive feel, with guest verses from Trevor Spitta and Zachary Moon not being stand outs. Overall however, Richman’s latest project is a fantastic showcase of his vocal prowess and artistic vision, breathing fresh air into R&B and proving he’s one of the genre’s most exciting new names. This album and 2024 in general mark a powerful new chapter for Richman, one that promises even greater potential for his future.