LL Cool J's next album, Todd Smith, is set for a March 21 release.
His first self-titled affair and 12th Def Jam album features guest appearances by Mary J. Blige, 112, Ginuwine, Freeway and Juelz Santana.
A video for Jermaine Dupri-produced lead single "Control Myself," featuring Jennifer Lopez, was recently shot in New York and Atlanta by director Hype Williams. A spring tour is also in the works.
Todd Smith -- taken from the rapper's given name, James Todd Smith -- will be the follow-up to 2004's The Definition, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 747,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
LL Cool J discussed the new album during a recent interview with Billboard.
"All I can really do is what I do and what comes natural, what I love," he said when asked if, as a veteran artist, he consciously tried to appeal to a younger audience. "If you pay attention to that, then hopefully someone should be able to relate to it. Whatever project I'm involved with, I try to make it positive and fun and as cool. I just make it to my taste, in other words, and go from there."
Having already tackled film and television, LL is also venturing into fashion with the launch of two new signature collections. He premiered his high-end line Todd Smith and the active wear line TS last week during Olympus Fashion Week in New York.
His first self-titled affair and 12th Def Jam album features guest appearances by Mary J. Blige, 112, Ginuwine, Freeway and Juelz Santana.
A video for Jermaine Dupri-produced lead single "Control Myself," featuring Jennifer Lopez, was recently shot in New York and Atlanta by director Hype Williams. A spring tour is also in the works.
Todd Smith -- taken from the rapper's given name, James Todd Smith -- will be the follow-up to 2004's The Definition, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 747,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
LL Cool J discussed the new album during a recent interview with Billboard.
"All I can really do is what I do and what comes natural, what I love," he said when asked if, as a veteran artist, he consciously tried to appeal to a younger audience. "If you pay attention to that, then hopefully someone should be able to relate to it. Whatever project I'm involved with, I try to make it positive and fun and as cool. I just make it to my taste, in other words, and go from there."
Having already tackled film and television, LL is also venturing into fashion with the launch of two new signature collections. He premiered his high-end line Todd Smith and the active wear line TS last week during Olympus Fashion Week in New York.
