We can officially call it a comeback. LL Cool J took to Twitter yesterday (March 14) to announce his retirement from rap. “Just kidding yall.. I’m not dropping an album… lol focused on my current endeavors.. but that was a hilarious rant… 😀 I had a wonderful music career. Enjoy the classics,” he wrote, leading fans to believe he was done rapping. Then, on the same day, LL deleted his rant and promptly went back on his word, saying he in fact isn't retiring but is in the studio working on a new album.

Speculation of LL getting back in the game had already been looming after this freestyle over an unreleased Dr. Dre beat surfaced last week. Now LL Cool J has talked to Billboard to set the record straight about not only his split-second decision to retire and then un-retire, but also his work relationship with Dre and how it came together.

"I went to the studio to see my man Pooh and hang out with Dre and Preemo," he told the mag. "One thing lead to another and they were like, 'Yo, you wanna do a drop?' I was like, 'Nah, let me spit something'; Dre went and grabbed the titanium laptop. He pressed play and the rest is history. I grabbed the pen and pad and did it right there. That’s what it’s about."

And although he confirmed that his album G.O.A.T 2 is on hold for right now, LL promised he's working on something bigger and better.

"With hip-hop today, in this era, I feel like I have to make a contribution. I’ve made a contribution in every other era. I haven’t made a high powered one in this era yet. I look forward to doing that. I think it’s going to set a standard for the culture in general."

For fans of the Queens figure born after 2000, LL Cool J is more of a film and TV star than a rapper. LL stars in the CBS drama NCIS: Los Angeles, has hosted the Grammy Awards at Los Angeles' Staples Center for five consecutive years and also plays master of ceremonies on Spike's celebrity competition show Lip Sync Battle. In other words, he's a busy man. But as LL explained, getting back into his first passion is a labor of love.

"The most fun for me will be introducing music to people who only know me for my acting, my hosting and all of that stuff. They’ll get a chance to see me in my original element."

LL also speaks on a collaboration with Eminem he has in the stash. "[Eminem] actually did his vocals and everything. It really happened," says LL. "I want the overall project to be good. Em is my man and I love him. He’s also a friend of mine, so we’ll definitely get it poppin’. The world has been waiting for that. They’ll get it the right way and it’s gonna be amazing. People should just gear up for this project. Quote me on the things I said about it, and hold me accountable when I deliver it."

Weeks ago, LL revealed that he's a fan of Atlanta rapper PeeWee Longway. He expounded on his fanship in his talk with Billboard: "I just came along some of his music and I felt like I was hanging out with him. [Laughs] When you watch his videos, you feel like you’re there. I just liked it. He’s a cool artist."

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