LL Cool J would totally buy his new record Exit 13, which comes out August 5th. His last few? Maybe not. “This is a record that I actually, honestly believe from the deepest part of my soul, I would buy — every record you make is not like that,” says the vet rapper, who hasn’t had a platinum album since 1997’s Phenomenon. LL chalks recent lackluster efforts up to distractions. “With all my television and film projects, the quality level of my recent albums has suffered,” says the MC, who has starred in movies like S.W.A.T. and Last Holiday and made a memorable guest appearance as a rapper named Ridikolus on an episode of 30 Rock. LL says that during the Hollywood writers’ strike, he had some time on his hands and wound up recording and tossing most tracks from two full albums before coming up with material for Exit 13. “This new album isn’t gonna be what people are used to hearing from me the last couple of records,” he says. “This thing is gonna be a whole other level of dedication, commitment, creativity — this isn’t the little independent movie, this is the big summer blockbuster.”

The street single “I Cry,” a bittersweet love song with a hook by Lil’ Mo, and the raunchy official single “Baby,” featuring The-Dream, are both getting spins at radio. LL promises that the rest of the album is full of surprises. “Heartbeat,” featuring 50 Cent, is about role-playing in the bedroom, while “Rockin’ With the G.O.A.T.,” produced by DJ Scratch, is a bass-heavy boast track. The album also features appearances by Wyclef Jean, Lil Kim, Jim Jones, KRS-One, Method Man, and a remix of “Baby” with Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. “It’s really a departure,” LL says of the record. “Rick Rubin would be proud of me.”

The album title refers to the fact that this is LL’s 13th album on Def Jam and the last on his contract. It’s been a rocky relationship, with LL questioning some of Jay-Z’s managerial decisions and claiming the label didn’t properly promote some of his albums, but he says things are better now. “We’re back on the same page, it feels great,” says the MC, who has said he’s glad that Jay-Z is no longer running the label. “It’s my last record on the contract, but that doesn’t mean that our relationship is over.”

“It’s interesting to see 50 Cent unite with NY artists when he’s one of the reasons NY hip-hop became so isolated & crumbled,” Fab tweeted after 50′s “unifying” Governor’s Island concert, where he brought together Dip Set, The Lox, Maino and many other NY acts.

“Reading what Fab said about me on Twitter was disappointing,” 50 responded via a post on his website, Thisis50.com.

Both sides have been silent since then, but 50 Cent now claims that there’s no problem between them.

“Yeah, we’re cool,” 50 told MTV on the set of his “Baby by Me” video shoot. “Fab particularly is an artist I’ve interacted with twice. He’s [opened] two international runs [for G-Unit] … He reached out to tell me he didn’t mean it in that derogatory way,” 50 confirmed.

“People misinterpret what you type in the text,” 50 explained. “I’ve misinterpreted what people were trying to send to me, sending me messages before, as well. Before we utilize devices we use to communicate with each other intimately on Twitter and other Web sites, you can forget you’re making a public statement. You can feel you’re having barbershop talk or just saying your personal take on something, and it’s a public statement and people start to resent you for it.”

As for the fallout from their brief misunderstanding, according to 50, Fabolous didn’t come out completely unscathed. “He kind of felt a little backlash on it,” 50 said of Fab. “People responded negatively to it because they were like, ‘Finally [these artists are performing together]‘ and he’s going, ‘Wasn’t I a part of dividing New York City?’ I wasn’t a part of dividing New York City. New York City wasn’t accepting me initially.”

50 Cent’s new album, ‘Before I Self Destruct‘ drops November 23. Expect him to be all over the net until then.

What’s inspired the title is, 50 and G-Unit are putting on a sold-out performance somewhere in a fictional Middle Eastern setting. This is where the ‘blood on the sand’ comes in. They put on the performance; the people are pleased, but the concert promoter stiffs them and doesn’t give 50 and G-Unit their payment.So, of course, 50 isn’t going to leave until he gets paid, so he hassles the concert promoter, [saying] if he doesn’t come up with the money now, there will be consequences. And instead, the promoter offers him a very valuable gift — something that’s valuable to this particular country — a diamond encrusted skull.

So 50 gets the skull, and as he’s about to leave this war-torn country, when they’re ambushed and the skull is taken. They escape the ambush, but they’re without the skull. So 50′s motivated to get what belongs to him. So basically, throughout the game, he’s trying to track these people down and find out who they are and why he was ambushed.

LL Cool J recently revealed that 50 Cent will executive-produce his next LP, Todd Smith, Part 2: Back to Cool, which is due in the fall.

“It’s my last Def Jam record so I wanted to make it something special and something really unique and kinda get back to my roots a little bit,” LL said. His debut album, 1985′s Radio, was the label’s first-ever full-length release. “50 reminds me a lot of the things that I used to do and the places I used to be in my life, and I think we can have a good time together.

“He’s talented and I feel like I have something I want to say — I think he can help me get it off my chest.”

LL and 50 can currently be heard together, along with Lloyd Banks and Hot Rod, on the remix of LL’s “Freeze,” which he’s calling “You Can Bump This.” The two are still working out how much 50 will rap on the new album, and whether anyone else from G-Unit will appear.

“I don’t know if I’m gonna do as many collaborations on this record,” said LL, whose most recent release, April’s Todd Smith, is packed with stars (see “With Blige, J. Lo, Foxx On Board, LL Cool J’s New LP Is A Guest Fest”). “I think that me and 50 is enough.”

The two Queens-bred MCs have yet to start recording but have talked at length about the music. “We’re definitely putting our heads together, we definitely have subject matter in mind and I’m definitely focused on making it as hot as it can be,” LL said.

LL was in Los Angeles to collect the Golden Note Award at June’s American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, which is given to songwriters who have achieved extraordinary milestones. His 21-year career has yielded nine platinum LPs and two Grammys.

“I’m a blessed guy, I’m lucky,” LL said. “I didn’t know it would end up like this. It’s pretty wild.”

People cluster and whisper excitedly because they’ve heard the news-50 Cent is on his way. They scan the south end of the large Las Vegas Convention Center, waiting eagerly as others join the throng of curious onlookers on the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) convention floor. The crowd parts way for Curtis Jackson. The multi-platinum rapper, actor, entrepreneur and mogul moves with a cool swagger, relaxed and self-assured, despite the commotion.

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50 Cent is a busy man, and his appearance at SEMA is for more than just show. The night before the convention started, 50 unveiled the new Pontiac G8 surrounded by GM executives, automotive suppliers and journalists in a ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas. He was a consultant on this custom edition alongside Will Castro from Unique Autosports, who provided the finishing touches for 50’s vision, and he casually spoke of the distinctive qualities of the car. “I had an opportunity to present something to the public
that hadn’t been seen before, so that was exciting,” he explains.

50 added the G-Unit flavor to his G8 with a Spies Hecker Torch Red exterior paint job offset by a black stripe in the shape of the Pontiac dart. Seven spokes twinkle on 22-inch NC Forged chrome wheels, suited up with low-profile Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. Smoked taillights, windows tinted with Lumar film and a Borla exhaust give the G8 a menacing edge.
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In the cabin, black leather seats are accented with red leather inserts and embroidered 50 Cent and Unique Autosports logo on the seat headrests and floor mats. 50’s sound system is something to be reckoned with, as the 800-Watt JBL audio system, complete with amps and a subwoofer, is perfect to bump any of his three previous albums.

At SEMA, he’s also talking about the Pontiac G6 GXP Street Edition he designed from the Pirelli Booth. “The G6 is the street edition, and that will be out shortly,” he explains. “I actually had an opportunity to work with it and [the G8] one, too.” Pirelli executives are eager to meet 50, and he approaches it nonchalantly, with an endearing smile for fans and businessmen, alike.

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50 Cent knows the power of his words, and he flaunts that influence with flair. “I like to have things that everyone else doesn’t have yet,” he says. “I want to have it first. I’m a trendsetter.” He predicts other G-Unit members will ride the G8. “When it actually hits, they’re going to want their own,” 50 Cent explains. “They’ll do it differently because they’ll want to make it special to their style.”
With 50 Cent on board, Pontiac hopes to reap the results of his support. Even so, it’s not a random association for 50, or if it’s so, he’s found a way to reconcile it with aspects of his identity, before the taping of his video “Amusement Park” that features the G8 and the G6 GXP. “My grandparents and my mom had Pontiacs,” he explains, authenticating the custom job. “Everything that I’m around is a reflection of my style. Because I don’t drink, I haven’t supported alcoholic beverages. I stay close to things that are actually relevant to my lifestyle. That car is exciting.” He’s enthusiastic about the performance of the 500-horsepower LSX 427 engine, also used on the Corvette Z06.

His car at the 2008 Hot Import Nights in Los Angeles photos by WhipDaddy

But don’t think 50 won’t drive the Pontiac because he gets chauffeured around”…he likes to drive. “They think I can’t drive, but I can drive,” he asserts. “I be racing on the highway, don’t come near me playing. I’ll try not to get in trouble, but you know, I’m into what I’m into.”

50 likes to have choices that’s why he has a couple of cars to choose from when at his primary residence in Connecticut or in Los Angele’s, where he spends much of his time. “I have five vehicles because I don’t actually stay in one place; I have a car that stays in Los Angeles, but I didn’t buy the home that I was looking at out there, so it stays at the Beverly Hills Hotel.”

But back to his Pontiac. He’s taken the G8 out for at least one spin on the set. “I got the new G8,” he confesses. “It has 550 horsepower. I tore a pair of Pirellis up already. We were at a video shoot, and they brought the car there for the first time, and I had a chance to drive it. It had power.”

There’s no telling where he might turn up next after backing a NASCAR team. “I haven’t raced on the track. I’m fitting to start learning how to drift,” he hints. And, yes, a man who brags about the lightning speed of his Bentley Flying Spur or $400,000 Lamborghini is genuinely enthused by an affordable American sports car. “That’s as fast as you can actually get with that kind of power that’s affordable, that’s under $30,000,” 50 says. “You can match it up with the Gallardo. Actually, it’s been tested, and it’s 50 horsepower over the Gallardo. I can drive the G8 and hold on to $370,000 and spend it on something else.”

50 Cent didn’t get rich by just trying. It also takes plain old common cents.