"I never could have predicted that I'd still be rocking the mic more than two decades after my debut, but here I am," LL Cool J says with a smile.

Here he is indeed. Nearly 25 years since he first burst onto the scene, LL Cool J continues his vibrant, trailblazing career with the release of “Exit 13”, his appropriately titled 13th album for the only label he has called home - Def Jam Recordings.

“Exit 13” is a study in contrast and showcases LL Cool J's duality. "Depending on my mood, I can be aggressive, explosive and in-your-face, or alternately suave, smooth and sensual. It's no secret that I like making love songs as much as I like to lay down rhymes," commented LL. With a career chock full of both and a new album packed with collaborators as diverse as 50 Cent, Wyclef Jean, Richie Sambora and The-Dream, and producers such as Suits, DJ Scratch, Ilfonics and Raw Uncut, “Exit 13” is the album LL Cool J fans have been clamoring for – full of passion, braggadocio and smooth rhymes. "When it came time for me to go into the studio, I tried to make this project as relevant as my first, and having that sense of my career coming full circle. Believe me, it was a blessing to be able to go back into the studio and create this album."

Joining forces with 50 Cent on a track called "Heartbeat," the two Queens natives rap over a stripped down track, while sounding like they are having a good time. "It's a song about role playing," says LL of "Heartbeat." On the tracks "Rocking With The Goat," LL taps into his native New Yorker persona, and teams with labelmates The-Dream on “Exit 13´s” first single "Baby."  The track, which recently debuted on the Billboard charts, marks LL's 42nd career chart debut.

As an actor, LL Cool J recently wrapped production on "The Deal" opposite William H. Macy and Meg Ryan. He also recently starred in Paramount Pictures' "Last Holiday," opposite Queen Latifah. The film was lauded by fans and critics alike and proved to be a box office draw. Both "Last Holiday" and "Edison," a film starring Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey and Justin Timberlake, are now available on DVD.