LL COOL J became forever synonymous with the boombox following his scene stealing performance of "I Can't Live Without My Radio" in 1985's Krush Groove. That breakout single and his debut album Radio would place LL on international tours where a gigantic box was the backdrop.

As LL prepares The FORCE, his first full length album since 2013's Authentic, he recently released the first official video from the project, "Passion". The video features LL writing rhymes in his childhood bedroom in a modern day setting, with flashbacks to writing in that same room as a kid. Featured prominently in the scenes is the Panasonic SG-J500 boombox. Shepard Fairey recently shared the back story of that box, and how in became part of the video for "Passion".

Fairey explained that he grew up listening Punk Rock in the mid '80s, and discovered Hip-Hop via Run-DMC, and Def Jam Recordings artists such as LL COOL J, Public Enemy, and The Beastie Boys. "In the early 2000s, I began making portraits of Hip-Hop pioneer heroes of mine," he said. "The series included Chuck D and Flavor Flav from Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Biggie, and LL. Around 2009, I met LL, who had seen some of my art, including large paste-ups of his portrait and a painted mural I did of him in Brooklyn.

We had lunch together and discussed life, art, and music, including our favorite Hip-Hop albums. I told LL that, of course I loved all of his classics, but a life-changing album for me was 'It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' by Public Enemy. He said, 'That’s an all-time favorite of mine too.' I replied that the album is nothing short of a 'sonic and lyrical firestorm,' to which LL replied, 'That’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard of that album!'"

Fairey further explained that in 2014 he created a custom boombox dedicated to LL for an art show. "The front of the boombox was stenciled with 'I Can’t Live Without My Radio,' referencing a favorite song from LL’s first album. In the cassette player, I decided to place my 1988 copy of Public Enemy’s 'It Takes A Nation of Millions' as a tie-in to my great conversation with LL.

As it turns out, my close friend DJ Z-Trip, who has been LL’s DJ for many years now, was able to get LL to do a guest set at the opening, which was mind-blowing and incredibly generous of him. LL saw the boombox in the show, dug it, and his agent slyly bought it as a gift for him".

"Fast forward to a couple of days ago, and I was checking out a snippet of LL’s video for the song 'Passion'," he explained. "A cassette tape appears on the screen for a split second. In an instant, I thought, 'That tape looks kinda like my Public Enemy tape from 88'.

I then froze the frame and realized it IS my PE tape from '88 on which my inky fingerprints can be seen because I’d always listen to that tape while screen printing! Anyway, my mind was blown, and I’m incredibly grateful to LL for the lyrical and visual references in the song and video!"

Check out the video for 'Passion' above.