LL COOL J’s “Rock The Bells” video, a brand new clip made for the monumental 1985 single, took residence the Greatest Music Video award on the 2025 Tribeca Movie Competition. LL took residence the respect alongside director Gregory Brunkalla, Keith Brown, Def Jam, and UMe.
The clip was featured within the Shorts class together with music movies from Jack White, Child Cudi, Rae Khalil, and others. The video debuted earlier than the characteristic movie The Sixth Borough throughout the fest.
Relating to the win, Tribeca mentioned: “To honor our first-ever Music Video Jury Competition winner, we found it only fitting to celebrate the great city of New York—with a music video that captures the style, swag, and sound of Tribeca’s hometown.”
The video was launched across the identical time as vinyl reissues for 2 of LL COOL J albums: 1996’s All World: Biggest Hits and 1997’s Phenomenon. The rap celebrity’s first hits compilation featured the aforementioned “Rock The Bells,” “Mama Said Knock You Out,” and “Around The Way Out.” He produced the file with Rick Rubin, Marley Marl, L.A. Posse, Rashad Smith, Quincy Jones III, and Tone. It was licensed Platinum in 2001.
Again in February when the video was launched, Brunkalla advised The FADER in a press release: “I pitched LL this idea of having real [New Yorkers] rap lyrics all over the city and he thought it would be perfect to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ‘Rock The Bells’ which came out in 1985. I think it works so well because it’s a song so many people already know. On the day we were filming the shot in the basketball court, we showed up to the location and a random Jeep drove by with the windows down blasting ‘Rock The Bells’ — that’s some crazy synchronicity. Makes you feel like things are truly lining up!”
In different LL information, he’s gearing up for the 2025 version of the Rock The Bells pageant, set for June 28 on the Prudential Middle in New Jersey. In an announcement revealing the lineup in April, COOL J wrote on X: “Class of 2025. It’s not a reunion it’s a reminder.”
Purchase LL COOL J’s music on CD and vinyl now.
