
LL Cool J
4 FOLLOWERS • 58 CREDITS • JAN 14, 1968 • 57
Biography
James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC.
Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, his breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). He achieved further commercial and critical success with the albums Bigger and Deffer (1987), Walking with a Panther (1989), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990), Mr. Smith (1995), and Phenomenon (1997). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam.
A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells", and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as R&B hits such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence.
While he first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"), his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. He continued to work in movies from then until 1995 when he landed his own television sitcom, In the House (1995-2000).
He has appeared in numerous films, including Last Holiday, Edison, Mindhunters, S.W.A.T., Deliver Us from Eva, Rollerball, Charlie's Angels, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, Halloween H20, B.A.P.S., Toys, and The Hard Way.
In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the FOX medical drama House. He also guest starred on 30 Rock in 2007, and on Sesame Street 's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous” and performed "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008).
As of 2011, he stars as Special Agent Sam Hanna on CBS's police procedural NCIS: L.A., a spin-off of NCIS. He was also the host of MTV's Lip Sync Battle.
Known For

Saturday Night Live

The Daily Show

The Kelly Clarkson Show

WWE SmackDown

MADtv

NCIS

MTV Europe Music Awards

Today

MTV Video Music Awards

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Entertainment Tonight

American Dad!

30 Rock

Project Runway

NCIS: Hawai'i

Teen Choice Awards

The $100,000 Pyramid

The Late Late Show with James Corden

Finding Your Roots

Oz

Desus & Mero

The Early Show

American Idol

Shut Up and Dribble

Last Call with Carson Daly

Hawaii Five-0

So You Think You Can Dance

The Chris Rock Show

Kids' Choice Awards

House

The Tyra Banks Show

Superfan

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop

You're Watching Video Music Box

Wildcats

They Call Me Magic

Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute

NCIS: Los Angeles

Charlie's Angels

Woo

Grudge Match

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Any Given Sunday

Toys

S.W.A.T.

The Right to Remain Silent

Deep Blue Sea

WWII in HD

Last Holiday

The Grammys

In Too Deep

The Man

Lip Sync Battle

MVP: Most Valuable Performer

Supreme Team

Deliver Us from Eva

Late Night with Conan O'Brien
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