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Videos: LL Cool J


James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James[1]) is an American rapper and actor. He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", and "Mama Said Knock You Out". He has released twelve studio albums and two greatest hits compilations, with his final album being 2008's Exit 13, the last for his record deal with Def Jam Recordings. He has also appeared in numerous films, and currently stars as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. He now lives in Long Island, New York, with his wife and four children.[2]

LL Cool J was born and raised in Bay Shore, New York, the son of Ondrea (née Griffith) and James Smith.[3] He started rapping at the age of nine. His DJ later was known as Cut Creator. In his youth, LL Cool J performed in the church choir, participated in the Boy Scouts, and delivered newspapers. At age 16, by using a mixing table purchased by his grandfather at Sears,[4] Smith produced and created demos and sent them to various record companies, including Def Jam Recordings.[5]

Under his new stage name, LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James),[6] Def Jam released his first record, the 12" single "I Need a Beat".[7] The single sold over 100,000 copies. The success of "I Need a Beat" helped lead to a distribution deal with Def Jam and Columbia Records in 1985.[8] Soon after, he dropped out of Andrew Jackson High School to record his debut album.
[edit] Music career
[edit] Radio (1985)
Main article: Radio (LL Cool J album)

Radio was released to critical acclaim, as LL was one of the first rappers to use conventional song structure to make pop oriented rap.[9] "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were singles that helped the album go platinum with 1,500,000 sales.[citation needed]
[edit] Bigger and Deffer (1987)

In 1987, he released Bigger and Deffer which included "I Need Love". Also featured on the album was "Go Cut Creator Go", which pays homage to the DJ. The album sold about 2,300,000 copies.[citation needed] In 1998, The Source Magazine named it as one of the top 100 albums ever.[citation needed]

"I Need Love" was the second single from LL Cool J's second album, Bigger and Deffer. The song, released in the fall of 1987, reached #1 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts, #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and #8 in the UK Singles Chart. The single won a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap - Single in 1987.[1] "I Need Love" was ranked #13 on the 100 Greatest Rap Songs.[2]
[edit] Walking with a Panther (1989)

LL Cool J's third album was 1989's Walking with a Panther. The album featured the singles "Going Back to Cali", "I'm That Type of Guy", "Jingling Baby", and "Big Ole Butt" and went platinum with 1,100,000 sales.[citation needed]
[edit] Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)

Following this, LL Cool J released Mama Said Knock You Out, which contained three singles, "The Boomin' System", "Around the Way Girl", and the title track, which he performed during an episode of MTV Unplugged. It was also featured in the film The Hard Way. The album went on to sell over 2,700,000 copies.[citation needed]
[edit] 14 Shots to the Dome (1993)

After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. The album had three singles ("How I'm Comin'", "Back Seat" and the strangely titled "Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings") and guest-featured labelmates Lords of the Underground on "NFA-No Frontin' Allowed". The album went gold.
[edit] Mr. Smith (1995)

LL Cool J starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Smith (1995), which went on to sell over two million copies. Its singles included "Doin' It" (that samples "My Jamaican Guy" by Grace Jones) and "Loungin" (that samples "Who Do You Love?" by Bernard Wright). Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men sampling Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life," which eventually became one of the first hip hop music videos to air on VH1[citation needed]. The song also earned him a Grammy Award. Yet another single from the album, "I Shot Ya Remix", included vocal work by Foxy Brown.
[edit] Phenomenon (1997)

In 1997, he released the album Phenomenon. The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father". The official second single from Phenomenon was "4, 3, 2, 1," which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus.
[edit] G.O.A.T. (2000)

In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T., which stood for the "greatest of all time." It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts,[10] and went platinum. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration".
[edit] 10 (2002)

LL Cool J's next album 10 from 2002, was his 9th studio (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), "Luv U Better", produced by The Neptunes and the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". The album reached platinum status.
[edit] The DEFinition (2004)

LL Cool J's 10th album The DEFinition was released on August 31, 2004. The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard charts. Production came from Timbaland, 7 Aurelius, R. Kelly, and others. The lead single was the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung," which peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11] The second single was the 7 Aurelius – produced, "Hush," which peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11]
[edit] Todd Smith (2006)

LL Cool J's 11th album, Todd Smith, was released on April 11, 2006. It includes collaborations with 112, Ginuwine, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari and Freeway. The first single was the Jermaine Dupri produced "Control Myself" aka the "zzz song" which was with singer Jennifer "J-Lo" Lopez. They shot the video for "Control Myself" on January 2, 2006 at Sony Studios, New York. The second video, directed by Hype Williams, was "Freeze" featuring Lyfe Jennings.
[edit] Exit 13 (2008)
LL Cool J performing in Wilmington, Delaware in August 2008.
LL Cool J in concert at the Arizona State Fair in Phoenix, Arizona.

In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam recordings, the only label he has ever been signed to. The album is titled Exit 13. The album was originally scheduled to be executively produced by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent.[12] Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2 year delay, it was released September 9, 2008 without 50 Cent as the executive producer. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the Internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13.

LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". It was the first mixtape of his 24 year career and includes freestyling by LL Cool J in addition to other rappers giving their rendition of his songs. A track entitled "Hi Haterz" was leaked onto the internet on June 1, 2008. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over the instrumental to Maino's "Hi Hater". He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City.
[edit] NCIS: No Crew Is Superior

In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. It is a single and is available on iTunes. The new track is based on his experiences playing special agent Sam Hanna. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy Seals," LL Cool J said. "It represents the collective energy in the room. I was so inspired I wrote the song on set."[13]
[edit] Acting career

While LL Cool J 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. He starred as an ex-Los Angeles Raiders running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children.

In 1998 he had a role in the film Halloween H20. In 1999's Deep Blue Sea, he played the wise-cracking cook on a top-secret sea base besieged by genetically-enhanced sharks. Later that year, he had a starring role in Any Given Sunday, in which he played Julian Washington, the talented but selfish running back on the dysfunctional Miami Sharks. Since then, LL Cool J has appeared in a variety of films, such as the 2002 remake of Rollerball, Deliver Us from Eva, and S.W.A.T..

In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the Fox medical drama House as a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease.

LL Cool J also appeared as Queen Latifah's love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday.

He also guest starred on 30 Rock in the 2007 episode "The Source Awards" as the hip hop producer Ridiculous, who Tracy Jordan fears is going to kill him.

LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous", in episode 4169 (Sept. 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008).

LL Cool J is currently a series regular on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles, a spin-off of NCIS (which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG). He portrays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an ex–Navy SEAL who is fluent in Arabic and an expert on West Asian culture. The series debuted in autumn of 2009, but the characters were introduced in an April 2009 crossover episode on the parent show.
[edit] Other works and ventures
[edit] Fashion

LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-eighties Hip-Hop sportswear line TROOP.[14] In the mid 90's, he also helped to launch the clothing line FUBU.

LL Cool J launched a clothing line (called Todd Smith).[15] The brand produces urban apparel. Designs include influences from LL's lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community.[16]
[edit] Books

LL Cool J has written four books, including 1998's I Make My Own Rules, an autobiography co-written with Karen Hunter. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is... published in 2002. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig wrote a fitness book, The Platinum Workout. His fourth book LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was co-written in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy's Chuck D.
[edit] Businessman and entrepreneur
LL Cool J at MyCokeFest at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

LL Cool J started his own businesses in the music industry such as the music label in 1993 called P.O.G. (Power Of God) and formed the company Rock The Bells to produce music. With the Rock The Bells label, he had artists such as Amyth,[17][unreliable source?] Smokeman, Natice, Chantel Jones and Simone Starks. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. Rufus "Scola" Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded.[18]

LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site launched in September 2008. The website accepts music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip hop genre, and the site's users rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events.[19]
[edit] Discography
Main article: LL Cool J discography

* Radio (1985)
* Bigger and Deffer (1987)
* Walking with a Panther (1989)
* Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
* 14 Shots to the Dome (1993)
* Mr. Smith (1995)
* Phenomenon (1997)
* G.O.A.T. (2000)
* 10 (2002)
* The DEFinition (2004)
* Todd Smith (2006)
* Exit 13 (2008)

[edit] Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1985 Krush Groove Himself
1986 Wildcats Rapper
1991 The Hard Way Detective Billy, NYPD
1992 Toys Captain Patrick Zevo
1995 Out-of-Sync Jason St. Julian
1995–1999 In The House Marion Hill
1997 Touch Himself Cameo appearance
1998 Caught Up Roger
All That (TV) Himself Guest appearance
Oz (TV) Jiggy Walker Guest appearance
Woo Darryl
Caught Up Roger
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later Ronald "Ronny" Jones
1999 Deep Blue Sea Sherman "Preacher" Dudley
In Too Deep Dwayne Gittens/god
Any Given Sunday Julian Washington
2000 Charlie's Angels Mr. Jones Cameo appearance
2001 Kingdom Come Ray Bud Slocumb
2002 Rollerball Marcus Ridley
2003 Deliver Us from Eva Raymond "Ray" Adams
S.W.A.T. Officer Deacon "Deke" Kaye
2004 Mindhunters Gabe Jensen
2005 Edison Officer Rafe Deed
Slow Burn Luther Pinks
House (TV) Clarence Guest appearance
2006 Last Holiday Sean Williams
2007 The Man (TV) Manny Baxter
30 Rock (TV) Ridikulous Guest appearance
2008 The Deal Bobby Mason
2009 WWII in HD[20] (TV) Shelby Westbrook Voice
NCIS (TV) Special Agent Sam Hanna[21] Guest appearance (2 episodes)
2009–present NCIS: Los Angeles (TV) Special Agent Sam Hanna[21] starring role, alongside Chris O'Donnell and Daniela Ruah
[edit] Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

* 1991 - MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, for "Mama Said Knock You Out"
* 1997 - MTV Video Music Vanguard Award, for "career achievement"

NAACP Image Awards

* 1996 - Best Rap Artist, for "Mr. Smith"
* 1997 - Best Rap Artist, for "Mr. Smith"
* 2001 - Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Artist, for "G.O.A.T."
* 2003 - Outstanding Male Artist

Grammy Awards

* 1991 - Best Rap Solo Performance, for "Mama Said Knock You Out" from Mama Said Knock You Out
* 1996 - Best Rap Solo Performance, for "Hey Lover" from Mr. Smith

Soul Train Music Awards

* 1987 - Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap - Single for "I Need Love"
* 2003 - Quincy Jones Award, for "outstanding career achievements in the field of entertainment"

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

* 2000 - "Favorite Supporting Actor - Action" from Deep Blue Sea

The New York Music Awards

* 15 New York Music Awards

Soul Train Awards

* 10 Soul Train Awards

Billboard Awards

* 1 Billboard Award

Rock The Vote Award

* 1997 - "Patrick Lippert Award"

Source Awards

* 2003 - Source Foundation Image Award, for "his community work"

Long Island Music Hall of Fame

* 2007 - Inducted as part of the Inaugural Class of Inductees for his contribution to Long Island's rich musical heritage

  



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