LL Cool J
Biography
James Todd Smith (better known as LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James; born January 14, 1968) 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.
Movies (59)
Quincy Jones, Music Man
2025
Stans
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
2025
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
2024
A Hip Hop Minute
2024
NCISverse: The First 1,000
2024
Comin' Up Short
2024
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
2023
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2023
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
You're Watching Video Music Box
2021
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
2021
Ricky Powell: The Individualist
2020
One World: Together at Home
2020
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
2018
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
2018
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
2015
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
2015
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
2014
Grudge Match
2013
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
2012
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
2012
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars
2012
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009
The Deal
2008
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
2007
Last Holiday
2006
Slow Burn
2005
Edison
2005
Mindhunters
2004
S.W.A.T.
2003
Beef
2003
Deliver Us from Eva
2003
Rollerball
2002
It's Black Entertainment
2002
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Kingdom Come
2001
Charlie's Angels
2000
Any Given Sunday
1999
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
In Too Deep
1999
Deep Blue Sea
1999
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
1998
Woo
1998
Caught Up
1998
B.A.P.S
1997
Touch
1997
The Right to Remain Silent
1996
The Show
1995
Out-of-Sync
1995
Toys
1992
Simply Mad About the Mouse
1991
The Hard Way
1991
Future Of The Funk
1991
Big Fun in the Big Town
1986
Wildcats
1986
Krush Groove
1985
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
TV Shows (74)
Hip Hop Was Born Here
2025
Fat Joe Talks
2024
James Brown: Say It Loud
2024
Hip Hop Treasures
2023
Superfan
2023
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Supreme Team
2022
Payback
2022
They Call Me Magic
2022
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
2021
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
Desus & Mero
2019
Shut Up and Dribble
2018
Steve
2017
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid
2016
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
Lip Sync Battle
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
Hot Ones
2015
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
Finding Your Roots
2012
Conan
2010
Conan
2010
Hawaii Five-0
2010
WWII in HD
2009
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
30 Rock
2006
Rachael Ray
2006
The Tyra Banks Show
2005
So You Think You Can Dance
2005
American Dad!
2005
Project Runway
2004
House
2004
NCIS
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
American Idol
2002
Last Call with Carson Daly
2002
106 & Park
2000
The Early Show
1999
Teen Choice Awards
1999
Teen Choice Awards
1999
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
1999
The View
1997
Oz
1997
The Chris Rock Show
1997
The Daily Show
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
MADtv
1995
MADtv
1995
The Frank Skinner Show
1995
In the House
1995
MTV Europe Music Awards
1994
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
MTV Unplugged
1989
Yo! MTV Raps
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
Kids' Choice Awards
1987
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
Entertainment Tonight
1981
Saturday Night Live
1975
People's Choice Awards
1975
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
1972
The Grammys
1959
Today
1952