LL Cool J
*LL Cool J was born on this date in 1968. He is a Black rapper and actor.
James Todd Smith was born in Bay Shore, on Long Island, New York, to Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith Jr, also known as James Nunya. According to the Chicago Tribune, "[As] a kid growing up middle class and Catholic in Queens, life for Smith was heart-breaking. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. When 4-year-old Smith found them, blood was everywhere."
In 1972, Smith and his mother moved into his grandparents' St. Albans, Queens home. He suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother's ex-boyfriend, Roscoe. Smith began rapping at age 10; at sixteen, Smith was creating demo tapes. His musician grandfather bought him two turntables, an audio mixer, and an amplifier. During this time, LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James) reconciled with his father, who "made amends for many things" by offering him guidance at the start of his music career.
His mother was also supportive of his musical endeavors. Smith has stated that by the time he received musical equipment from his relatives, he "was already a rapper. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. It's like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all-Spanish house." Smith produced and mixed his demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City using the mixer he had received from his grandfather. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success. Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). He later re-signed with the label and released his fourteenth album, The FORCE (2024).
LL Cool J has appeared in numerous films. He played in the crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawaiʻi. A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for many hip-hop songs. 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.
To become a sound and video producer
To become an Actor or Actress
