LL Cool J
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.
Born: 14 January 1968
Played In
Quincy Jones, Music Man
Self (archive footage)
Stans
Self
Hip Hop Was Born Here
Self - Host
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
Self
Fat Joe Talks
Self - Guest
A Hip Hop Minute
Self
NCISverse: The First 1,000
Self
James Brown: Say It Loud
Self
Comin' Up Short
Self
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Self
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Hip Hop Treasures
Self
Superfan
Self
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Supreme Team
Self
Payback
Self - Funeral Attendee (archive footage)
They Call Me Magic
Self
You're Watching Video Music Box
Self (archive footage)
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
Sam Hanna
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
Ricky Powell: The Individualist
Self
One World: Together at Home
Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America
Self - Musician and Actor
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
Self - Host
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
Shut Up and Dribble
Self - Musician
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
Steve
Self
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Self
Greatest Hits
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
Lip Sync Battle
Host
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self
Hot Ones
Self
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
Self - Host
Grudge Match
Frankie Brite
Mayweather
Narrator
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
Self
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars
Self
Finding Your Roots
Self
Conan
Self - Guest``````
Conan
Self - Guest
The Talk
Self
Hawaii Five-0
Sam Hanna
WWII in HD
Shelby Westbrook (voice)
NCIS: Los Angeles
Sam Hanna
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Self
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
Self (archive footage)
The Deal
Bobby Mason
The Man
Manny Baxter
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
30 Rock
Ridikolus
Rachael Ray
Last Holiday
Sean Matthews
Slow Burn
Luther Pinks
The Tyra Banks Show
Self
Edison
Deed
So You Think You Can Dance
American Dad!
Sam Hanna (voice)
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge
House
Clarence
The Tony Danza Show
Self
Mindhunters
Gabe Jensen
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
NCIS
Sam Hanna
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
S.W.A.T.
Deacon 'Deke' Kaye
Beef
Self (archive footage)
Deliver Us from Eva
Ray Adams
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge
Rollerball
Marcus Ridley
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
Kingdom Come
Ray Bud Slocumb
Charlie's Angels
Mr. Jones
106 & Park
Any Given Sunday
Julian Washington
The Early Show
Self
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
In Too Deep
Dwayne Gittens / God
Teen Choice Awards
Self
Teen Choice Awards
Self - Presenter
Deep Blue Sea
Preacher
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Self
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Ronny
Woo
Darryl
Caught Up
Roger
The View
Self
Oz
Jiggy Walker
B.A.P.S
LL Cool J
Touch
LL Cool J
The Chris Rock Show
Self
Clive Anderson All Talk
Self
The Daily Show
Self
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self
The Right to Remain Silent
Charles Red Taylor
MADtv
Self - Host
MADtv
Self
The Frank Skinner Show
Self
The Show
Self
Out-of-Sync
Jason St. Julian
In the House
Marion Hill
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self - Presenter
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
Mr. Throneberry
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
Toys
Patrick Zevo
Simply Mad About the Mouse
Self
The Hard Way
Billy
Future Of The Funk
Self
MTV Unplugged
Self
Yo! MTV Raps
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
Kids' Choice Awards
Self - Co-Host
Big Fun in the Big Town
Self
Wildcats
Rapper
Krush Groove
LL Cool J
MTV Video Music Awards
Self - Host
MTV Video Music Awards
Self
Entertainment Tonight
Self
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
People's Choice Awards
Self - Presenter
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self - Performer (Times Square)
The Grammys
Self
Today
Self
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
Self
NCIS: New York
Sam Hanna