LL Cool J

James Todd Smith, known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor born on January 14, 1968. He is recognized as one of the earliest hip-hop artists to achieve crossover commercial success alongside acts such as Run-DMC. Known for both his music career and acting roles, he has released numerous successful albums and starred in major television series and feature films.

Smith was born in Bay Shore, New York, and raised in St. Albans, Queens. Influenced by hip-hop groups like The Treacherous Three, he began rapping at age 10. By age 16, he was producing demo tapes using audio equipment provided by his grandfather and mother. After adopting the stage name LL Cool J, coined by fellow rapper Mikey D, he signed with the newly established Def Jam Recordings in 1984.

LL Cool J made his debut with the 1984 single "I Need a Beat," which sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish Def Jam. He released his debut studio album, Radio, in 1985 to critical and commercial acclaim, eventually earning RIAA platinum status. His follow-up album, Bigger and Deffer (1987), featured his first number-one R&B hit, "I Need Love." Following his 1989 album Walking with a Panther, he achieved major critical praise with 1990's double-platinum album Mama Said Knock You Out.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, LL Cool J released a series of successful albums, including Mr. Smith (1995), Phenomenon (1997), G.O.A.T. (2000), 10 (2002), and The DEFinition (2004). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), concluded his initial tenure with Def Jam. He later re-signed with the label to release his fourteenth album, The FORCE (2024). His musical output spans prominent hip-hop tracks like "Rock the Bells" and "I'm Bad," alongside R&B hits such as "Doin' It" and "Loungin."

Beyond music, LL Cool J built an extensive acting career. His film appearances include Toys, Halloween H20, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, S.W.A.T., Mindhunters, Last Holiday, and Edison. On television, he starred in the sitcom In the House and hosted Lip Sync Battle. From 2009 to 2023, he played NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles, later reprising the role on NCIS: Hawaiʻi and NCIS.

LL Cool J is a two-time Grammy Award winner, earning honors for "Mama Said Knock You Out" and "Hey Lover." In 2010, VH1 included him on its 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list. In 2017, he became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors, and in 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category.