James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, record producer, actor, author and entrepreneur from Queens, New York. With the breakthrough success of his hit single “I Need a Beat” and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became an early hip-hop act to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C.
LL Cool J has released 13 albums with his deal through Def Jam Recordings. He has successfully transitioned from rapping to acting with a string of hit movies such as, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, SWAT, Deep Blue Sea, Mindhunters, Anaconda, etc. He’s the host of Lip Sync Battle, and currently played NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles.
He’s won 2 Grammies in his career and is known for his smash hit singles, Going Back To Cali, I’m Bad, Hey Lover, Around The Way Girl, I Need Love, All I Have, etc. He was a hit machine.
In 1984 he began recording demo tapes in his grandparents home. His grandfather brought him $2000 worth of equipment. And the rest was history.
LL Cool J is 52 day.
