American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor (born 1968), LL Cool J during a 2001 performance in Germany, 19932005: Continued success and career prominence. and the Beastie Boys. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography "I Make My Own Rules" and the details are shocking. Shortly after that, they started dating, and they married in 1995. The Journal of Steffanie Jay-Zs Shock in Running Into Kelly Rowland Is Your WATCH LIVE! Although LL Cool J may have a perfect life with his wife of 25 years, he has experienced a few bumps on the ride to a successful life. His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LLs mother and grandfather with a shotgun. L.L. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. Exception: This awkward piece of wonky cheese. But The lessons you taught me live on in my heart. After their lavish wedding, she mentioned that the rapper played one of his video clips, showing how a video vixen was licking his face. "It represents the collective energy in the room. that benefits the victims. Instead, he rose above all that, making a success of his life with the help of his father, James Smith. LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore, New York on January 14, 1968 to James Louis Smith (AKA James Nunya) and Ondrea Griffith. [14], Smith began rapping at the age of 10, influenced by the hip-hop group The Treacherous Three. LL Cool J Mourns Death of Father James Nunya - The Boombox Yet another single from the album, "I Shot Ya Remix", included debut vocal work by Foxy Brown. [106] In a February 10, 2012 televised interview with CNN host Piers Morgan, LL Cool J expressed sympathy for President Barack Obama and ascribed negative impressions of his leadership to Republican obstruction designed to "make it look like you have a coordination problem." 2' Update", "LL COOL J Gets a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame", "LL Cool J retires, unretires, then announces new album", "Grammys: LL Cool J Back for Fifth Year as Host", "EXCLUSIVE: Def Jam Records Re-Signs LL Cool J To Iconic Label", "Q-Tip Reacts to Rock Hall Nomination: 'Music's Evolution Can't Happen Without Hip-Hop Artists', "LL Cool J Cancels 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' Performance After Testing Positive for COVID-19", "LL Cool J Set to Host 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards", "LL Cool J's Journey From 'Krush Groove' To The Grammys", "MOVIE REVIEW: 'WILDCATS' DOESN'T PUT POINTS ON SCOREBOARD", "The Military Industrial Toy Chest: Barry Levinson's Toys at 25", "LL Cool J's Defense: With the Rapper 'In the House,' His Street Rep Is on the Line", "FILM REVIEW; Monster and Victim: Older, Not Wiser", "FILM REVIEW; Superjaws: Lab Sharks Turn Men Into Sushi", "LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx Exchange Blows On Set Of Oliver Stone Football Flick", "FILM REVIEW; Dreaming Up a Riddle for a Know-It-All", "Mindhunters movie review & film summary", "From Bad News Springs a Newfound Joie de Vivre", "Why you should revisit '30 Rock' this St. Patrick's Day", "See What Happens When Rappers Visit Sesame Street", "There's something familiar about 'NCIS: Los Angeles', "Complete list of Teen Choice 2013 Awards winners", "In Grudge Match, Not Quite Rocky Balboa Against Raging Bull", "LL Cool J to Host Spike's 'Lip Sync Battle' for EP Jimmy Fallon", "Jokes from the 'Neighbors 2' trailer aren't in the movie. published in 2002. Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. The rest is history. [66] He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson's 1992 film Toys. The rapper was age 4 at the time, and both relatives survived their injuries. LL Cool J started a record label called 'Boomdizzle' that doubled up as a social networking site as well. [45] Both artists have promised future collaborations down the road, with LL Cool J calling the duo "organic"[46] One early track to feature LL's talents was Z-Trip's remix of British rock act Kasabian's single "Days Are Forgotten", which was named by influential DJ Zane Lowe as his "Hottest Record In The World"[47] and received a favorable reception in both Belgium and the United Kingdom. Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. [29] It entered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for 47 weeks, while also entering the Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986,[29] remaining on that chart for thirty-eight weeks. My family is a very interesting family. He would beat me for watching television, for looking at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. target_type: 'mix' We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. [9], James Todd Smith was born on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York to Ondrea Griffith (born on January 19, 1946) and James Louis Smith Jr,[10] also known as James Nunya. Decades later LL sat down with Oprah Winfrey during a segment on Oprahs Next Chapter to discuss how he coped with Roscoes constant abuse and its sad to hear that he had to become so strong at such a young age. When he was four years old, he witnessed his father shooting his mother and grandfather. According to the Chicago Tribune, "[as] a kid growing up middle class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heart-breaking. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. Simone Smith Cool runs a jewelry line; she is the wife to the popular rapper turned actor and a mother to his four kids Najee, Italia, Samaria, and Nina. LL Cool J (Getty) *In his 1997 biography "I Make My Own Rules," LL Cool J recounts the time his father shot his mother and grandfather because he was bitter about getting a . [60] His upcoming album will be produced by Q-Tip. LL Cool J's friend and mentor, Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay, was shot and killed at his studio in Queens in 2002. [59] In September 2019, it was announced that LL had re-signed to Def Jam for future album releases. His father shot his mother and grandfather with a 12-gauge . Later pressings of the album added the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". [31] Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show,[32] as well as an appearance on Diana Ross' 1987 television special, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. [32], Radio's release coincided with the growing new school scene and subculture, which also marked the beginning of hip-hop's "golden age" and the replacement of old school hip hop. Thankfully, the actor and rapper is in a much better place now and learned from his parents mistakes. LL Cool J on February 9, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. The album is titled Exit 13. Best Episode | Law & Order: SVU - Best Episode - Facebook However, rap music gave him solace, and he began writing at age 11. _taboola.push({ Rapper/actor LL Cool J has forgiven his dad for shooting his mother and grandfather and leaving them for dead when he was only four years old. [29] By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding one million copies; it had previously earned a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986. Although LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, is an accomplished entertainer, appearing on music charts, starring on TV and movies, and even hosting shows, he had a rough start in life. Although both survived James saw them covered in blood. Unlike what many people might believe, LL Cool Js children are not spoiled as he has made sure to instill values in them, as well as the notion of working hard for what they want to achieve in life. [54] LL stated that "the concept behind the album was to give upcoming artists an opportunity to shine, and put myself in the position where I have to spit bars with some of the hardest rhymers in the game"; however, the album was put on hold. 7 on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart, and No. The two have been touring together since 2011, with future dates planned through 2012 and beyond. (4 years old) when his father shot his mother during a dispute between the two. I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. LL Cool J Net Worth In 2023 and How He Makes Money It was just a power trip , Hed make me take off all my clothes and put my arms up on my bunk bed with the `Star Wars sheets while he beat me. "Father", which was an auto-biographical song that detailed LL's abuse from his mother's boyfriend, would prove to be the most successful single from the album, it made it to #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his eighth . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By using the mixer he had received from his grandfather, Smith produced and mixed his own demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City, including Def Jam. Young James had a rather traumatic childhood. Tamron Hall Talks About Her Live-In Nanny and the Joy Raising NBA Comes for Ja Morant After He Flashes Gun in Nightclub Jon Jones Set for UFC Return After Body Transformation | WATCH. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', "[22] That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. LL Cool J ( Full name: James Todd Smith) is a 54-year-old American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. It's too long for a . placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. And LL was the one who discovered . [17] The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. [15][16] He suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother's ex-boyfriend Roscoe. LL Cool J has an enviable relationship with his wife, Simone Smith, and they share four kids. Born James Todd Smith on 14th January, 1968 in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, United States, he is famous for Ladies Love Cool James.. [92], 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-DMC. He didnt need a good reason. LL Cool J learns family secret in 'Finding Your Roots' As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. Two-year-old shoots parents after finding gun on nightstand - Yahoo News Roscoe beat me for just about anything. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. LL Cool J, Simone Smith and family at The Fashion Institute of Technology on May 25, 2017 | Source: Getty Images. Here is the truth behind the rapper's life. The last LL COOL J album, Authentic, was released in 2013, five years after his last Def Jam album, Exit 13. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was LL Cool J's second #1 R&B Album where it spent five weeks. Hed even pull me out of the shower to get a beating. As soon as it was over there were girls screaming and asking for autographs. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the US.[30]. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right, he said. LL Cool J - Father Samples | Genius Rechristened LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), he released his debut single, . That's when the father of two made a big reveal about his own childhood: He was sexually violated at a young age by a male family member. According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. WHO WE AREThe news you want unfiltered.The Electronic Urban Report/EUR puts the most buzz worthy African American news at your fingertips.