LL Cool J
James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James), 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.
Acted in
A Hip Hop Minute
2024
as Self
NCISverse: The First 1,000
2024
as Self
James Brown: Say It Loud
2024
as Self
Comin' Up Short
2024
as Self
A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop
2023
as Self
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2023
as Self
Hip Hop Treasures
2023
Superfan
2023
as Self
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
2023
as Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
as Self
Supreme Team
2022
as Self
They Call Me Magic
2022
as Self
You're Watching Video Music Box
2021
as Self (archive footage)
NCIS: Hawai'i
2021
as Sam Hanna
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
2021
as Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
One World: Together at Home
2020
as Self
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
2018
as Self - Host
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
2018
as Self
Shut Up and Dribble
2018
as Self - Musician
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
2018
Greatest Hits
2016
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
2015
as Self
Lip Sync Battle
2015
as Host
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
2015
as Self
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
2014
as Self - Host
Grudge Match
2013
as Frankie Brite
Mayweather
2013
as Narrator
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
2012
as Self
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
2012
as Self
Finding Your Roots
2012
as Self
Hawaii Five-0
2010
as Sam Hanna
We Are the World 25 For Haiti
2010
as LL Cool J
WWII in HD
2009
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009
as Sam Hanna
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009
as Self
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
2009
as Self (archive footage)
The Deal
2008
as Bobby Mason
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
2007
as Self
30 Rock
2006
as Ridikolus
Last Holiday
2006
as Sean Matthews
Slow Burn
2005
as Luther Pinks
Edison
2005
as Deed
So You Think You Can Dance
2005
American Dad!
2005
as Sam Hanna (voice)
Project Runway
2004
as Self - Guest Judge
House
2004
as Clarence
Mindhunters
2004
as Gabe Jensen
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
2003
NCIS
2003
as Sam Hanna
S.W.A.T.
2003
as Deacon 'Deke' Kaye (as James Todd Smith aka LL Cool J)
Beef
2003
as Self (archive footage)
Deliver Us from Eva
2003
as Ray Adams
American Idol
2002
as Self - Guest Judge
Rollerball
2002
as Marcus Ridley
It's Black Entertainment
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Kingdom Come
2001
as Ray Bud Slocumb
Charlie's Angels
2000
as Mr. Jones
106 & Park
2000
Any Given Sunday
1999
as Julian Washington
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
In Too Deep
1999
as Dwayne Gittens / God
Teen Choice Awards
1999
as Self
Teen Choice Awards
1999
as Self - Presenter
Deep Blue Sea
1999
as Preacher
WWE SmackDown
1999
as Self
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
1998
as Ronald 'Ronny' Jones
Woo
1998
as Darryl
Caught Up
1998
as Roger
Oz
1997
as Jiggy Walker
B.A.P.S
1997
as LL Cool J
Touch
1997
as LL Cool J
The Chris Rock Show
1997
The Right to Remain Silent
1996
as Charles Red Taylor
MADtv
1995
as Self - Host
MADtv
1995
as Self
The Show
1995
as Self
Out-of-Sync
1995
as Jason St. Julian
In the House
1995
as Marion Hill
Toys
1992
as Captain Patrick Zevo
Simply Mad About the Mouse
1991
as Self
The Hard Way
1991
as Billy
Future Of The Funk
1991
as Self
MTV Unplugged
1989
as Self
Kids' Choice Awards
1987
as Self - Co-Host
Big Fun in the Big Town
1986
as Self
Wildcats
1986
as Rapper
Krush Groove
1985
as LL Cool J
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self - Host
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
1972
as Performer - Times Square
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
as Self
