LL Cool J
American rapper and actor (born 1968)
- Born
- 14 January 1968, Queens
- Citizenship
- United States
- Occupation
- rapper, songwriter, actor, record producer, stage actor
- Films here
- 2
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to realize crossover commercial success, alongside fellow new-school hip-hop acts like Run-DMC.
Signed by Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his 1984 single "I Need a Beat", followed by his debut studio album, Radio (1985). He achieved continued 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), concluded his contract with Def Jam; he later signed with the label once more to release his fourteenth album, The FORCE (2024).
Filmography (martial arts films)
| Year | Film | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Charlie's Angels | Cast |
| 2013 | Grudge Match | Cast |
Frequent collaborators
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q52440 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.