LL Cool J
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James Todd Smith (better known as LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James; born January 14, 1968) 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.
Known for
Credits
Charlie's Angels (2000)
as Mr. Jones
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
as Preacher
S.W.A.T. (2003)
as Deacon 'Deke' Kaye
Mindhunters (2004)
as Gabe Jensen
Last Holiday (2006)
as Sean Matthews
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
as Ronny
Any Given Sunday (1999)
as Julian Washington
The Hard Way (1991)
as Billy
Grudge Match (2013)
as Frankie Brite
Toys (1992)
as Patrick Zevo
Edison (2005)
as Deed
Rollerball (2002)
as Marcus Ridley
In Too Deep (1999)
as Dwayne Gittens / God
B.A.P.S (1997)
as LL Cool J
Wildcats (1986)
as Rapper
Kingdom Come (2001)
as Ray Bud Slocumb
The Deal (2008)
as Bobby Mason
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (2025)
Actor
Woo (1998)
as Darryl
Slow Burn (2005)
as Luther Pinks
One World: Together at Home (2020)
as Self
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music (2025)
as Self (archive footage)
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (2022)
as Self
Deliver Us from Eva (2003)
as Ray Adams
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles (2014)
as Self - Host
How Bruce Lee Changed the World (2009)
as Self
Caught Up (1998)
as Roger
Krush Groove (1985)
as LL Cool J
The Man (2007)
as Manny Baxter
Stans (2025)
as Self
Quincy Jones, Music Man (2025)
as Self (archive footage)
Touch (1997)
as LL Cool J
Out-of-Sync (1995)
as Jason St. Julian
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ (2012)
as Self
The Show (1995)
as Self
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute (2015)
as Self
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars (2012)
as Self
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop (2023)
as Self
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (2021)
as Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
It's Black Entertainment (2002)
as Self (archive footage)
You're Watching Video Music Box (2021)
as Self (archive footage)
NCISverse: The First 1,000 (2024)
as Self
Beef (2003)
as Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular (2024)
as Self
Ricky Powell: The Individualist (2020)
as Self
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (2023)
as Self
The Right to Remain Silent (1996)
as Charles Red Taylor
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007)
as Self
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You (2012)
as Self
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones (2018)
as Self
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert (2015)
as Self
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd (2009)
as Self (archive footage)
Simply Mad About the Mouse (1991)
as Self
Big Fun in the Big Town (1986)
as Self
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America (2019)
as Self - Musician and Actor
A Hip Hop Minute (2024)
as Self
Comin' Up Short (2024)
as Self
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1 (2002)
Actor
Mayweather (2013)
as Narrator
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop (—)
as Self
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary (2018)
as Self - Host
Future Of The Funk (1991)
as Self
MVP: Most Valuable Performer (2018)
Actor
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap (1999)
Actor