As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration". It was tough. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', According to Hollywood.com; Truck driver James Nunya shot his father-in-law Eugene in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back out of frustration over the couples divorce in 1972, when the Grammy winner and awards host was just a young boy. Early life and family. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography "I Make My Own Rules" and the details are shocking. It was released on January 13, 1998 for Def Jam Recordings and was produced by the Trackmasters. Now, LL explains how heand his motherlearned to forgive. ", "NAACP Image Awards 2014: Complete winners list", "EIC Announces Nominations For 18th Annual PRISM Awards- Nods for Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Oprah, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Edie Falco, Allison Janney, LL Cool J, Jewel", "Television - 'Creed,' 'Empire' Top NAACP Image Award Nominations; Full List", "People's Choice Awards 2017: Full List Of Nominees", Pink Cookies In a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings, Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Male Artist, Teen Choice Award for Choice Action TV Actor, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LL_Cool_J&oldid=1142520506, Articles with dead external links from September 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016, Pages using Sister project links with wikidata namespace mismatch, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episodes: "Legend: Part 1 & 2", "Too Many Cooks", Outstanding Career Achievements in the Field of Entertainment, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Male Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline. I've been here for years!" James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James) is an American rapper and actor. 00:00. [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. LL Cool J's second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer, which was produced by DJ Pooh and the L.A. [61], On December 29, 2021, LL Cool J canceled his performance at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . The abuse he suffered from Roscoe was damaging, but living with the pain of his father shooting his mother and grandfather must have been worse. "LL Cool J gets honorary degree from Northeastern", "LL Cool J Receives a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame", "Fela nominated for 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame", "LL COOL J Honored With Key To The City In Queens, New York During First Rock The Bells Festival", "LL Cool J Honored With Key To Queens, New York", "LL Cool J Received The Key To The City Of Queens During Inaugural Rock The Bells Festival", "february 2000 | blackfilm.com | features | naacp image awards nominees", "Blockbuster Entertainment Award winners", "Filmmakers.com: Film: The 2004 Black Reel Awards Nominations Announced", "Teen Choice Awards 2011 Nominees Announced: Harry Potter vs Twilight", "NAACP Image Awards 2012: Full list of winners", "Teen Choice Awards 2012: Complete Winners List", "The 44th NAACP Image Award complete winners list", "Teen Choice 2013 - August 11 on FOX - Vote Every Day! We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. LL Cool J was born in 1968 in Queens, New York, according to Amomama, in a tough neighborhood where drug abuse and crime were rampant. Who is LL Cool J dating? LL Cool J girlfriend, wife - Who's Dated Who? news.AmoMama.com speaks out against the above mentioned and news.AmoMama.com advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. As a rap phenom, LL Cool J needed love. As a rap legend, he's finally In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam Recordings, the only label he has ever been signed to. He currently plays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right.. After labeling his family as very interesting, he revealed one of the most shocking aspects of the entire situation: LL Cool Js mother forgave his father for shooting her in the back. [72] During the next two years, LL Cool J appeared in Rollerball,[73] Deliver Us from Eva,[74] S.W.A.T.,[75] and Mindhunters. Cool J is a real force to be reckoned with, and this is why he is beloved, honored, and celebrated. Sha Be Allah. In January 2012, the pair released the track "Super Baller" as a free download to celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl victory. Track 9 on Phenomenon. LL Cool J's 11th album, Todd Smith, was released on April 11, 2006. LL Cool J. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . He was driving and stopped by a friends house to say hi. LL Cool J ( Full name: James Todd Smith) is a 54-year-old American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. Thank you. Dante Boyles MUS 211 LL Cool J Cultural Analysis Paper LL Cool J has done a lot in the hip-hop industry and has also branched out to the entertainment business as well. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. [49] At around the same time, it was announced that LL Cool J had collaborated with Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen on two tracks on the album. LL Cool J has lost his father, James Nunya. [83] Since April 2015, LL has hosted the show Lip Sync Battle. LL Cool J - Pinterest Although both survived James saw them covered in blood. [98] The decline of the old-school form of hip hop also led to the closing of Sugar Hill Records, one of the labels that helped contribute to early hip hop and that, coincidentally, rejected LL's demo tape. Shortly after its release, the album sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. He had a tough childhood because his parents had a violent relationship. The toddler's 25-year-old father was hit in the head and his 22-year-old mother in the leg. In fact, when he was starting out as a musician, his dad actually re-entered his life and tried to guide him through it. _taboola.push({ [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. 74. However, the victims survived, and thankfully, things were repaired in the household, with the Smith patriarch admitting and turning away from his errors. See more ideas about ll cool j, sexy men, fine black men. Five years later, he became a star, went on to win numerous awards, and earned the title of one of the founding fathers of hip hop. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. Yet, the scars never fully healed. Together, they share four children named Najee, Samaria, Italia, and Nina. [97], The energy and hardcore delivery and musical style of rapping featured on Radio, as well as other new-school recordings by artists such as Run-D.M.C., Schooly D, T La Rock and Steady B, proved to be influential to hip-hop acts of the "golden age" such as Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. And LL was the one who discovered them! 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. And, so I have learned to hand out the mercy that I like to receive. and the Beastie Boys. [80][81] In 2013, LL received a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Action for his work on the show. In December 1996 his loose cover of the Rufus and Chaka Khan song "Ain't Nobody" was included on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack & released as a single. [37] It spent 11 weeks at No. Now, LL explains how heand his motherlearned to forgive. As a child, James Todd Smith experienced great tragedy. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', 6 on the Billboard 200 and was LL Cool J's second #1 R&B Album where it spent five weeks. Announcement. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13. He started rapping when he was 9 years of age, his biggest influencers were the sugarhill gang and the treacherous tree. LL Cool J - Father Lyrics | SongMeanings He appeared as Queen Latifah's love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday. His parents were Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith Jr, aka James Nunya. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. Eventually, LLs father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. Thankfully for the family, both of them survived the incident. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named, LL Cool J Announces Rock the Bells Festival with Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Digable Planets, Will Smiths Post Slap Film Comeback is Sci-fi Thriller Brilliance Hes Producing/Starring, In GMA Interview Ye Apologizes to Kim K for Stressing Her | WATCH. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 21:38. According to Hollywood.com; Truck driver James Nunya shot his father-in-law Eugene in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back out of frustration over the couples divorce in 1972, when the Grammy winner and awards host was just a young boy. The actor and his wife have been married for twenty-five years. James reportedly did it because he was distraught that Ondrea had left him and also taken their son with her. [79], Since 2009, LL Cool J has starred on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles. Pl. The album debuted at No. The album went gold. When his father then moved to California, his mother's boyfriend was physically . Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I . Posse. Screengrab. [20] Smith has stated that by the time he received musical equipment from his relatives, he "was already a rapper. Unfortunately, the bad things didnt stop after the previously mentioned incident took place. The hip-hop Icon LL Cool J opened up about his rough childhood and the abusive nature of his stepdad and his biological father who he claimed shot his mother. When 4-year-old LL found them, blood was everywhere." Cool J and his mother moved to his grandparent's house in 1972. Rufus "Scola" Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James),[3] is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Two-year-old shoots parents after finding gun on nightstand - Yahoo News The abuse he suffered from Roscoe was damaging, but living with the pain of his father shooting his mother and grandfather must have been worse. [102], In an episode of Finding Your Roots, Smith learned that his mother was adopted by Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower. 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. Dont Miss A Story. LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith into a middle-class family. What is LL Cool J's real name? window._taboola = window._taboola || []; [7] In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. LL Cool J Left His Wife Twice & His Dad Shot His Mom and Grandpa Though he was beginning to act out in the aftermath of the abuse by the age of 16 LL found his calling during the Golden Age of Hip Hop as one of the top emcees of the time. Yet, the scars never fully healed. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists - Pingovox LL Cool J has written four books, including I Make My Own Rules, (1997), an autobiography cowritten with Karen Hunter. The two took part in an interview with Carson Daly where they discussed their partnership. and the Beastie Boys. Young James had a rather traumatic childhood. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over the instrumental to Maino's "Hi Hater". I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. [25] READ MORE: LL Cool J Revealed in 1997 Memoir That His Dad Shot His Mom, Grandfather. 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. LL Cool J interview: 'I don't know if people understand how much [27][28] Radio peaked at number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 46 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. LL COOL J's Alleged 'Hidden' Biological Son Speaks Out In the beginning, his mother, Ondrea, also lived in the home after the initial split from LL Cool J's father but left at some point. According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. If that wasn't hard enough, he experienced a tragic and dramatic event when he was only four years old. Mama Said Knock You Out marked a turning point in LL Cool J's career, as he proved to critics his ability to stay relevant and hard-edged despite the misgivings of his previous album. He came to the top with his single "I Want a Beat" and his presentation studio collection, Radio, in 1985. [69] In 1999, co-starred as Preacher, the chef in the Renny Harlin horror/comedy Deep Blue Sea. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Ll Cool J Forgives Dad For Shooting Mother - Contactmusic.com }); Copyright 2015 . Radio, along with Raising Hell (1986) and Licensed to Ill (1986), would form a trilogy of New York City-based, Rubin-helmed albums that helped to diversify hip-hop. [76], In 2005, he returned to television in a guest-starring role on the Fox medical drama House; he portrayed a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease in an episode entitled "Acceptance". 's debut album, to combine the vocal approach of hip hop and rapping with the musical arrangements and riffing sound of rock music, pioneering the rap rock hybrid sound. Welcome to /r/DragonQuest! shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward his mother . It's too long for a . What most people don't know, however, is that before becoming the big star he is today, he had to go through some painful times in his life. [14], Smith began rapping at the age of 10, influenced by the hip-hop group The Treacherous Three. [78] LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street's 39th season, introducing the word of the day--"Unanimous"in episode 4169 (September 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (September 30, 2008). However, rap music gave him solace, and he began writing at age 11. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. [36] This stands as one of his biggest-selling career albums, having sold in excess of two million copies in the United States alone. 'NCIS's' Chris O'Donnell's 4 Co-star Kids & Namesake Eldest Son Who Is a Spitting Image of Him, Pierce Brosnan Suffered Cruelness as a Child after Mom and Dad Left Him: It Was Ugly', Demi Moore Felt 'Betrayed' by Mom's Lie about Biological Dad Yet Later Forgave Her & Became Her Caregiver, Will Smith Could Not Forgive His Dad until His Last Days as He Wished He Could Avenge His Mom for Many Years, Firefighter Saves then Adopts Orphan Boy who Finds Moms Photo in Fathers Room 40 Years Later Story of the Day, James Garner Became 'Greatest Father' after Adopting Wife's Child despite Being Unloved by His Stepmom, Mark Wahlberg Wants to Devote More Time to Parenting in Private & Asks Record $87.5M for His LA Mansion, Judge Hears His Son Mock a Boy Whose Dad Laid the Bricks to Build Their Mansion Story of the Day, Inside Tom Hanks & Wife of 33 Years Rita Wilson's Relationship with Their Biracial Granddaughter, Man Kicks His 60-Year-Old Wife Out of the House after Learning Shes Pregnant with Triplets Story of the Day, Marlo Thomas Spouse Was a Virgin before Marriage to Mom of His 5 Kids & a Lousy Lover Afterward, Man Who Hasnt Seen His Old Dad for 17 Years Visits and Sees His House Ruined Story of the Day, Kurt Russell Became 'Pa' to Goldie Hawn's Kids Whose Father Considers Them 'Dead', Young Man Who Never Knew His Parents Pushes Father Away, Learns about His Will Months Later Story of the Day. LL Cool J Net Worth 2022: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids - Ear Shot L.L. However, his childhood was quite challenging, starting with the fact that he grew up in a tough section of Queens, New York, where drugs were present almost everywhere. The third season of PBS' hit show Finding Your Roots continues to chronicle the fascinating family stories of celebrities, politicians, activists and more. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the US.[30]. It's like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all-Spanish house. I guess it would leave you scarred, at four years old, based on how the people around you dealt with it and encouraged you to deal with it. He didnt need a good reason. [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. The official second single from Phenomenon was "4, 3, 2, 1", which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. In this week's heart wrenching episode, Dr. Henry Louis Gates uncovers the emotional history of both Sean "Puffy" Combs and LL Cool J 's families. In that same year, he released the album Phenomenon. Mr. James was upset that LL Cool J's mother had left him. Shortly after that, they started dating, and they married in 1995. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. Relationships. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is. Plus, LL shares what his father's mistakes taught him about mercy. He'd long been open about his adoption, but all he knew, based on some . As a young boy growing up in New York City LL witnessed a few traumatic events that he carried with him into his adulthood. Hed even pull me out of the shower to get a beating. The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. According to Hollywood.com; Truck driver James Nunya shot his father-in-law Eugene in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back out . After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named Roscoe Granger. I'm an Independent, you know? LL Cool J witnessed his father trying to murder his mother and grandfather. that benefits the victims. He and co-star Jamie Foxx allegedly got into a real fistfight while filming a fight scene. LL Cool Js wife met him when both of them were teenagers. And yes, back in 1990, when his critics were encouraging the 22-year-old rap pioneer to consider an early retirement, Grandma Cool J really-truly did urge young LL to knock those fools unconscious. Recently, he allegedly came out and said that Tito Jackson is his father and he also reveals some shocking details about Barry Gordy using him for his talent early on but he had to sign some letters because Tito ain't want him to be his real child. Photos. "[14] In 1972, Smith and his mother moved into his grandparents' home in St. Albans, Queens, where he was raised. LL Cool J | House Wiki | Fandom Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LLs funds and he ended up owing $2 million dollars to the IRS. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. [91], In March 2015, LL Cool J also appeared in an introduction to WrestleMania 31. Aired on 01/27/2013 | CC. 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. LL Cool J during a press conference at Hotel St. Regis on June 5, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico | Source: Getty Images. LL Cool J - Father Samples | Genius [24], Radio was released to critical acclaim, both for production innovation and LL's powerful rap. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now! In a later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating "They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, started playing. _taboola.push({ Both survived. LL Cool J was also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network. Actor and rapper LL Cool J, best known as Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles, has had a very successful life. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LL's mother and grandfather with a shotgun. Both relatives survived their injuries, and the NCIS: Los Angeles star insists he has since made peace with his dad even though he was initially reluctant to allow him back into his life. Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL collaborated with Joe and producers Trackmasters with his second single, "Take It". does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. Now he is the first hip-hop artist to ever receive a Kennedy Centre Honour this month for his lifetime . [95] In contrast to the lengthy, jam-like form predominant throughout early hip hop ("King Tim III", "Rapper's Delight", "The Breaks"), new-school artists tended to compose shorter songs that would be more accessible and had potential for radio play, and conceived more cohesive LPs than their old-school counterparts; the style typified by LL Cool J's Radio. LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". 4 on the Billboard charts. The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. [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. The rest is history. [43] Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2-year delay, it was released September 9, 2008 without 50 Cent as the executive producer. His early life was horrific - his father shot both LL's mother and grandfather, and the young LL was the victim . [41] }); Copyright 2015 . Yet, the scars never fully healed. LL Cool J started a record label called 'Boomdizzle' that doubled up as a social networking site as well. 3 on the Billboard's Pop albums chart. [10], In 2002, LL Cool J supported George Pataki's bid for a third term as Governor of New York. He shot him in the stomach before shooting his estranged wife, Ondrea, LL Cool J's mother. A new cover was unveiled at the same time. LL Cool J on 'Accidental Racist,' Rick Rubin, Being the 'G.O.A.T By Kory Grow. [50][51][52], On October 16, 2013, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced LL Cool J as a nominee for inclusion in 2014. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known by his stage name LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, record producer.