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.
Edison
(Deed)
Charlie's Angels
(Mr. Jones)
Rollerball
(Marcus Ridley)
In Too Deep
(Dwayne Gittens / God)
Toys
(Captain Patrick Zevo)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
(Ronald 'Ronny' Jones)
S.W.A.T.
(Deacon 'Deke' Kay)
Deliver Us from Eva
(Ray Adams)
Any Given Sunday
(Julian Washington)
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
(Self)
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
(Self)
Krush Groove
(Himself)
Touch
(LL Cool J)
The Deal
(Bobby Mason)
Mindhunters
(Gabe Jensen)
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
Last Holiday
(Sean Matthews)
You're Watching Video Music Box
(Self (archive footage))
B.A.P.S
(Himself)
Slow Burn
(Luther Pinks)
The Show
(Self)
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
(Self (archive footage))
Big Fun in the Big Town
(Himself)
Simply Mad About the Mouse
(Self)
Out-of-Sync
(Jason St. Julian)
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
(Self)
The Hard Way
(Billy)
Kingdom Come
(Ray Bud Slocumb)
The Right to Remain Silent
(Charles Red Taylor)
Grudge Match
(Frankie Brite)
Caught Up
(Roger)
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
(Self)
A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop
(Self)
Future Of The Funk
(Self)
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
(Self)
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
(Self)
Deep Blue Sea
(Preacher)
Wildcats
(Rapper)
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
(Self)
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
(Self)
Comin' Up Short
(Self)
NCISverse: The First 1,000
(Self)
Mayweather
(Narrator)
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
(Self)
Woo
(Darryl)
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
(Self - Host)
Beef
(Self (archive footage))
It's Black Entertainment
(Self (archive footage))
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
(Self - Host)
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
(Self)
One World: Together at Home
(Self)
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
(Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage))
In the House
(Marion Hill)
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
(Self)
House
(Clarence)
The Tony Danza Show
(Self)
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
(Self)
Today
(Self)
The Tyra Banks Show
(Self)
The View
(Self)
106 & Park
Oz
(Jiggy Walker)
So You Think You Can Dance
American Idol
(Self - Guest Judge)
The Early Show
(Self)
Finding Your Roots
(Self)
30 Rock
(Ridikolus)
NCIS
(Sam Hanna)
MTV Unplugged
(Self)
MADtv
(Self - Host)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
(Self - Guest)
The Frank Skinner Show
(Self)
Clive Anderson All Talk
(Self)
Shut Up and Dribble
(Self - Musician)
NCIS: Los Angeles
(Sam Hanna)
The Man
Teen Choice Awards
(Self)
WWII in HD
Hawaii Five-0
(Sam Hanna)
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
Saturday Night Live
(Self - Musical Guest)
Lip Sync Battle
(Host)
The Daily Show
(Self)
Teen Choice Awards
(Self - Presenter)
Hip Hop Treasures
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
(Self)
The Late Late Show with James Corden
(Self)
Greatest Hits
Superfan
(Self)
The Chris Rock Show
The Grammy Awards
Project Runway
(Self - Guest Judge)
MTV Video Music Awards
(Self - Host)
MTV Video Music Awards
(Self)
The $100,000 Pyramid
(Self)
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
(Self)
They Call Me Magic
(Self)
Yo! MTV Raps
(Self)
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Last Call with Carson Daly
(Self)
The Kelly Clarkson Show
MADtv
(Self)
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
(Self)
Supreme Team
(Self)
WWE SmackDown
(Self)
Rachael Ray
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
(Performer - Times Square)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
(Self - Guest)
Entertainment Tonight
(Self)
NCIS: Hawai'i
(Sam Hanna)
American Dad!
(Sam Hanna (voice))
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
(Self)
Hot Ones
(Self)
Kids' Choice Awards
(Himself - Co-Host)
James Brown: Say It Loud
(Self)
Desus & Mero
(Self - Illustrious Guest)
Conan
(Self)
