Person · PER-C3DB104401696903
LL Cool J
1 catalogued object connected to LL Cool J.
Reference entry
Biography
Person.
LL Cool J is an American rapper and actor, born James Todd Smith. He emerged through Def Jam in the mid-1980s with Radio and Rock the Bells, combining forceful battle rhymes with an increasing interest in melody. I Need Love helped establish the rap ballad as part of mainstream hip-hop.
His recordings include Bigger and Deffer and Mama Said Knock You Out, while acting brought him into film and television. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, he has continued recording, including the 2024 album The FORCE. His career spans hip-hop's early commercial expansion and its later place in popular entertainment.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Selected sources
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — LL Cool JDef Jam, recordings, style, acting and induction.
- Universal Music — LL Cool JName and later release The FORCE.