LL Cool J Biography

Hip hop artist. Born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in Bayshore Long Island, New York. Growing up in New York City, Smith adopted the stage name LL Cool J, which stood for Ladies Love Cool James. The outgoing teen signed to Def Jam records in 1984, releasing the hit "I Need a Beat" soon after.

LL Cool J dropped out of school to record his debut album, Radio, which was a hugely successful mix of conventional strong structure and pop-oriented rap. Subsequent albums were less notable than his fourth, Mama Said Knock You Out, with a title track that was as popular in middle America as it was in the urban environs of his youth. He continued to roll out the hits throughtout the 1990s, including "Doin" It," "Loungin'" and "Hey Lover."

In 2000, he released G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time), which debuted at Number One on the Billboard chart. Two years later, he released 10, which included a popular duet with Jennifer Lopez, and in 2004 he put out The DEFinition.

In addition to music, LL Cool J has pursued an acting career, appearing in the films The Hard Way and Toys, among others. He also launched a clothing line, FUBU (For Us, By Us) in 1996.

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