  LL Cool J (James Todd Smith) was
born on January 14, 1968, and raised by his
grandparents in Queens, NY. His stage name
stands for "Ladies Love Cool
James." LL became the first rap artist
to have 6 consecutive million-selling LPs.
His career image has seen him transcend from
streetwise rapper, to sitcom actor, and back
to streetwise rapper. What separates LL from
other rappers today (besides longevity) is
his ability to rap about life's highs and
lows without continuous intense and offensive
language. By doing this, LL has achieved more
admiration, and in turn, credibility, than
many of his fellow rap artists.
 LL had a hit with Def Jam
Records called "I Need A Beat" at
the age of 16. The success of the 12"
track convinced LL to drop out of high school
and work on his first LP.
 LL released his debut LP, Radio. The LP was later
ranked # 69 in Rolling Stones
"100 Best LPs of the Eighties."
 # 92
Singles Artist of the Year
LL released Bigger
& Deffer which produced his first pop
hit, "I Need Love," considered to
be rap's first true ballad. The track became
the first rap song to hit #1 on Billboard's
Black Singles Chart. The LP came after a tour
with fellow rappers Run-D.M.C. and
sold over 2 million copies in the U.S.
 L L. then continued his success
by touring with Public Enemy
as part of the Def Jam Tour.
 # 133
Singles Artist of the Year
LL was nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and Favorite Soul/R&B
Album.
 LL found more pop success with a
song from the soundtrack to Less
Than Zero, "Going Back To Cali" which also
introduced him as a video artist.
LL had achieved a lot of
"firsts" and accolades by the time
he entered his 20's, including a performance
on Saturday Night Live, a profile in
Ebony magazine (both firsts for a
black rapper), and he was asked by Nancy
Reagan to headline an anti-drug concert for
her infamous "Just Say No"
campaign.
 # 105
Singles Artist of the Year
LL was nominated for a Grammy
Award for Best Rap Performance ("Going Back To Cali").
 LL released Walking
With The Panther. The LP contained the
hits "I'm That Type Of Guy" and
"Jinglin' Baby." The LP went
platinum but tended to loose some LL fans as
his romantic ballads and "tame"
raps were being overlooked for the emerging
hardcore rap sound.
LL hit the Top 40 with "I'm That Type Of Guy."
LL hit the Top 10 with "I'm That Type Of Guy."
 # 177
Singles Artist of the Year
 LL released what many called his
"comeback LP," Mama
Said Knock You Out. LL had returned to
his streetwise rap roots, and found that
R&B and pop audiences welcomed his sound
again. The LP spawned the hits "Around The Way Girl," "Mama Said Knock You Out," "The Boomin' System," and "6
Minutes Of Pleasure." LL also began to
get heavy play for his videos with this LP.
LL hit the Top 40 with
"The Boomin' System."
 # 31
Singles Artist of the Year
LL hit the Top 40 with "Around The Way Girl."
LL hit the Top 10 with "Around The Way Girl."
 LL hit the Top 40 with "Mama Said Knock You Out."
LL won a MTV Video Music
Award for Best Rap Video ("Mama Said Knock You Out") and the video
was also nominated for Best Cinematography.
LL was nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album (Mama
Said Knock You Out).
LL won his 1st Grammy
Award for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Mama Said Knock You Out").
LL appeared on MTV Unplugged
becoming the first black artist on the
series.
 # 106
Singles Artist of the Year
LL began the year by being
selected to perform at the Inaugural ceremony
celebration for President Clinton.
LL was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Strictly
Business").
 LL released 14
Shots To The Dome and many
critics and fans felt LL was trying to hard
to capitalize on the gangsta rap sound. The
LP did go platinum and contained the hits
"Back Seat (Of My Jeep)," "How I'm
Comin'," and "Pink Cookies In A
Plastic Bag Getting Crushed By
Buildings." LL said of the LP: "I
wanted this record to be fun, not stiff.
Right now, I like the state of rap music.
It's opened up a lot, and this is a good time
to put a record out. I think people are ready
to hear me."
14
Shots To The Dome topped the Billboard
Top R&B Albums chart for 2 weeks.
LL topped the Billboard Hot Rap
Singles chart for 2 weeks with "How I'm
Comin'."
LL hit the Top 40 with "Back Seat (Of My Jeep)."
LL then began to focus more on
his acting with a TV series, In The House
(LL's movie career has included The
Hard Way (1991) and Toys (1992)).
Rolling
Stone: "The 100 Top Music Videos" included "Going Back To Cali" at # 46.
LL was nominated for a Grammy
Award for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Stand By Your
Man")
 # 101
Singles Artist of the Year
 LL released Mr.
Smith which sold over 2 million
copies in the U.S. The LP also gave LL some
of his biggest hits, including "Hey Lover" (with help from Boyz
II Men), "Loungin'," and "Doin
It,"
and LL was once again a staple on MTV.
LL hit the Top 40 with "Hey Lover."
LL topped the Billboard Hot Rap
Singles chart for 8 weeks with "Hey Lover."
LL hit the Top 10 with "Hey Lover."
 # 14
Singles Artist of the Year
LL hit the Top 40 with "Doin
It."
LL hit the Top 40 with "Loungin."
LL topped the Billboard Rap
Singles chart for 4 weeks with "Loungin."
LL hit the Top 10 with "Loungin."
The video for "Doin
It"
was nominated for a MTV Video Music
Award for Best Rap Video.
 A greatest hits compilation, All
World - Greatest Hits, was released.
 # 77
Singles Artist of the Year
LL hit the Top 40 with "Ain't Nobody" from the
soundtrack for Beavis
& Butthead Do America.
Rock
'N Roll Hall Of Fame's 500
Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll includes "Mama Said Knock You Out."
LL won another Grammy
Award for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Hey Lover") and was
nominated for Best Rap Album (Mr.
Smith).
LL was awarded the Video
Vanguard Award for career achievement at the MTV Video Music
Awards.
 LL has also been involved with
charities including founding Camp Cool J, a
summer camp for youth which stresses cultural
awareness through educational guidance and
sports.
LL had his autobiography out in
book stores entitled, I
Make My Own Rules. Two versions of the
book were available: a clean version, and the
"dirty truth" version. LL told MTV
"...the reason I wanted to be so
truthful and so frank in my book is because I
feel you can't really help the young people
and help the kids, unless you show them where
you made mistakes and then corrected
them," LL said. "If you just talk
about all the good things happening in your
life, the bridge becomes invisible, because
they don't know how to obtain those things
without going through the troubled times. So
for me this book is a real thing, and my
album complements it, because my album is
actually a soundtrack to the book."
 LL's next LP, Phenomenon, was released as a new
season of his UPN In The House
series began. LL told MTV: "On this
album, it's interesting because I have some
songs that apply to certain time periods,
Like, I said I'm gonna write a song, 'Another
Dollar,' about how I was feeling when I made
'Panther,' or 'Father Figure,' how I felt
when I was born, handicapped and how it felt
to be abused."
LL hit the Top 40 with "Phenomenon."
 # 160
Singles Artist of the Year
LL topped the Billboard Rap
Singles chart with "Father" for 3 weeks.
 LL was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Ain't Nobody") and 3 NAACP
Image Awards for Outstanding Rap Artist,
Outstanding Male Artist, and Outstanding
Actor in a Comedy Series.
LL hit the Top 40 with "Father."
LL co-stared in the film Halloween:
H20 (the 7th installment of the
thriller film series).
LL talked with MTV about
possible retirement: "Sometimes I think
about it. Do I want to do it? Do I not want
to do it? Maybe I'll do one more album now,
you know, and that's it. The album I make
next may be my last album as an artist, maybe
not, I don't know. I mean, I have other
things I want to do."
 While on location in Florida for
Any
Given Sunday, LL reportedly became too
physical with co-star Jamie Foxx and the
police were called, no charges were filed,
but minor injuries resulted.
LL could be seen in the films Deep
Blue Sea and In
Too Deep.
MTV: 100
Greatest Videos Ever Made includes
"includes "Mama Said Knock You Out" at # 27 and "Going Back To Cali" at # 92.
 LL released his next LP, The
G.O.A.T. and announced he will be
co-starring in the remake of Rollerball. At the end of the
month, The
G.O.A.T. debuted at #1 on the Billboard
200 chart
(his
1st #1 LP) and the Billboard R&B /
Hip-Hop chart (where it spent 2 weeks).
Rolling Stone
& MTV: 100 Greatest Pop Songs includes "I Need
Love" at # 80.
LL won a NAACP Image Award for
Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Artist.
The
G.O.A.T. was certified gold.
 # 92
Singles Artist of the Year
 Rival gangs began fighting at a
Los Angeles concert featuring LL and resulted
in the concert being cancelled and 30
arrests. LL said of the incident: "I
think that it's just a prime example of how
much, how we as black men really need ...
someone around us who can guide us in the
right direction and how we are so in
desperate need of attention that we would
ruin an event just to feel important."
LL released the childrens book, And
The Winner Is.
LL ranked #
32 on VH1: 100
Sexiest Artists.
 LL released his next LP, 10.
LL topped the Billboard Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart
for 4 weeks with "Luv U Better."
LL topped the Billboard Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 10.
LL topped the the
R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 4 weeks
with "Luv U Better."
LL hit the Top 40 with "Luv U Better."
 LL hit the Top 40 helping out Jennifer Lopez with "All I Have."
LL could be heard with Amerie
on the soundtrack for Deliver
Us From Eva with "Paradise."
 # 77
Singles Artist of the Year
 LL hit the Top 10 with "All I Have" with Jennifer Lopez and was #1 for 4 weeks by the end
of the month.
LL topped the Billboard Hot 100
Singles chart for 4 weeks and the Hot 100
Airplay chart for 4 weeks with Jennifer Lopez on "All I Have."
LL was
nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for
Album of the Year (10).
LL could be seen in the film Deliver
Us From Eva - his first starring role.
At the Soul
Train Music Awards, LL was honored with the
Quincy Jones Award for Outstanding Career.
VH1: 50
Greatest Hip Hop Artists includes LL at # 5.
VH1: 100 Best
Songs of the Past 25 Years includes "Mama Said Knock You Out" at # 72.
LL could be seen in the film S.W.A.T.
At the Source
Awards, LL was honored with a Source
Foundation Image Award for his community
work.
 Rolling Stone:
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: # 478:
Radio.
 # 74
Singles Artist of the Year
 LL was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Luv U Better"
with Marc Dorsey).
10 was certified gold.
LL released his next
LP, The
DEFinition.
LL topped the Billboard
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart with
"Headsprung."
LL hit the Top 40 with
"Hush."
The
DEFinition was certified gold.
LL cancelled the remaining dates
of his tour after coming down with an
abdominal ailment.
# 82 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
 The single
"Headsprung" was certified gold.
LL was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album (The
DEFinition).
 # 100
Singles Artist of the Year
 LL could be seen in the film Last
Holiday with Queen Latifah.
LL hit the Top 40 with help from
Jennifer Lopez with
"Control Myself."
LL released Todd
Smith.
Todd
Smith was certified gold.
 VH1: 100
Greatest Songs of the 90's included "Mama Said Knock You Out" at # 56.
LL released his next LP Exit
13.
 LL could be heard on the Nelly LP Brass
Knuckles on the track "U Ain't
Him."
LL released Authentic.
|
Radio
Released: 1985
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 46
Tracks: "I Can't
Live Without My Radio" - "You
Can't Dance" - "Dear
Yvette" - "I Can Give You
More" - "Dangerous" -
"Rock The Bells" - "I Need
A Beat" - "That's A Lie" -
"You'll Rock" - "I Want
You" |
|
Bigger & Deffer
Released: 1987
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "I'm
Bad" - "Kanday" -
"Get Down" - "The Bristol
Hotel" - "My Rhyme Ain't
Done" - ".357 - Break It On
Down" - "Go Cut Creator
Go" - "The Breakthrough" -
"I Need Love" - "Ahh,
Let's Get Ill" - "The Do
Wop" - "On The Ill Tip" |
|
Walking With The Panther
Released: 1989
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Droppin
Em" - "Smokin', Dopin'" -
"Fast Peg" - "Clap Your
Hands" - "Nitro" -
"You're My Heart" - "I'm That Type Of
Guy"
- "Why Do You Think They Call It
Dope?" - "Going Back To Cali" - "It
Gets No Rougher" - "Big Ole
Butt" - "One Shot At Love"
- "1-900 L.L. Cool J" -
"Two Different Worlds" -
"Jealous" - "Jingling
Baby" - "Def Jam In The
Motherland" - "Change Your
Ways" |
|
Mama Said Knock You Out
Released: August, 1990
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 16
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "The Boomin' System" - "Around The Way Girl" - "Eat
'Em Up L Chill" - "Mr. Good
Bar" - "Murdergram" -
"Cheesy Rat Blues" -
"Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem)" -
"Mama Said Knock You
Out"
- "Milky Cereal" -
"Jingling Baby (Remixed But Still
Jingling)" - "To Da Break Of
Dawn" - "6 Minutes Of
Pleasure" - "Illegal
Search" - "The Power Of
God" |
|
14 Shots To The Dome
Released: 1994
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 5
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "How I'm
Comin'" - "Buckin' Em
Down" - "Stand By Your
Man" - "A Little
Somethin'" - "Pink Cookies In A
Plastic Bag Getting Crushed By
Buildings" - "Straight From
Queens" - "Funkadelic
Relic" - "All We Got Left Is
The Beat" - "(NFA) No Frontin
Allowed" - "Back Seat (Of My
Jeep)" - "Soul
Survivor" - "Ain't No Stoppin'
This" - "Diggy Down" -
"Crossroads" |
|
Mr. Smith
Released: November, 1995
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 20
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Make It
Hot" - "Hip Hop" - "Hey Lover" - "Doin It" - "Life
As" - "I Shot Ya" -
"Mr. Smith" - "No
Airplay" - "Loungin" -
"Hollis To Hollywood" -
"God Bless" - "Get Da Drop
On Em" - "I Shot Ya" |
|
All World - Greatest
Hits
Released: November, 1996
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 29
Tracks: "I Can't
Live Without My Radio" - "Rock
The Bells" - "I'm Bad" -
"I Need Love" - "Going Back To Cali" - "Jack
The Ripper" - "Jiingling
Baby" - "Big Ole Butt" -
"The Boomin' System" - "Around The Way Girl" - "Mama Said Knock You
Out"
- "Back Seat (Of My
Jeep)" - "I Need A
Beat" - "Doin It" - "Loungin" - "Hey Lover" |
|
Phenomenon
Released: October, 1997
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 7
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Phenomenon" -
"Candy" - "Starsky And
Hutch" - "Another Dollar"
- "Nobody Can Freak You" -
"Hot, Hot, Hot" - "4, 3,
2, 1" - "Wanna Get Paid" -
"Father" - "Don't Be Late,
Don't Come Too Soon" |
|
The G.O.A.T.
Released: September, 2000
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (1 week)
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Imagine
That" - "Back Where I
Belong" - "LL Cool J" -
"Take It Off" -
"Fuhgidabowdit" -
"Farmers" - "This Is
Us" - "Can't Think" -
"Hello" - "You And
Me" - "Homicide" - "U
Can't ____ With Me" - "Queens
Is" - "The G.O.A.T." -
"Ill Bomb" - "M.I.S.S.
I" |
|
10
Released: October, 2002
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 2
Tracks: "Born To
Love You" - "Luv U Better" -
"Paradise" - "Fa Ha"
- "Niggy Nuts" -
"Amazin'" - "Clockin'
G's" - "Lollipop" -
"After School" - "Thrown
Ya L's Up" - "U Should" -
"10 Million Stars" -
"Mirror Mirror" - "Big
Mama (Unconditional Love)" - "All I Have" (with
Jennifer Lopez) |
|
The DEFinition
Released: August, 2004
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 4
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B-
Tracks:
"Headsprung" - "Rub My
Back" - "I'm Gonna Get
Her" (with R. Kelly) - "Move
Somethin'" - "Hush" -
"Every Slip" - "Shake It
Baby" - "Can't Explain It"
- "Feel The Beat" - "Apple
Cobbler" - "1 In The
Morning" |
|
Todd Smith
Released: April, 2006
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: C+
Tracks: "It's LL And
Santana" (featuring Juelz Santana) -
"Control Myself" (featuring
Jennifer Lopez) - "Favorite
Flavor" (featuring Mary J. Blige)-
"Freeze" (featuring Lyfe) -
"Best Dress" (featuring Jamie
Foxx) - "Preserve The Sexy"
(featuring Teairra Mari) - "What You
Want" (featuring Freeway) -
"I've Changed" (featuring Ryan
Toby) - "Ooh Wee" (featuring
Ginuwine) - "#1 Fan" (featuring
Ryan Toby) - "Down The Aisle"
(featuring 112) - "We're Gonna Make
It" (featuring Mary Mary) - "So
Sick" (featuring Ne-Yo) |
 |
Exit 13
Released: September, 2008
Billboard
peak:
# 9
Tracks: "It's Time
For War" - "Old School New
School" - "Feel My Heart
Beat" (featuring 50 Cent) -
"Get Over Here" -
"Baby" (featuring The-Dream) -
"You Better Watch Me" -
"Cry" - "Baby" (Rock
Remix featuring Richie Sambora) -
"Rocking With The G.O.A.T." -
"This Is Ring Tone M..." -
"Like A Radio" - "I Fall
In Love" - "Ur Only A
Customer" - "Mr.
President" (featuring Wyclef Jean) -
"American Girl" - "Speedin
On Da Highway / Exit 13" -
"Come And Party With Me"
(featuring Fat Joe & Sheek Louch) -
"We Rollin'" - "Dear Hip
Hop" |
|
Authentic
Released: August 30, 2013
Billboard
peak:
# 23
Tracks: "Bath
Salt" - "Not Leaving You
Tonight" (featuring Fitz & The
Tantrums & Eddie Van Halen) -
"New Love" (featuring Charlie
Wilson) - "We Came To Party"
(featuring Snoop Dogg & Fatman Scoop)
- "Give Me Love" (featuring
Seal) - "Something About You (Love
The World" (featuring Earth, Wind
& Fire, Charlie Wilson & Melody
Thornton) - "Bartender Please"
(featuring Snoop Dogg, Bootsy Collins
& Travis Barker) -
"Whaddup" (featuring Chuck D,
Travis Barker, Tom Morello & Z-Trip)
- "Between The Sheetz"
(featuring Mickey Shiloh) -
"Closer" (featuring Monica) -
"Live For You" (featuring Brad
Paisley) - "We're The Greatest"
(featuring Eddie Van Halen) |
 |
The Force
Released: September 6, 2024
Tracks: "Spirit Of
Cyrus" (featuring Snoop Dogg) -
"The Force" - "Saturday
Night Special" (featuring Rick Ross
& Fat Joe) - "Back Code
Suite" - "Passion" -
"Proclivities" (featuring
Saweetie) - "Post Modern" -
"30 Decembers" - "Runnit
Black" - "Huey In The
Chair" (featuring Busta Rhymes) -
"Basquiat Energy" -
"Praise Him" (featuring Nas) -
"Murdergram Deux" (featuring
Eminem) - "The Vow" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
|
|
