LL was a young boy growing up in New York when his parents separated in 1972. As a young boy growing up in New York City LL witnessed a few traumatic events that he carried with him into his adulthood. Although his childhood was a difficult time in his life, LL Cool J chose to forgive his father for what had happened before. Thank you. Classic albums including Bigger and Deffer and Mama Said Knock You Out are well represented here. [59] In September 2019, it was announced that LL had re-signed to Def Jam for future album releases. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography "I Make My Own Rules" and the details are shocking. He has been in films such as "Any Given Sunday", "In Too Deep", and "Deep Blue Sea" just to . "I want to be clear," said Taryll, who is Tito's son. [citation needed] The song also earned him a Grammy Award. Mini Bio (1) L.L. LL Cool J's mother forgave his father for shooting her in the back. The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father". He'd long been open about his adoption, but all he knew, based on some . The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. LL Cool J has an enviable relationship with his wife, Simone Smith, and they share four kids. [40] According to Billboard, the album peaked at No. ", "LL Cool J Todd Smith Clothing Collection Launch and Video", "Here's LL Cool J's Emotional Opening To WrestleMania 31", "Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia Def Jam, LL, & new school hip hop", "LL Cool J:: Radio ** RapReviews "Back to the Lab" series ** by Steve "Flash" Juon", EntertainmentSimone Smith, LL Cool J's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, "LL Cool J's Kids With Wife Simone Smith", "Senator Malcolm Smith Show w. 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We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. [70] He received positive reviews for his role as Dwayne Gittens, an underworld boss nicknamed "God", in In Too Deep. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists - Pingovox placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', In January 2012, the pair released the track "Super Baller" as a free download to celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl victory. It was just a power trip.. According to Hollywood.com, it would be years before LL was able to forgive his father. _taboola.push({ He didnt need a good reason. Although he initially refused, he changed his mind after looking at how beautiful Simone was. I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. "[22] That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. Actor: Deep Blue Sea. In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. Even more, he was featured in a television documentary series called Finding Your Roots; LL Cool J learned of the family secret so well-hidden that even his own mother was unaware . 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. [36] This stands as one of his biggest-selling career albums, having sold in excess of two million copies in the United States alone. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named Roscoe Granger. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. Aired on 01/27/2013 | CC. The pair are highly supportive of their kids and have taught them the value of being confident and determined about their goals. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. [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. Eventually, LLs father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. [29] It entered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for 47 weeks, while also entering the Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986,[29] remaining on that chart for thirty-eight weeks. NBA Comes for Ja Morant After He Flashes Gun in Nightclub Queen Latifah & Monie Love Reunite Lizzo Stops Show to Give Chris Rock Jokes Enjoying Watching Will Smith Get Whipped in Emancipation + Nivea, Tamar Braxton, Evelyn Lozada & More | PicsVideos, The Moment Tamar & Toni Learn Chaka Khan Sings Reading Rainbow Theme Yung Miami is About Self-love in 2023 & More | PicsVideos, Tatyana Ali Says New Bel-Air Role is Full Circle Moment Adrienne Bailon Covers Harpers Bazaar & More | PicsVideos, CeCe Winans Says Whitney Houstons Im Every Woman is Demonic + Joe Bully Budden Talks BS About Michael B. Jordan & More | PicsVideos, City of Houston, Residents Honored for National Water Challenge. 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. and the Beastie Boys. Apr 3, 2018 - Explore Kellz M's board "LL Cool J" on Pinterest. Hip Hop Artist and Actor LL Cool J's Father Passes - AM 1310: The Light Roscoe beat me for just about anything. [17] His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him $2,000 worth of equipment, including two turntables, an audio mixer and an amplifier. [84] He played Beth's father in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and was shown in a trailer for the film but his scenes were cut from the final product.[85]. I'm an Independent, you know? He didnt need a good reason. [57] LL hosted the Grammy Awards Show for five consecutive years, from the 54th Grammy Awards on February 12, 2012, through the 58th Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016. My family is a very interesting family. [88] The Journal of Steffanie Jay-Zs Shock in Running Into Kelly Rowland Is Your WATCH LIVE! It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. [80][81] In 2013, LL received a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Action for his work on the show. A new cover was unveiled at the same time. Cool J and his mother moved to his grandparent's house in 1972. Later, LL's mom was instramental in getting her son to reconcile with his father. advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. Instead, he rose above all that, making a success of his life with the help of his father, James Smith. EXCLUSIVE: LL Cool J's Mom on How She Raised Him Right He was quick to add that no one "should assume that I'm a Democrat either. [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). As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. And LL was the one who discovered them! [93] This period of hip hop was marked by the end of the disco rap stylings of old school, which had flourished prior to the mid-1980s, and the rise of a new style featuring "ghetto blasters". The two took part in an interview with Carson Daly where they discussed their partnership. He came to the top with his single "I Want a Beat" and his presentation studio collection, Radio, in 1985. 14 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B chart and No. Yet another single from the album, "I Shot Ya Remix", included debut vocal work by Foxy Brown. [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. . 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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. His father, James Nunya, was so incensed over the divorce in that he shot his father-in-law in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back, I Love Old School Music reports. His mother, Ondrea, was a nurses assistant while his father, James, was a truck driver. LL Cool J extends his reach during Gray Line New York's "Ride Of Fame" induction ceremony, which honored the native New Yorker Monday at Manhattan's Pier 78. As if that wasnt bad enough, his mother, Ondrea, eventually settled into another relationship with a man named, Roscoe Granger, and in the book, LL details (via The Daily Press) how Roscoe, allegedly a drug addict, took every opportunity to beat LL whenever he had the chance. LL Cool J explained the reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet. 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. 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). Mr. James was upset that LL Cool J's mother had left him. Father (LL Cool J song) - Wikipedia LL Cool J's next album 10 from 2002, was his ninth studio (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), and the number 1 R&B hit "Luv U Better", produced by the Neptunes. [35] Rubin's early hip hop production work, before his exit from Def Jam to Los Angeles, helped solidify his legacy as a hip hop pioneer and establish his reputation in the music industry.[35]. His upbringing, though, was quite traumatic. In 1984, sixteen-year-old Smith was creating demo tapes in his grandparents' home. Thankfully, she later became the rapper's number one woman, who is appreciated and deeply loved by a man she described as "her rock.". [18] It was featured in the film Krush Groove (1985), which was based on the rise of Def Jam and new school acts such as Run-D.M.C. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. LL and his mother moved into his grandparents' home in St. Albans, Queens in 1972 where he was raised. Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men, and sampled Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life"; it eventually became an early hip-hop music video to air on VH1. In his memoir I Make My Own Rules, the rapper recalled the day his father James almost killed his mother and grandfather. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; Right then and there I said 'This is what I want to do'. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', iloveoldschoolmusic.com. [104] He also voiced his support for New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, during an appearance on the senator's local television show;[105] he worked with Smith in putting on the annual Jump and Ball Tournament in the rapper's childhood neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens. - I Shot Ya 1995. Tito Jackson's Son Says A Relative Molested Him During Childhood - HuffPost 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 . How 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Star LL Cool J Learned His Mother Was Adopted Advertisement LL Cool J is a legendary rapper who has recorded over nine albums in the last 15 years and won many awards, including three Grammys. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right, he said. But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. [58], In October 2018, LL Cool J was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [7] In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. When LL Cool J was just 4 years old, his father shot his mother and grandfather. [9], James Todd Smith was born on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York to Ondrea Griffith (born on January 19, 1946) and James Louis Smith Jr,[10] also known as James Nunya. [17] The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', LL Cool J achieved an 'MTV Video Music Award' for his hit track 'Mama Said Knock You Out in . [24], Radio was released to critical acclaim, both for production innovation and LL's powerful rap. [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. Eventually Ondrea left Roscoe but after all of the trauma LL suffered it was too little too late. LL Cool J combined acting with his rap career; his acting debut was in 1985's "Krush Groove." . Although no one died, it was a terrible experience for LL Cool J, who was only a kid when it occurred. LL Cool J. 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. It was just a power trip , Hed make me take off all my clothes and put my arms up on my bunk bed with the `Star Wars sheets while he beat me. 1: The Genesis", "About.com Rick Rubin's Style and Approach", "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - Original Soundtrack", "50 Cent, LL Cool J Teaming Up For LP News Story Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News", "VIDEO: Check out LL Cool J's New NCIS:LA-Inspired Song", "SXSW Interview: LL Cool J and Z-Trip Talk About Their Collaboration, Their High Esteem For The Hip-Hop "Blueprint" and Their Thoughts On Rap's Up-And-Coming Talent", "Hottest Record - Kasabian - Days Are Forgotten (LL Cool J Remix)", "LL Cool J Announces "Authentic" Release Date & Tracklist", "LL Cool J On Eddie Van Halen Collabo: "Now He's Officially Done Hip-Hop", "Eddie Van Halen Teams Up With LL Cool J", "Hear Eddie Van Halen Perform on Two New LL Cool J Songs", "Nirvana, Kiss, Hall and Oates Nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame", "LL Cool J On Def Jam's 30th Anniversary And His New Street Album", "Unretired Rap Legend LL Cool J Shares New Album Details & Offers 'G.O.A.T. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . Series overview and suggestions on where to start! [14][12][19] His mother was also supportive of his musical endeavors, using her tax refund to buy him a Korg drum machine. After they recovered from their injuries,. [69] In 1999, co-starred as Preacher, the chef in the Renny Harlin horror/comedy Deep Blue Sea. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were singles that helped the album go platinum. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. LL Cool J Painfully Detailed Why His Dad Shot His Mom & Grandfather Who is LL Cool J dating? LL Cool J girlfriend, wife - Who's Dated Who? His father shot his mother and grandfather, leaving them with serious injuries. READ MORE: LL Cool J Revealed in 1997 Memoir That His Dad Shot His Mom, Grandfather. LL Cool J - Wikipedia The "NCIS" actor recounted grueling details about his childhood in his book "I Make My Own Rules," beginning with his parents' divorce when he was younger. The iconic rapper and actor tops the list as one of the few black entertainers with a happy home and no controversies. At the moment, he is married to Simone Smith, and they have four children together. His parents were Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith Jr, aka James Nunya. He is also involved in many charitable causes for literacy, music, and arts programs for kids and schools.[109].