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. However, the victims survived, and thankfully, things were repaired in the household, with the Smith patriarch admitting and turning away from his errors. And yes, back in 1990, when his critics were encouraging the 22-year-old rap pioneer to consider an early retirement, Grandma Cool J really-truly did urge young LL to knock those fools unconscious. 00:00. LL Cool J Net Worth 2022: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids - Ear Shot LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. By the 90s, he already established himself as an actor and juggled both careers seamlessly. [25] Track 9 on Phenomenon. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs," LL Cool J said. Rufus "Scola" Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. The Marley Marl produced album received critical acclaim and eventually went double Platinum, selling over two million copies according to the RIAA. Best Episode | Law & Order: SVU - Best Episode - Facebook My family is a very interesting family. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. [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). [76], In 2005, he returned to television in a guest-starring role on the Fox medical drama House; he portrayed a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease in an episode entitled "Acceptance". Thank you. [101] He married Simone Johnson in 1995. Eventually Ondrea left Roscoe but after all of the trauma LL suffered it was too little too late. He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. LL Cool J | House Wiki | Fandom Although no one died, it was a terrible experience for LL Cool J, who was only a kid when it occurred. While Bigger and Deffer, which was a big success, was produced by the L.A. Posse (at the time consisting of Dwayne Simon, Darryl Pierce and, according to himself the most important for crafting the sound of the LP, Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin), Dwayne Simon was the only one left willing to work on producing LL Cool J's third album Walking with a Panther. It's too long for a . Actor: Deep Blue Sea. Gigs at larger venues were offered to LL as he would join the 1986-'87 Raising Hell tour, opening for Run-D.M.C. Though he was beginning to act out in the aftermath of the abuse by the age of 16 LL found his calling during the Golden Age of Hip Hop as one of the top emcees of the time. 74. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', 4 on the Billboard charts. LL Cool J is a 55 year old American Rapper. Apart from that, he shot his grandfather in the stomach. Later pressings of the album added the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". [48], On February 8, 2013, it was announced that the title of LL's upcoming album would be changed from Authentic Hip-Hop to Authentic with a new release date of April 30, 2013. In January 2012, the pair released the track "Super Baller" as a free download to celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl victory. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', He didnt need a good reason. EXCLUSIVE: LL Cool J's Mom on How She Raised Him Right Thankfully, the actor and rapper is in a much better place now and learned from his parents mistakes. 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. Though he was beginning to act out in the aftermath of the abuse by the age of 16 LL found his calling during the Golden Age of Hip Hop as one of the top emcees of the time. Tito Jackson found his birth mother. Their family's journey is a tale iloveoldschoolmusic.com. According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the early hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. When LL Cool J was just 4 years old, his father shot his mother and grandfather. 2016 LL Cool J was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. [50][51][52], On October 16, 2013, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced LL Cool J as a nominee for inclusion in 2014. A few years later, Simone was diagnosed with bone cancer. _taboola.push({ Right then and there I said 'This is what I want to do'. LL Cool J ( Full name: James Todd Smith) is a 54-year-old American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. L.L. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. LL Cool J - Father Lyrics | Genius Lyrics Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I . Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. published in 2002. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of LL Cool J - NickiSwift.com Should we be angry? My family is a very interesting family. He did not get the best attention as a young child, and his surroundings subjected him to a life of bullying and arms. How 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Star LL Cool J Learned His Mother Was Adopted When LL Cool J was just 4 years old, his father shot his mother and grandfather. The iconic rapper and actor tops the list as one of the few black entertainers with a happy home and no controversies. He portrayed an ex-Oakland Raiders running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children, one of whom moves out with her before the third season. [15][16] He suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother's ex-boyfriend Roscoe. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. He would beat me for watching television, for looking at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. According to a Chicago Tribune report, his father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. [7] In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. The rapper/actor took to Twitter to inform fans that his dad, James Nunya, passed away at the age of 65. Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. But there is an intriguing story behind the heart-melting and powerful duo. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. The rapper-actor recently took to Twitter to tell fans of . [40] LL won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992 for the title track. He started rapping when he was 9 years of age, his biggest influencers were the sugarhill gang and the treacherous tree. It was just a power trip he wrote. The second single was the 7 Aureliusproduced, "Hush", which peaked at No. According to Hollywood.com, it would be years before LL was able to forgive his father. He appeared to endorse the RIAA's position, claiming illegal file sharing was hurting his sales and that his session musicians "can't live" due to the lost income. I guess it would leave you scarred, at four years old, based on how the people around you dealt with it and encouraged you to deal with it. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. Awards. L.L. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', LL Cool J - Biography - IMDb . NEW BEDFORD After Tito Jackson lost the Boston mayor's race in 2017, he began to take stock of his life and heritage. And LL was the one who discovered . [83] Since April 2015, LL has hosted the show Lip Sync Battle. Although both survived James saw them covered in blood. [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. Eventually, LLs father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. He and co-star Jamie Foxx allegedly got into a real fistfight while filming a fight scene. A married man himself, LL Cool J has been with his wife Simone since 1995. "Father" is the third single from LL Cool J's seventh album, Phenomenon. 7 on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart, and No. Description: James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968) is an American hip hop artist better known by his stage name, LL Cool J ("Ladies Love Cool James"). LL CooL J Tv Shows, Movies, Bio, Wiki, Age, Wife, Songs, And Net Worth At this point, the entertainer decided to stick by her unconditionally, putting up a positive front, and even offered to give her a bone marrow. LL Cool J explained that late one night, he woke up to the sound of horrible moan. He went to check what had happened and found that James had shot Ondrea in the back. Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LLs funds and he ended up owing $2 million dollars to the IRS. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 21:38. Father (LL Cool J song) - Wikipedia Man Who Claims To Be "Hidden" Son of LL Cool J Speaks Out . LL Cool J looks back on "Accidental Racist" and explains why he declared himself the G.O.A.T. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . After labeling his family as very interesting, he revealed one of the most shocking aspects of the entire situation: LL Cool Js mother forgave his father for shooting her in the back. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. [95] In contrast to the lengthy, jam-like form predominant throughout early hip hop ("King Tim III", "Rapper's Delight", "The Breaks"), new-school artists tended to compose shorter songs that would be more accessible and had potential for radio play, and conceived more cohesive LPs than their old-school counterparts; the style typified by LL Cool J's Radio. He'd long been open about his adoption, but all he knew, based on some . [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. But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. Shortly after that, they started dating, and they married in 1995. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. 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. [86] mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', [82], In 2013, LL co-starred as a gym owner in the sports dramedy Grudge Match. The hip-hop Icon LL Cool J opened up about his rough childhood and the abusive nature of his stepdad and his biological father who he claimed shot his mother when he was just a child. That's when the father of two made a big reveal about his own childhood: He was sexually violated at a young age by a male family member. Photos. 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 of frustration over the couples divorce in 1972, when the Grammy winner and awards host was just a young boy. Later, LL's mom was instramental in getting her son to reconcile with his father. COPYRIGHT 2022 EURweb.com/Rabercom Enterprises. LL Cool J Cultural Analysis Paper.docx - Dante Boyles MUS LL Cool J started a record label called 'Boomdizzle' that doubled up as a social networking site as well. LL Cool J explained the reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet. As a child, James Todd Smith experienced great tragedy. 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 Bio, Early Life, Family, Career, Wife, Net Worth, Measurements [58], In October 2018, LL Cool J was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. target_type: 'mix' You passed away. 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 of frustration over the couples divorce in 1972, when the Grammy winner and awards host was just a young boy. The website accepts music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip-hop genre, and the site's users rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events. After their lavish wedding, she mentioned that the rapper played one of his video clips, showing how a video vixen was licking his face. To make matters worse, it was the Grammy Award winner who found his mom and grandfather on the floor after his dad shot them. Kwame Ture on Reactionaries & Revolutionaries (And Why Bill Clinton Hated Empowerment Coach Tera Carissa Hodges Graces Speakers Magazine Cover for Womens Tonight Chris Rock is Set to Make Netflix History | WATCH. The new boyfriend was not a father figure to him at all and was abusive. [94], The emerging new-school scene was initially characterized by drum machine-led minimalism, often tinged with elements of rock, as well as boasts about rapping delivered in an aggressive, self-assertive style. LL Cool J At 54: "Dreams Don't Have Deadlines" - BlackDoctor.org LL Cool J interview: 'I don't know if people understand how much LL Cool J (Getty) *In his 1997 biography "I Make My Own Rules," LL Cool J recounts the time his father shot his mother and grandfather because he was bitter about getting a . As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration". [92], With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became an early hip-hop act to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC. [88] 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. His mother, Ondrea, was a nurses assistant while his father, James, was a truck driver. 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 . Mark Summers for Rolling . Hip Hop Artist and Actor LL Cool J's Father Passes - AM 1310: The Light [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. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. READ MORE:LL Cool J Announces Rock the Bells Festival with Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Digable Planets, 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. September 22, 2022. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named, LL Cool J Announces Rock the Bells Festival with Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Digable Planets, Will Smiths Post Slap Film Comeback is Sci-fi Thriller Brilliance Hes Producing/Starring, In GMA Interview Ye Apologizes to Kim K for Stressing Her | WATCH. [61], On December 29, 2021, LL Cool J canceled his performance at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. He didnt need a good reason. [14][12][19] His mother was also supportive of his musical endeavors, using her tax refund to buy him a Korg drum machine. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. The abuse he suffered from Roscoe was damaging, but living with the pain of his father shooting his mother and grandfather must have been worse. Who are LL Cool J parents? - KnowledgeBurrow.com He didnt need a good reason. [80][81] In 2013, LL received a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Action for his work on the show. To this day, there are limited details on the incident, but witnesses say it was a . His upbringing, though, was quite traumatic. [8], In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. These elements contrasted sharply with the 1970s P-Funk and disco-influenced outfits, live bands, synthesizers and party rhymes of acts prevalent in 1984, rendering them old school. 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Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LL's funds . The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists - Pingovox 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. [66] He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson's 1992 film Toys. Mr. James was upset that LL Cool J's mother had left him. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was LL Cool J's second #1 R&B Album where it spent five weeks. It was the first mixtape of his 24-year career and includes freestyling by LL Cool J in addition to other rappers giving their renditions of his songs. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named Roscoe Granger. Rapper, actor, author and entrepreneur LL Cool J was rap music's first big solo star. LL Cool J portrays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an exNavy SEAL who is fluent in Arabic and is an expert on West Asian culture. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. When he was a young boy, LL Cool J's father, James Nyunya, shot his father-in-law and his ex-wife, LL's mother, in the back while they were going through a divorce. Yet, the scars never fully healed. However, his childhood was quite challenging, starting with the fact that he grew up in a tough section of Queens, New York, where drugs were present almost everywhere. Chuck D provided an opposing viewpoint, saying free file-sharing could be leveraged as a promotional tool and the industry was being overprotective of its copyright. "[107] In his 2020 book LL Cool J's Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle, he included Obama in a list of people he admired, stating that the then-president had "accomplished what people thought was impossible. In a later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating "They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, started playing. And LL was the one who discovered them! His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. [62], LL hosted the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 22, 2022. In this week's heart wrenching episode, Dr. Henry Louis Gates uncovers the emotional history of both Sean "Puffy" Combs and LL Cool J 's families. target_type: 'mix' He has been in films such as "Any Given Sunday", "In Too Deep", and "Deep Blue Sea" just to . [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]. WHO WE AREThe news you want unfiltered.The Electronic Urban Report/EUR puts the most buzz worthy African American news at your fingertips. and the Beastie Boys. LL Cool J lives a lavish life with his family nowadays, but it didn't come overnight. [8] In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. 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.