Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Kennedy Center Honoree, recording artist, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and brands in entertainment and continues to display his wide range of talents with every project.
Three decades after he first burst onto the scene, LL COOL J continues his vibrant, trailblazing career. LL COOL J began in the nascent, burgeoning rap and Hip-Hop scene of the 80’s, which developed into the musical and cultural phenomenon that is today’s Hip-Hop. All the while, LL COOL J has remained a musical and cultural force, a living icon and a significant, relevant artist still churning out the hits.
First introduced to the world in 1984 as a Def Jam Records’ flagship artist, LL is the first rap artist to amass ten consecutive platinum-plus selling albums, in addition to 2004’s THE DEFINITION and 2006’s TODD SMITH, both of which went gold. The multi-platinum artist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is currently tied for third place for most Billboard chart debuts by a rapper. In 2008, LL released his critically acclaimed album EXIT 13, his appropriately titled 13th and last album for the only label he has called home - Def Jam Recordings. USA Today put it best when they said, “He may be hitting the Exit, but he is not easing up on the gas.” Continuing his musical expedition three decades after he first released music, LL most recently released his critically acclaimed 14th studio album, AUTHENTIC. With this album, the multi-platinum artist returned to the studio and kicked the volume up to create a powerful album that came from his true passion for music and would speak to his fans. LL scored his 13th Top-10 Album on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart with AUTHENTIC.
In December 2017, LL became the first rapper to earn the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor, which is America’s highest achievement for any performer. In addition, he received his star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 21, 2016.
In March 2018, LL launched his own SiriusXM classic Hip-Hop channel entitled “LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio." The channel features a wide range of classic Hip-Hop content, music, interviews and in-depth retrospectives curated, programmed, and presented by the award-winning artist. Since founding the radio station, Rock The Bells has developed into a full-fledged company that has become the preeminent voice for classic and timeless Hip-Hop. Rock The Bells focuses on content, commerce, and experiences that honor the culture and the core elements of Hip-Hop – MCs, DJs, break-dancers, graffiti artists, and more. Driven by the past, inspired by the now, and energized by the future, Rock The Bells is the bridge between OGs and those inspired by their groundbreaking influences on the culture. LL brought on strategic investors including Redpoint Ventures, Bozoma Saint John, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Azoff Company, Mark Cuban’s Radical Investments, Glenn Hutchins’ North Island, & Eddy Cue, among others, with pioneering investor Geoff Yang as co-founder & Chairman. In addition, LL created an unprecedented Hip-Hop alliance and gave minority ownership stake to Hip-Hop legends such as RUN DMC, Big Daddy Kane, Eric B, Salt N Pepa, Fab 5 Freddy, Risk, Crazy Legs, Roxanne Shante and more. Ultimately, LL is putting ownership back into the hands of the icons that paved the way and started the culture of Hip-Hop. In April 2021, The Hollywood Reporter announced that LL had raised $8 million in a Series A funding round for Rock The Bells, led by Raine Ventures.
In addition, on May 12, 2021 it was announced that LL COOL J would be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. LL will be receiving the Award for Musical Excellence, which is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.
As an actor, LL COOL J has successfully transitioned to one of the consistently highest rated shows on television. He currently stars in the CBS hit primetime drama series NCIS: Los Angeles, which announced its return for an impressive thirteenth season in April 2021. Lauded as one of the most successful show launches ever, becoming syndicated after only seven episodes, his performance on the show has garnered him a NAACP Image Award four years in a row from 2011 – 2014, another win in 2018, and nominations in both 2015 and 2016, for his role of ‘Special Agent Sam Hanna.’ The show can now be seen in more than 200 countries.
Previously, LL had a dramatic and critically acclaimed performance on the second season premiere of FOX’s hit drama House. He also guest starred on the NBC comedy 30 Rock in a memorable performance as Hip-Hop mogul ‘Ridikolus’.
Over the years, LL has appeared in more than 30 films and starred opposite acclaimed actors such as Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell in Sony Pictures blockbuster S.W.A.T., and also alongside Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday, in addition to Focus Features’ Deliver Us from Eva with Gabrielle Union. Other film credits include Rollerball, Charlie’s Angels, Kingdom Come, In Too Depp, Toys, Slow Burn with Ray Liotta, and Eddison with Morgan Freeman.
He also received a Blockbuster Award for best comedic performance as the ‘Chef’ in Renny Harlin's blockbuster action film Deep Blue Sea. He also starred in Paramount Pictures’ Last Holiday, opposite Queen Latifah, which was lauded by fans and critics alike and proved to be a box office hit. He was most recently seen starring opposite Academy Award-winner Robert De Niro in Grudge Match.
LL also hosted and produced the Jimmy Fallon-executive produced show Lip Sync Battle on Spike TV, now called The Paramount Network, which premiered April 2, 2015 as Spike TV’s most-watched original program ever. The series, which aired its 5th season in January 2019, has amassed over half a billion video streams since its launch. In 2018, the show earned its third Emmy® nomination in the category of “Outstanding Structured Reality Program” and was nominated for a Producers’ Guild Award in the category of “Producer of the Year Award in Episodic - Competition Television.” Also in 2018, LL won a NAACP Image Award in the category of “Outstanding Host in a Reality Series/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble" and the show won for "Outstanding Variety – Series or Special."
Additionally, LL executive produced the MSNBC three-part docuseries Story of Cool, which premiered in July 2018. Story of Cool takes a look back at what Americans have considered “cool” throughout the decades and examines the people, places, and things that define this ubiquitous, amorphous word. Up next in his producing role, LL will be pairing up with Chris O’Donnell to executive produce the non-scripted series Come Dance With Me. The series will feature talented young dancers from across the country, who will invite one inspirational, and untrained, family member or other adult who has supported their dance dreams, to become their dance partner for a chance to strut their stuff for a grand prize.
LL hosted the GRAMMY® Awards for an unprecedented five years in a row from 2012-2016, for which he earned rave reviews. In addition, he hosted and produced the GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live Special for seven years and has also been a presenter at the Emmy®, Golden Globe®, and SAG Awards.
As an author, LL released LL COOL J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle in May 2010, the follow up to his New York Times bestseller LL COOL J’s Platinum Workout, which detailed the evolution of his workout philosophy as well as secrets that have helped him achieve his greatest goals not only in the gym, but as an actor, businessman, and multi-platinum musician. In 2002 he released a children’s book, And the Winner Is, as part of Scholastics series of books and CDs by today’s hottest rap stars called ‘Hip Kid Hop’. And the Winner Is tells the story of a young basketball player who learns the importance of winning and losing gracefully. Additionally, he also penned a 1997 autobiography entitled I Make My Own Rules.
LL has always been an avid philanthropist involved in numerous causes including literacy for kids as well as music and arts programs in schools. Celebrating its 14th anniversary this year, LL’s charity “Jump & Ball” – which takes place every August in his hometown of Queens, New York – aims to give back to his local community by offering a five-week athletic and team building program dedicated to bringing wholesome fun to young people.
LL COOL J, his wife, and family currently reside in both New York and Los Angeles.
