74. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. 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. [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. In the beginning, his mother, Ondrea, also lived in the home after the initial split from LL Cool J's father but left at some point. LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. u/Gabriel9078. And LL was the one who discovered them! 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. Shortly after that, they started dating, and they married in 1995. My family is a very interesting family. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography "I Make My Own Rules" and the details are shocking. It also reached No. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right.. He did not get the best attention as a young child, and his surroundings subjected him to a life of bullying and arms. He has been in films such as "Any Given Sunday", "In Too Deep", and "Deep Blue Sea" just to . Classic albums including Bigger and Deffer and Mama Said Knock You Out are well represented here. 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. [71] Later that year, he starred as Julian Washingtona talented but selfish running back on fictional professional football team the Miami Sharksin Oliver Stone's drama Any Given Sunday. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. [17] Smith later discussed his search for a label, stating "I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home. LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith, was born in January 1968 in Queens, New York, in a middle-class and catholic family. After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. The rapper-actor recently took to Twitter to tell fans of his dad's passing at the age of 65. shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward his mother . His father shot his mother and grandfather, leaving them with serious injuries. The series' genetic genealogist CeCe Moore identified Smith's biological grandparents as Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis through analysis of his DNA. Unlike what many people might believe, LL Cool Js children are not spoiled as he has made sure to instill values in them, as well as the notion of working hard for what they want to achieve in life. [41] 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. "It represents the collective energy in the room. In image as in song, the artists projected a tough, cool, street b-boy attitude. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James),[3] is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; 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. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. LL Cool J was also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C. Yet, the scars never fully healed. A married man himself, LL Cool J has been with his wife Simone since 1995. Both survived. The last LL COOL J album, Authentic, was released in 2013, five years after his last Def Jam album, Exit 13. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". Kodak Black Caught Having Sex in White Teacher Hits The Jerk as Students Go Wild Are AKAs Too Insecure? The new boyfriend was not a father figure to him at all and was abusive. [67] From 1995 to 1999, he starred in his own television sitcom In the House. 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 "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. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. [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. [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. He has released twelve studio albums over his 27 year career, has starred in numerous feature films and currently [63][64], While LL Cool J first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"),[65] his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. LL Cool J added: My father he made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right, you know. LL Cool J won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for his song "Mama Said Knock You Out" at the 1992 Grammy Awards. Now he is the first hip-hop artist to ever receive a Kennedy Centre Honour this month for his lifetime . Actor: Deep Blue Sea. According to her, they put God first in their marriage, made many compromises, have respect, and show unwavering support to each other. target_type: 'mix' The album featured the singles "I'm Bad", the revolutionary "I Need Love" - LL's first #1 R&B and Top 40 hit, "Kanday", "Bristol Hotel", and "Go Cut Creator Go". LL Cool J has been in a relationship with Kidada Jones (1992 - 1994).. LL Cool J is rumoured to have hooked up with Karrine Steffans (2007), Pilar Sanders (1996) and Gabrielle Union.. About. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. 253 comments. The iconic rapper and actor tops the list as one of the few black entertainers with a happy home and no controversies. Relationships. [83] Since April 2015, LL has hosted the show Lip Sync Battle. If that wasn't hard enough, he experienced a tragic and dramatic event when he was only four years old. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LL's mother and grandfather with a shotgun. [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]. Designs include influences from LL's lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community. L.L. L.L. [90] The actor and his wife have been married for twenty-five years. [72] During the next two years, LL Cool J appeared in Rollerball,[73] Deliver Us from Eva,[74] S.W.A.T.,[75] and Mindhunters. LL was a young boy growing up in New York when his parents separated in 1972. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. The show is a spin-off of NCIS, which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG. [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]. He is also involved in many charitable causes for literacy, music, and arts programs for kids and schools.[109]. Taryll revealing this sexual abuse, Iyanla said, was a huge step in his . LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. Announcement. LL Cool J and American artist Tito Jackson are not related as father and child. 7 on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart, and No. "[23] LL's debut single sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish both Def Jam as a label and Smith as a rapper. It was just a power trip he wrote. Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LLs funds and he ended up owing $2 million dollars to the IRS. The toddler's 25-year-old father was hit in the head and his 22-year-old mother in the leg. The rapper-actor recently took to Twitter to tell fans of . His parents were Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith Jr, aka James Nunya. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. His father, , it would be years before LL was able to forgive his father. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration". My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right, he said. 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. By Kory Grow. Unfortunately, the bad things didnt stop after the previously mentioned incident took place. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the US.[30]. In 1990, LL released Mama Said Knock You Out, his fourth studio album. His early life was horrific - his father shot both LL's mother and grandfather, and the young LL was the victim . At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. Now, LL explains how heand his motherlearned to forgive. 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. LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site launched in September 2008. 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. [79], Since 2009, LL Cool J has starred on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles. It includes collaborations with 112, Ginuwine, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari and Freeway. Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL collaborated with Joe and producers Trackmasters with his second single, "Take It". We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Welcome to /r/DragonQuest! [11][12][13] According to the Chicago Tribune, "[As] a kid growing up middle class and Catholic in Queens, life for Smith was heart-breaking. His mother, Ondrea, was a nurse's assistant, while his father, James, drove a truck. Here is the truth behind the rapper's life. They also share a close-knit relationship. 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. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. [77] He also guest-starred on 30 Rock in the 2007 episode "The Source Awards", portraying a hip-hop producer called Ridikulous who Tracy Jordan fears may kill him. [8] In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LL's mother and grandfather with a shotgun. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. The album went gold. LL Cool J came out and said that Jay and LL Cool J stand for Jackson. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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 album reached platinum status. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . Season 2 Episode 220. (4 years old) when his father shot his mother during a dispute between the two. Decades later LL sat down with Oprah Winfrey during a segment on Oprahs Next Chapter to discuss how he coped with Roscoes constant abuse and its sad to hear that he had to become so strong at such a young age. [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. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13. "[108], LL Cool J has his own charitable foundation called Jump & Ball, which is based in his hometown of Queens, New York, and offers an athletic and team-building program for young people. }); Copyright 2015 . Although his childhood was a difficult time in his life, LL Cool J chose to forgive his father for what had happened before. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. The official second single from Phenomenon was "4, 3, 2, 1", which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus. LL Cool J explained the reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet. 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. Although his dad made a mistake, the rapper revealed that he also tried his best to make things right. He has been nominated in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2021 as a performer. LL Cool J starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Smith (1995), which went on to sell over two million copies. LL Cool J lives a lavish life with his family nowadays, but it didn't come overnight. 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. Should we be angry? At the beginning of their marriage, Simone ignored her husband for two weeks because he did not honor their honeymoon. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. [40] LL won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992 for the title track. 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. Mark Summers for Rolling . This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 21:38. 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. When he was four years old, he witnessed his father shooting his mother and grandfather. During his time at Def Jam, LL released an album every two or three years from 1987 to . He didnt need a good reason. His upbringing, though, was quite traumatic. LL and his mother moved into his grandparents' home in St. Albans, Queens in 1972 where he was raised. LL Cool J started a record label called 'Boomdizzle' that doubled up as a social networking site as well. [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. It was tough. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. [29] By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding one million copies; it had previously earned a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986. According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LL's funds . iloveoldschoolmusic.com. LL Cool J has been nominated six times for induction into The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. In December 1996 his loose cover of the Rufus and Chaka Khan song "Ain't Nobody" was included on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack & released as a single. "[18] This was at the same time that NYU student Rick Rubin and promoter-manager Russell Simmons founded the then-independent Def Jam label. His fourth book, LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was cowritten in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy's Chuck D. 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. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Instead, he rose above all that, making a success of his life with the help of his father, James Smith. 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. It was released on January 13, 1998 for Def Jam Recordings and was produced by the Trackmasters. Awards. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! LL Cool J, Simone Smith and family at The Fashion Institute of Technology on May 25, 2017 | Source: Getty Images. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. To make matters worse, it was the Grammy Award winner who found his mom and grandfather on the floor after his dad shot them. news.AmoMama.com does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs," LL Cool J said. After the off-and-on relationship and two kids, LL Cool J left Simone twice. The unraveling of LL Cool J's hidden family history also uncovered a rough parallel to the violence he witnessed as a child, when his grandfather and mother were wounded in a shooting involving . He didnt need a good reason. 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. Although LL Cool J may have a perfect life with his wife of 25 years, he has experienced a few bumps on the ride to a successful life. Decades later, he's in a really good place with a stable career and a great family life. In the same year 2009, he was cast as a regular in the still-running CBS TV series 'NCIS: Los Angeles', in which he plays special agent 'Sam Hanna', a Navy investigator. And LL was the one who discovered . }); Copyright 2015 . 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. 00:00. [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. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. Page 1 of LL Cool J biography and life story including childhood story, love relationship, career, walk of fame and more. My mother forgave my father He came back into my life and made amends for a lot of things by helping to guide me with my music career early on, and kinda helping me in that area (sic). LL Cool J has lost his father, James Nunya. [56], In March 2016, LL announced his retirement on social media, but quickly walked back his announcement and indicated that a new album was on the way. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', . Hed even pull me out of the shower to get a beating. [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. Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LLs funds and he ended up owing $2 million dollars to the IRS. The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father". [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. Rechristened LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), he released his debut single, . [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. LL Cool J on February 9, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images. 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. My mother forgave my father He came back into my life and made amends for a lot of things by helping to guide me with my music career early on, and kinda helping me in that area (sic). does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', [14], Smith began rapping at the age of 10, influenced by the hip-hop group The Treacherous Three. L.L. In March 2011 at South by Southwest, LL Cool J was revealed to be Z-Trip's special guest at the Red Bull Thre3Style showcase. _taboola.push({ The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. Much to people's surprise, LL Cool J said: LL Cool J at Barclays Center on July 14, 2019 | Source: Getty Images, 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.. We also encourage everyone to report any crime incident they witness as soon as possible. Later pressings of the album added the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". As a young boy growing up in New York City LL witnessed a few traumatic events that he carried with him into his adulthood. That's just the tip of the iceberg look. The pair are fairing well in their careers, marriage, and parenthood. . When four-year-old Smith found them, LL Cool J covered the scene in . When LL Cool J was just 4 years old, his father shot his mother and grandfather. 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. banff northern lights forecast, cockapoos for sale in upper michigan,