LL Cool J
Acting
Born: January 14, 1968 (age 58) · Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
James Todd Smith (better known as LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James; born January 14, 1968) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC. Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, his breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). 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). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells", and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as R&B hits such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. While he first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"), his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. He continued to work in movies from then until 1995 when he landed his own television sitcom, In the House (1995-2000). He has appeared in numerous films, including Last Holiday, Edison, Mindhunters, S.W.A.T., Deliver Us from Eva, Rollerball, Charlie's Angels, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, Halloween H20, B.A.P.S., Toys, and The Hard Way. In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the FOX medical drama House. He also guest starred on 30 Rock in 2007, and on Sesame Street 's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous” and performed "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008). As of 2011, he stars as Special Agent Sam Hanna on CBS's police procedural NCIS: L.A., a spin-off of NCIS. He was also the host of MTV's Lip Sync Battle.
Known for
House
2004
Charlie's Angels
2000
S.W.A.T.
2003
Deep Blue Sea
1999
NCIS
2003
American Dad!
2005
Hawaii Five-0
2010
Any Given Sunday
1999
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
1998
Grudge Match
2013
Mindhunters
2004
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009
Photos (1)
Movies (28)
Charlie's Angels
Mr. Jones
Deep Blue Sea
Preacher
Any Given Sunday
Julian Washington
S.W.A.T.
Deacon 'Deke' Kaye
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Ronny
Mindhunters
Gabe Jensen
Last Holiday
Sean Williams
Grudge Match
Frankie Brite
The Hard Way
Billy
Toys
Patrick Zevo
Edison
Deed
In Too Deep
Dwayne Gittens / God
Rollerball
Marcus Ridley
Wildcats
Rapper
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
2025
Slow Burn
Luther Pinks
Kingdom Come
Ray Bud Slocumb
B.A.P.S
LL Cool J
The Deal
Bobby Mason
Caught Up
Roger
Krush Groove
LL Cool J
Deliver Us from Eva
Ray Adams
The Right to Remain Silent
Charles Red Taylor
Woo
Darryl
Out-of-Sync
Jason St. Julian
Touch
LL Cool J
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
TV Shows (17)
NCIS
Sam Hanna · 6 eps
American Dad!
Sam Hanna (voice) · 1 eps
House
Clarence · 1 eps
Hawaii Five-0
Sam Hanna · 1 eps
NCIS: Los Angeles
Sam Hanna · 323 eps
The Jennifer Hudson Show
1 eps
30 Rock
Ridikolus · 1 eps
Oz
Jiggy Walker · 1 eps
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
Sam Hanna · 12 eps
Lip Sync Battle
Host · 92 eps
So You Think You Can Dance
1 eps
The Word
1 eps
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
Mr. Throneberry · 1 eps
Rachael Ray
1 eps
In the House
Marion Hill · 76 eps
106 & Park
1 eps
WWII in HD
Shelby Westbrook (voice) · 10 eps
Self / Appearances (88)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · 1 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · 1 eps
The Daily Show
Self · 3 eps
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · 1 eps
Conan
Self - Guest`````` · 1 eps
Conan
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self · 1 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · 5 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The View
Self · 7 eps
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · 1 eps
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · 1 eps
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Self · 1 eps
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest · 1 eps
The Talk
Self · 2 eps
Hot Ones
Self · 1 eps
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge · 1 eps
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · 4 eps
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · 4 eps
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self · 1 eps
MTV Video Music Awards
Self - Host · 2 eps
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · 7 eps
Today
Self · 1 eps
Finding Your Roots
Self · 1 eps
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self · 1 eps
Steve
Self · 1 eps
People's Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · 2 eps
The Tyra Banks Show
Self · 1 eps
MTV Unplugged
Self · 1 eps
Entertainment Tonight
Self · 2 eps
The Frank Skinner Show
Self · 1 eps
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self - Presenter · 1 eps
The Chris Rock Show
Self · 1 eps
Yo! MTV Raps
Self · 1 eps
Kids' Choice Awards
Self - Co-Host · 1 eps
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self · 1 eps
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Self · 1 eps
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self · 1 eps
They Call Me Magic
Self · 4 eps
Shut Up and Dribble
Self - Musician · 1 eps
Payback
Self - Funeral Attendee (archive footage) · 1 eps
The Early Show
Self · 2 eps
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
Self - Host
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Hip Hop Was Born Here
Self - Host · 5 eps
One World: Together at Home
Self
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
James Brown: Say It Loud
Self · 4 eps
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
MADtv
Self - Host · 1 eps
MADtv
Self · 2 eps
Supreme Team
Self · 3 eps
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
Self · 4 eps
Superfan
Self · 1 eps
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars
Self
Beef
Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
Self
NCISverse: The First 1,000
Self
You're Watching Video Music Box
Self (archive footage)
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Hip Hop Treasures
Self · 8 eps
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Self
Stans
Self
Ricky Powell: The Individualist
Self
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
Self
Fat Joe Talks
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
Self
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
The Show
Self
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
Comin' Up Short
Self
Quincy Jones, Music Man
Self (archive footage)
A Hip Hop Minute
Self
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
Big Fun in the Big Town
Self
Teen Choice Awards
Self · 1 eps
Teen Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · 1 eps
Simply Mad About the Mouse
Self
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
Self - Host
The Grammys
Self · 1 eps
Future Of The Funk
Self
