LL Cool J

Known For: Acting
Born: January 14, 1968
Place of Birth: Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, USA

LL Cool J

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…

Filmography

NCIS: New York

2026 · Sam Hanna

Quincy Jones, Music Man

2025 · Self (archive footage)

Stans

2025 · Self

Hip Hop Was Born Here

2025 · Self - Host, Executive Producer, Creator

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

2025 · Self (archive footage)

SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

2025

Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular

2024 · Self

Fat Joe Talks

2024 · Self - Guest

A Hip Hop Minute

2024 · Self

NCISverse: The First 1,000

2024 · Self

James Brown: Say It Loud

2024 · Self

Comin' Up Short

2024 · Self

A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop

2023 · Self, Executive Producer

2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

2023 · Self

Hip Hop Treasures

2023 · Self

Superfan

2023 · Self

Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World

2023 · Self

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

2022 · Self

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022

Supreme Team

2022 · Self

Payback

2022 · Self - Funeral Attendee (archive footage)

They Call Me Magic

2022 · Self

You're Watching Video Music Box

2021 · Self (archive footage)

NCIS: Hawaiʻi

2021 · Sam Hanna

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell

2021 · Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)

Ricky Powell: The Individualist

2020 · Self

One World: Together at Home

2020 · Self

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019 · Self

Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America

Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America

2019 · Self - Musician and Actor

Desus & Mero

2019 · Self - Illustrious Guest

A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary

2018 · Self - Host

Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

2018 · Self

Shut Up and Dribble

2018 · Self - Musician

Story of Cool

2018 · Executive Producer

MVP: Most Valuable Performer

MVP: Most Valuable Performer

2018

Steve

2017 · Self

Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party

2016 · Self

Greatest Hits

2016

The $100,000 Pyramid

2016 · Self

Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert

2015 · Self

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

2015 · Self

Lip Sync Battle

2015 · Host

The Late Late Show with James Corden

2015 · Self

Hot Ones

2015 · Self

Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute

2015 · Self

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014 · Self - Guest

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014 · Self, Self - Guest

The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles

2014 · Self - Host

Grudge Match

2013 · Frankie Brite

Mayweather

2013 · Narrator

Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You

2012 · Self

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

2012 · Self

Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars

2012 · Self

Finding Your Roots

2012 · Self

Conan

2010 · Self - Guest``````

The Talk

2010 · Self

Hawaii Five-0

2010 · Sam Hanna

WWII in HD

2009 · Shelby Westbrook (voice)

NCIS: Los Angeles

2009 · Sam Hanna

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009 · Self - Guest

How Bruce Lee Changed the World

2009 · Self

DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd

DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd

2009 · Self (archive footage)

The Deal

2008 · Bobby Mason

The Man

2007 · Manny Baxter

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway

2007 · Self

30 Rock

2006 · Ridikolus

Rachael Ray

2006

Last Holiday

2006 · Sean Matthews

Slow Burn

2005 · Luther Pinks

The Tyra Banks Show

2005 · Self

Edison

2005 · Deed

So You Think You Can Dance

2005

American Dad!

2005 · Sam Hanna (voice)

Project Runway

2004 · Self - Guest Judge

House

2004 · Clarence

The Tony Danza Show

The Tony Danza Show

2004 · Self

Mindhunters

2004 · Gabe Jensen

Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards

Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards

2003

NCIS

2003 · Sam Hanna

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003 · Self

S.W.A.T.

2003 · Deacon 'Deke' Kaye

Beef

2003 · Self (archive footage)

Deliver Us from Eva

2003 · Ray Adams

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003 · Self, Self - Guest

American Idol

2002 · Self - Guest Judge

Rollerball

2002 · Marcus Ridley

It's Black Entertainment

2002 · Self (archive footage)

Last Call with Carson Daly

2002 · Self

Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1

2002

Kingdom Come

2001 · Ray Bud Slocumb

Charlie's Angels

2000 · Mr. Jones

106 & Park

2000

Any Given Sunday

1999 · Julian Washington

The Early Show

1999 · Self

Rapmania: The Roots of Rap

1999

In Too Deep

1999 · Dwayne Gittens / God

Teen Choice Awards

1999 · Self, Self - Presenter

Deep Blue Sea

1999 · Preacher

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

1999 · Self

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

1998 · Ronny

Woo

1998 · Darryl

Caught Up

1998 · Roger

The View

1997 · Self

Oz

1997 · Jiggy Walker

B.A.P.S

1997 · LL Cool J

Touch

1997 · LL Cool J

The Chris Rock Show

1997 · Self

Clive Anderson All Talk

Clive Anderson All Talk

1996 · Self

The Daily Show

1996 · Self

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

1996 · Self

The Right to Remain Silent

1996 · Charles Red Taylor

MADtv

1995 · Self - Host

The Frank Skinner Show

1995 · Self

The Show

1995 · Self

Out-of-Sync

1995 · Jason St. Julian

In the House

1995 · Marion Hill

MTV Europe Music Awards

1994 · Self - Presenter

The Adventures of Pete & Pete

1993 · Mr. Throneberry

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993 · Self - Guest

Late Show with David Letterman

1993 · Self - Guest

Toys

1992 · Patrick Zevo

Black Women, Sexual Politics and the Revolution

1992 · Songs

Simply Mad About the Mouse

1991 · Self

The Hard Way

1991 · Billy

Future Of The Funk

1991 · Self

MTV Unplugged

1989 · Self

Yo! MTV Raps

1988 · Self

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988 · Self - Guest

Kids' Choice Awards

1987 · Self - Co-Host

Big Fun in the Big Town

1986 · Self

Wildcats

1986 · Rapper

Krush Groove

1985 · LL Cool J

MTV Video Music Awards

1984 · Self - Host

Entertainment Tonight

1981 · Self

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - Musical Guest

People's Choice Awards

1975 · Self - Presenter

The Grammys

1959 · Self

Today

1952 · Self

LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop

— · Self

My Life With the Team: Bimmy's Story

— · Thanks

LL Cool J · Virelixia