His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. LL Cool J was born and raised in Queens, New York, the son of Ondrea (ne Griffith) and James Smith. "It represents the collective energy in the room. They worked through thick and thin to become one of the industry's power couples. He shot him in the stomach before shooting his estranged wife, Ondrea, LL Cool J's mother. [31] Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show,[32] as well as an appearance on Diana Ross' 1987 television special, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. The iconic rapper and actor tops the list as one of the few black entertainers with a happy home and no controversies. He didnt need a good reason. [18] During this time, Smith reconciled with his father who "made amends for a lot of things" by offering him guidance at the start of his music career. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. . [66] He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson's 1992 film Toys. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. James Todd Smith was born on 14 January 1968 to Ondrea Griffith in Bay Shore, New York, and James Louis Smith, Jr, also known as James Nunya. 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. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', "[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. 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. His father shot his mother and grandfather with a 12-gauge . However, the victims survived, and thankfully, things were repaired in the household, with the Smith patriarch admitting and turning away from his errors. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. He eliminated the threatening forces and continued advancing in his career while making money selling books, platinum records, and helping children. L.L. 2 years ago. LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site launched in September 2008. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. Born James Todd Smith on 14th January, 1968 in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, United States, he is famous for Ladies Love Cool James.. Hed even pull me out of the shower to get a beating. 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. speaks out against the above mentioned and. Eventually, LL's father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward his mother . [98] The decline of the old-school form of hip hop also led to the closing of Sugar Hill Records, one of the labels that helped contribute to early hip hop and that, coincidentally, rejected LL's demo tape. It was tough. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. Speaking about the traumatic experience he had with his mother's boyfriend, he said: "He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. 2 and would be released in 2015. 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. [7] In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. 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. [15][16] He suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother's ex-boyfriend Roscoe. According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. The album reached platinum status. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. [93] This period of hip hop was marked by the end of the disco rap stylings of old school, which had flourished prior to the mid-1980s, and the rise of a new style featuring "ghetto blasters". Source: MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / Getty. Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL collaborated with Joe and producers Trackmasters with his second single, "Take It". He shot him in the stomach before shooting his estranged wife, Ondrea, LL Cool J's mother. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known by his stage name LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, record producer. 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. [79], Since 2009, LL Cool J has starred on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles. [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. LL Cool J also dealt with a friend's betrayal and ruthless accountants that siphoned his money. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. 00:00. 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. American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor (born 1968), LL Cool J during a 2001 performance in Germany, 19932005: Continued success and career prominence. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. September 22, 2022. [38] Released in 1989, the album was a commercial success, with several charting singles ("Going Back to Cali", which had originally been released on the 1987 movie soundtrack Less than Zero, "I'm That Type of Guy", "Big Ole Butt", and "One Shot at Love"). His mother, Ondrea, was a nurse's assistant, while his father, James, drove a truck. 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. Both survived. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. [90] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. target_type: 'mix' And, so I have learned to hand out the mercy that I like to receive. "It was a relative, but it wasn't any of my father's brothers.". 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. LL Cool J has appeared in numerous films, including Halloween H20, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, S.W.A.T., Mindhunters, Last Holiday, and Edison. Punched me in the chest stomped me out on the flo'. in Rolling Stone's "Last Word" interview. 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. [49] At around the same time, it was announced that LL Cool J had collaborated with Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen on two tracks on the album. 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. 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. 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. In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam Recordings, the only label he has ever been signed to. 14 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B chart and No. Now, LL explains how heand his motherlearned to forgive. When he was four years old, he witnessed his father shooting his mother and grandfather. 74. 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". As a child, James Todd Smith experienced great tragedy. target_type: 'mix' 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. 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.. [citation needed] The song also earned him a Grammy Award. The album went gold. And LL was the one who discovered them! [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. 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. LL Cool J started his own businesses in the music industry such as the music label in 1993 called P.O.G. Although both survived James saw them covered in blood. He is also involved in many charitable causes for literacy, music, and arts programs for kids and schools.[109]. 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. The toddler's 25-year-old father was hit in the head and his 22-year-old mother in the leg. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography "I Make My Own Rules" and the details are shocking. [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". Although LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, is an accomplished entertainer, appearing on music charts, starring on TV and movies, and even hosting shows, he had a rough start in life. Following the separation, when the rapper was eight, his mother found a boyfriend by the name of Roscoe Granger. LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. 26 on the Hot 100. According to her, they put God first in their marriage, made many compromises, have respect, and show unwavering support to each other. 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. Now he is the first hip-hop artist to ever receive a Kennedy Centre Honour this month for his lifetime . The first single was the Jermaine Dupri-produced "Control Myself" featuring Jennifer Lopez. 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. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. [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. This style would serve as one of Rubin's production trademarks and would have a great impact on future hip-hop productions. He didnt need a good reason. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Unfortunately, that relationship turned sour when James mismanaged LLs funds and he ended up owing $2 million dollars to the IRS. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. [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. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the US.[30]. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C. He was quick to add that no one "should assume that I'm a Democrat either. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs," LL Cool J said. 7 on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart, and No. [102], In an episode of Finding Your Roots, Smith learned that his mother was adopted by Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower. [106] In a February 10, 2012 televised interview with CNN host Piers Morgan, LL Cool J expressed sympathy for President Barack Obama and ascribed negative impressions of his leadership to Republican obstruction designed to "make it look like you have a coordination problem." The rest is history. [87] The brand produces popular urban apparel. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. He was born on January 14, 1968, as James Todd Smith, in New York. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is published in 2002. Yet, the scars never fully healed. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right, he said. That's just the tip of the iceberg look. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968 in Bay Shore, New York), better known as LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), is a Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor signed to Def Jam. But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. 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. 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. Announcement. The rapper/actor took to Twitter to inform fans that his dad, James Nunya, passed away at the age of 65. The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. 's debut album, to combine the vocal approach of hip hop and rapping with the musical arrangements and riffing sound of rock music, pioneering the rap rock hybrid sound. Later, LL's mom was instramental in getting her son to reconcile with his father. "RIP to My Father James Nunya. LL Cool J has lost his father, James Nunya. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. In 1996, Def Jam released this "greatest hits" package, offering a good summary of Cool J's career, from the relentless minimalism of early hits such as "Rock the Bells" to the smooth-talking braggadocio that followed. The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. [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). In that same year, he released the album Phenomenon. [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]. LL Cool J has an enviable relationship with his wife, Simone Smith, and they share four kids. LL Cool J has written four books, including 1998's I Make My Own Rules, an autobiography cowritten with Karen Hunt. Radio, along with Raising Hell (1986) and Licensed to Ill (1986), would form a trilogy of New York City-based, Rubin-helmed albums that helped to diversify hip-hop. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. I watched Behind the Music of LL Cool J the other day :) My family is a very interesting family. *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 divorce. After the off-and-on relationship and two kids, LL Cool J left Simone twice. Shortly after its release, the album sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. See more ideas about ll cool j, sexy men, fine black men. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. Designs include influences from LL's lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community. 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. Over the weekend, a video began to circulate of a young artist by the name of LoveBenJi saying that he is the "hidden" son of Hip Hop pioneer LL Cool J, but he . What most people don't know, however, is that before becoming the big star he is today, he had to go through some painful times in his life. 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. *In his 1997 biography I Make My Own Rules,. 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. 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). Rapper/actor LL Cool J has forgiven his dad for shooting his mother and grandfather and leaving them for dead when he was only four years old. During his time at Def Jam, LL released an album every two or three years from 1987 to .