James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James), 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.
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self
2025
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
Self
2024
A Hip Hop Minute
Self
2024
NCISverse: The First 1,000
Self
2024
Comin' Up Short
Self
2024
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Self
2023
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2023
Hip Hop Treasures
Self · (8 episodes)
2023
Superfan
Self · (1 episode)
2023
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2022
You're Watching Video Music Box
Self (archive footage)
2021
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
2021
Ricky Powell: The Individualist
Self
2020
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America
Self - Musician and Actor
2019
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
Self - Host
2018
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
2018
Shut Up and Dribble
Self - Musician · (1 episode)
2018
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
2018
Greatest Hits
(1 episode)
2016
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Lip Sync Battle
Host · (92 episodes)
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
Self
2015
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
Self - Host
2014
Grudge Match
Frankie Brite
2013
Mayweather
Narrator
2013
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
2012
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
Self
2012
Finding Your Roots
Self · (1 episode)
2012
Hawaii Five-0
Sam Hanna · (1 episode)
2010
We Are the World 25 For Haiti
Self
2010
WWII in HD
(10 episodes)
2009
NCIS: Los Angeles
Sam Hanna · (323 episodes)
2009
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Self
2009
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
Self (archive footage)
2009
The Deal
Bobby Mason
2008
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
2007
30 Rock
Ridikolus · (1 episode)
2006
Last Holiday
Sean Matthews
2006
Slow Burn
Luther Pinks
2005
The Tyra Banks Show
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Edison
Deed
2005
So You Think You Can Dance
(1 episode)
2005
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2004
House
Clarence · (1 episode)
2004
The Tony Danza Show
Self · (1 episode)
2004
Mindhunters
Gabe Jensen
2004
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
(10 episodes)
2003
NCIS
Sam Hanna · (4 episodes)
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2003
S.W.A.T.
Deacon 'Deke' Kaye (as James Todd Smith aka LL Cool J)
2003
Beef
Self (archive footage)
2003
Deliver Us from Eva
Ray Adams
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (6 episodes)
2003
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2002
Rollerball
Marcus Ridley
2002
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
2002
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Kingdom Come
Ray Bud Slocumb
2001
Charlie's Angels
Mr. Jones
2000
106 & Park
(1 episode)
2000
Any Given Sunday
Julian Washington
1999
The Early Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1999
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
In Too Deep
Dwayne Gittens / God
1999
Teen Choice Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1999
Teen Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1999
Deep Blue Sea
Preacher
1999
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Ronald 'Ronny' Jones
1998
Woo
Darryl
1998
Caught Up
Roger
1998
The View
Self · (7 episodes)
1997
Oz
Jiggy Walker · (1 episode)
1997
B.A.P.S
LL Cool J
1997
Touch
LL Cool J
1997
The Chris Rock Show
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Clive Anderson All Talk
Self · (1 episode)
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1996
The Right to Remain Silent
Charles Red Taylor
1996
MADtv
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1995
The Frank Skinner Show
Self · (1 episode)
1995
The Show
Self
1995
Out-of-Sync
Jason St. Julian
1995
In the House
Marion Hill · (76 episodes)
1995
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (4 episodes)
1993
Toys
Patrick Zevo
1992
Simply Mad About the Mouse
Self
1991
The Hard Way
Billy
1991
Future Of The Funk
Self
1991
MTV Unplugged
Self · (1 episode)
1989
Big Fun in the Big Town
Self
1986
Wildcats
Rapper
1986
Krush Groove
LL Cool J
1985
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
Self
The Man
(1 episode)
Hip Hop Was Born Here
Self - Host · (5 episodes)
2025
Fat Joe Talks
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2024
James Brown: Say It Loud
Self · (4 episodes)
2024
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
Self · (4 episodes)
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
(1 episode)
2022
Supreme Team
Self · (3 episodes)
2022
They Call Me Magic
Self · (4 episodes)
2022
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
Sam Hanna · (12 episodes)
2021
The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest · (1 episode)
2019
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Self · (1 episode)
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self · (1 episode)
2016
Hot Ones
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Conan
Self · (2 episodes)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Rachael Ray
(1 episode)
2006
American Dad!
Sam Hanna (voice) · (1 episode)
2005
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self · (1 episode)
2002
WWE SmackDown
Self · (1 episode)
1999
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
MADtv
Self · (2 episodes)
1995
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1994
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
Mr. Throneberry · (1 episode)
1993
Yo! MTV Raps
Self · (1 episode)
1988
Kids' Choice Awards
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
1987
MTV Video Music Awards
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1984
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (5 episodes)
1984
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (2 episodes)
1981
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self - Performer (Times Square) · (4 episodes)
1972
The Grammys
Self · (1 episode)
1959
Today
Self · (1 episode)
1952