LL Cool J

James Todd Smith, widely known as LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper and actor. Born on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York, he was raised in Queens. Throughout his extensive career, spanning over two decades, LL Cool J has achieved significant success in both the music and acting industries, maintaining a lasting presence as a Def Jam recording artist.

Smith, the only child of Ondrea and James Smith, Jr., has African American and Native American heritage. His early life included singing in the church choir, participating in the Boy Scouts, and delivering newspapers. His musical journey began in earnest in 1983 when Def Jam released his debut single, "I Need a Beat." The track's impressive sales, exceeding 100,000 copies, were instrumental in securing a distribution deal for Def Jam with Columbia Records in 1985. This pivotal moment led Smith to leave Andrew Jackson High School to focus on recording his first album.