window._taboola = window._taboola || []; He has been nominated in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2021 as a performer. 4 on the Billboard charts. L.L. During an appearance on Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis . Screengrab. Yet, the scars never fully healed. A new cover was unveiled at the same time. 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. NEW BEDFORD After Tito Jackson lost the Boston mayor's race in 2017, he began to take stock of his life and heritage. Actor and rapper LL Cool J, best known as Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles, has had a very successful life. "Father" is the third single from LL Cool J's seventh album, Phenomenon. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . Shortly after that, they started dating, and they married in 1995. 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. 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. LL Cool J extends his reach during Gray Line New York's "Ride Of Fame" induction ceremony, which honored the native New Yorker Monday at Manhattan's Pier 78. LL Cool J also dealt with a friend's betrayal and ruthless accountants that siphoned his money. LL Cool J has an enviable relationship with his wife, Simone Smith, and they share four kids. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. He didnt need a good reason. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C. L.L. 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). In 1972, when he was just 4 years old his father shot his wife (James Mother) as well as James grandfather. He started rapping when he was 9 years of age, his biggest influencers were the sugarhill gang and the treacherous tree. He has released twelve studio albums over his 27 year career, has starred in numerous feature films and currently LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. 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. If that wasn't hard enough, he experienced a tragic and dramatic event when he was only four years old. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. ", "LL Cool J Todd Smith Clothing Collection Launch and Video", "Here's LL Cool J's Emotional Opening To WrestleMania 31", "Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia Def Jam, LL, & new school hip hop", "LL Cool J:: Radio ** RapReviews "Back to the Lab" series ** by Steve "Flash" Juon", EntertainmentSimone Smith, LL Cool J's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, "LL Cool J's Kids With Wife Simone Smith", "Senator Malcolm Smith Show w. 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He was driving and stopped by a friends house to say hi. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Eventually Ondrea left Roscoe but after all of the trauma LL suffered it was too little too late. Thankfully, she later became the rapper's number one woman, who is appreciated and deeply loved by a man she described as "her rock.". It includes collaborations with 112, Ginuwine, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari and Freeway. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. The album reached platinum status. Unfortunately, the bad things didnt stop after the previously mentioned incident took place. In his memoir I Make My Own Rules, the rapper recalled the day his father James almost killed his mother and grandfather. He was quick to add that no one "should assume that I'm a Democrat either. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over the instrumental to Maino's "Hi Hater". The series' genetic genealogist CeCe Moore identified Smith's biological grandparents as Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis through analysis of his DNA. [66] He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson's 1992 film Toys. Actor: Deep Blue Sea. 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. At this point, the entertainer decided to stick by her unconditionally, putting up a positive front, and even offered to give her a bone marrow. Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL collaborated with Joe and producers Trackmasters with his second single, "Take It". According to the Chicago Tribune, "as a child growing up middle-class and Catholic in Queens, life for LL was heartbreaking. 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[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". 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. LL Cool J was also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network. LL Cool J explained the reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet. They shot the video for "Control Myself" on January 2, 2006, at Sony Studios, New York. Relationships. LL Cool J, Simone Smith and family at The Fashion Institute of Technology on May 25, 2017 | Source: Getty Images. [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. *In his 1997 biography I Make My Own Rules,. Both survived. 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. L.A. City Council Shutdown Because Council Members Caught on Opinion: Sacramento Mass Shooting Confirms What Experts Already Knew, What the Puck? [25] Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I . But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. You passed away. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', LL Cool J lives a lavish life with his family nowadays, but it didn't come overnight. 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. He currently plays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. [43] Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2-year delay, it was released September 9, 2008 without 50 Cent as the executive producer. shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward his mother . window._taboola = window._taboola || []; The Marley Marl produced album received critical acclaim and eventually went double Platinum, selling over two million copies according to the RIAA. Five years later, he became a star, went on to win numerous awards, and earned the title of one of the founding fathers of hip hop. However, his childhood was quite challenging, starting with the fact that he grew up in a tough section of Queens, New York, where drugs were present almost everywhere. [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. 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. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is published in 2002. 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. Sadly, a few years later, the young man stated that his dad mismanaged his funds which led to him getting fired. He didnt need a good reason. Plus, LL shares what his father's mistakes taught him about mercy. In his follow-up album, 1987's Bigger and Deffer, LL Cool J showed his softer side with the popular ballad, "I Need Love." The song became a hit on both the rap and pop charts. advocates for a healthy discussion about the instances of violence, abuse, sexual misconduct, animal cruelty, abuse etc. [82], In 2013, LL co-starred as a gym owner in the sports dramedy Grudge Match. [54] LL stated that "the concept behind the album was to give upcoming artists an opportunity to shine, and put myself in the position where I have to spit bars with some of the hardest rhymers in the game"; however, the album was put on hold. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Advertisement. [10], In 2002, LL Cool J supported George Pataki's bid for a third term as Governor of New York. Even more, he was featured in a television documentary series called Finding Your Roots; LL Cool J learned of the family secret so well-hidden that even his own mother was unaware . February 20, 2023. LL Cool J ( Full name: James Todd Smith) is a 54-year-old American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. The second video, directed by Hype Williams, was "Freeze" featuring Lyfe Jennings. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "[22] That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were singles that helped the album go platinum. Smith's biological great-uncle was Hall of Fame boxer John Henry Lewis. 2016 LL Cool J was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. 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. Recently, he allegedly came out and said that Tito Jackson is his father and he also reveals some shocking details about Barry Gordy using him for his talent early on but he had to sign some letters because Tito ain't want him to be his real child. [27][28] Radio peaked at number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 46 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. [17] His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him $2,000 worth of equipment, including two turntables, an audio mixer and an amplifier. The actor and his wife have been married for twenty-five years. To this day, there are limited details on the incident, but witnesses say it was a . LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in Bay Shore, New York. 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. They worked through thick and thin to become one of the industry's power couples. But The lessons you taught me live on in my heart. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done.