Cool J is a real force to be reckoned with, and this is why he is beloved, honored, and celebrated. 2' Update", "LL COOL J Gets a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame", "LL Cool J retires, unretires, then announces new album", "Grammys: LL Cool J Back for Fifth Year as Host", "EXCLUSIVE: Def Jam Records Re-Signs LL Cool J To Iconic Label", "Q-Tip Reacts to Rock Hall Nomination: 'Music's Evolution Can't Happen Without Hip-Hop Artists', "LL Cool J Cancels 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' Performance After Testing Positive for COVID-19", "LL Cool J Set to Host 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards", "LL Cool J's Journey From 'Krush Groove' To The Grammys", "MOVIE REVIEW: 'WILDCATS' DOESN'T PUT POINTS ON SCOREBOARD", "The Military Industrial Toy Chest: Barry Levinson's Toys at 25", "LL Cool J's Defense: With the Rapper 'In the House,' His Street Rep Is on the Line", "FILM REVIEW; Monster and Victim: Older, Not Wiser", "FILM REVIEW; Superjaws: Lab Sharks Turn Men Into Sushi", "LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx Exchange Blows On Set Of Oliver Stone Football Flick", "FILM REVIEW; Dreaming Up a Riddle for a Know-It-All", "Mindhunters movie review & film summary", "From Bad News Springs a Newfound Joie de Vivre", "Why you should revisit '30 Rock' this St. Patrick's Day", "See What Happens When Rappers Visit Sesame Street", "There's something familiar about 'NCIS: Los Angeles', "Complete list of Teen Choice 2013 Awards winners", "In Grudge Match, Not Quite Rocky Balboa Against Raging Bull", "LL Cool J to Host Spike's 'Lip Sync Battle' for EP Jimmy Fallon", "Jokes from the 'Neighbors 2' trailer aren't in the movie. During an interview that the actor had with Oprah Winfrey, the host asked if such a terrible incident had left a scar in him. [56], In March 2016, LL announced his retirement on social media, but quickly walked back his announcement and indicated that a new album was on the way. 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. target_type: 'mix' This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 21:38. 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. These elements contrasted sharply with the 1970s P-Funk and disco-influenced outfits, live bands, synthesizers and party rhymes of acts prevalent in 1984, rendering them old school. 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. [17] The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. 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. After they recovered from their injuries,. 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. 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. Series overview and suggestions on where to start! You have entered an incorrect email address! LL Cool J Left His Wife Twice & His Dad Shot His Mom and Grandpa Early life and family. Advertisement. LL Cool J - Father Lyrics | Genius Lyrics 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. "Father" is the third single from LL Cool J's seventh album, Phenomenon. Yet another single from the album, "I Shot Ya Remix", included debut vocal work by Foxy Brown. LL Cool J portrays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an exNavy SEAL who is fluent in Arabic and is an expert on West Asian culture. 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. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. LL Cool J At 54: "Dreams Don't Have Deadlines" - BlackDoctor.org 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 . It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. When his father then moved to California, his mother's boyfriend was physically . His father, James Nunya, was so incensed over the divorce in that he shot his father-in-law in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back, I Love Old School Music reports. [8] In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. It was tough. published in 2002. LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. "[55], On January 21, 2016, LL received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; It was just a power trip.". He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. He has also appeared in several films. This was the same person who shot his mother in the back and granddad in the stomach. LL Cool J's Traumatic Childhood Includes Stepfather's Physical Abuse 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). The album is titled Exit 13. [14][12][19] His mother was also supportive of his musical endeavors, using her tax refund to buy him a Korg drum machine. With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the early hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. At the beginning of their marriage, Simone ignored her husband for two weeks because he did not honor their honeymoon. 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. LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in Bay Shore, New York. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. [86] The lead single was the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung", which peaked at No. Although no one died, it was a terrible experience for LL Cool J, who was only a kid when it occurred. Rapper, actor, author and entrepreneur LL Cool J was rap music's first big solo star. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. In fact, when he was starting out as a musician, his dad actually re-entered his life and tried to guide him through it. Relationships. Apr 3, 2018 - Explore Kellz M's board "LL Cool J" on Pinterest. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. Eventually Ondrea left Roscoe but after all of the trauma LL suffered it was too little too late. By using the mixer he had received from his grandfather, Smith produced and mixed his own demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City, including Def Jam. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. During an appearance on Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis . The agreement angered the rapper's father, truck driver James Nunya, who ended up pointing a gun at his father-in-law Eugene. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; [39] As a result, his audience base began to decline due to the album's bold commercial and pop aspirations. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. LL also recorded a rap solo for Michael Jackson's demo of "Serious Effect" that remains unreleased but leaked online[40]. The new boyfriend was not a father figure to him at all and was abusive. It was just a power trip , Hed make me take off all my clothes and put my arms up on my bunk bed with the `Star Wars sheets while he beat me. LL Cool J also dealt with a friend's betrayal and ruthless accountants that siphoned his money. [4] He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. LL Cool J is a 55 year old American Rapper. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named, LL Cool J Announces Rock the Bells Festival with Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Digable Planets, Will Smiths Post Slap Film Comeback is Sci-fi Thriller Brilliance Hes Producing/Starring, In GMA Interview Ye Apologizes to Kim K for Stressing Her | WATCH. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C. }); Copyright 2015 . L.L. target_type: 'mix' See more ideas about ll cool j, sexy men, fine black men. [88] [31] Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip-hop act on the show. 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. He appeared as Queen Latifah's love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday. The website accepts music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip-hop genre, and the site's users rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now! After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. _taboola.push({ [37] It spent 11 weeks at No. Two-year-old shoots parents after finding gun on nightstand - Yahoo News Kodak Black Caught Having Sex in White Teacher Hits The Jerk as Students Go Wild Are AKAs Too Insecure? Decades later, he's in a really good place with a stable career and a great family life. [90] ", "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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[32], Radio's release coincided with the growing new school scene and subculture, which also marked the beginning of hip-hop's "golden age" and the replacement of old school hip hop. [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. The rapper-actor recently took to Twitter to tell fans of his dad's passing at the age of 65. LL Cool J (Getty) *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 . LL Cool J Revealed in 1997 Memoir That His Dad Shot His Mom, Grandfather He started rapping aged nine, and music provided a way to escape the suffering he endured. Together, they share four children named Najee, Samaria, Italia, and Nina. He is also involved in many charitable causes for literacy, music, and arts programs for kids and schools.[109]. Beat with belts like a slave with a whip. 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). iloveoldschoolmusic.com. Track 9 on Phenomenon. Once there, his friend offered to introduce his cousin, Simone. It was just a power trip , Hed make me take off all my clothes and put my arms up on my bunk bed with the `Star Wars sheets while he beat me. He appeared to endorse the RIAA's position, claiming illegal file sharing was hurting his sales and that his session musicians "can't live" due to the lost income. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. My family is a very interesting family. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. LL Cool J combined acting with his rap career; his acting debut was in 1985's "Krush Groove." Roscoe beat me for just about anything. Jul 19, 2021 09:00 P.M. When he was four years old, he witnessed his father shooting his mother and grandfather. [67] From 1995 to 1999, he starred in his own television sitcom In the House. 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. [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. American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor (born 1968), LL Cool J during a 2001 performance in Germany, 19932005: Continued success and career prominence. Decades later LL sat down with Oprah Winfrey during a segment on Oprahs Next Chapter to discuss how he coped with Roscoes constant abuse and its sad to hear that he had to become so strong at such a young age. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration". LL Cool J is one of the most respected rappers in the game but even he has endured his fair share of obstacles. [29] It entered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for 47 weeks, while also entering the Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986,[29] remaining on that chart for thirty-eight weeks. He didnt need a good reason. Is LL Cool J's Father Tito Jackson? Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse LL Cool J's second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer, which was produced by DJ Pooh and the L.A.