This page will contain additional articles about LL Cool J, as they become available.LL Cool JLL Cool JJames Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968) is an American hip hop artist better known by his stage name, LL Cool J (an abbreviation of "Ladies Love Cool James"). He is best known for romantic ballads like "I Need Love" as well as hardcore rap like "I Can't Live Without My Radio". He has also appeared in several films. LL Cool J was born and grew up in Queens, New York City. He signed to Def Jam in 1984 and released the underground hit "I Need a Beat" (see 1984 in music). The song was the first hit record for Def Jam, and its success persuaded him to drop out of school to record Radio (1985 in music). The album was released to critical acclaim, as LL Cool J was one of the first rappers to use conventional song structure to make pop-oriented rap. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were successful and helped the album go platinum. In 1987, he released Bigger and Deffer (see 1987 in music). The ballad "I Need Love" was one of the first pop-rap songs to be a hit. Critics scoffed at his new direction, though, and by the release of Walking with a Panther (1989 in music), he was booed offstage at the Apollo Theater. Eager to regain his hardcore audience, he released Mama Said Knock You Out, easily the hardest record he had made, which re-established his reputation in the hip hop community. It spawned three singles, "The Boomin' System," "Around the Way Girl," and especially the hard-hitting title track, which got special notice after LL Cool J's dynamic performance of it during an episode of MTV Unplugged. After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, he released 14 Shots to the Dome to muted sales and mixed reviews. He starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Smith (1995 in music), a double platinum hit. Its singles, "Doin' It" and "Loungin", were two of the biggest songs in 1996 and both songs' music videos were hugely successful on MTV. Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men singing the chorus and eventually became one the first rap music videos to air on American VH1. In 1996, LL also helped to launch a clothing line named FUBU; the name is an acronym for "For Us, By Us", meaning that the clothes were made for and marketed to black people by a black person. His next album was 10 from 2002 (2002 in music). It included the popular singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), "Luv U Better", and the massive 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". His latest album, Definition, came out in 2004. His biggest hit so far from the album is the song "Headsprung". DiscographyAlbums
Hit singles
Partial filmography
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His next album was 10 from 2002 (2002 in music). John allows audio taping at most live performances, and he also allows for the non-commercial trading of those recordings. In 1996, LL also helped to launch a clothing line named FUBU; the name is an acronym for "For Us, By Us", meaning that the clothes were made for and marketed to black people by a black person. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix and SRV, it has been argued that John's electric guitar playing is truly what makes him a musical genius and what makes him gain respect from his peers. Its singles, "Doin' It" and "Loungin", were two of the biggest songs in 1996 and both songs' music videos were hugely successful on MTV. Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men singing the chorus and eventually became one the first rap music videos to air on American VH1. Although John has maintained a reputation for being a sensitive singer-song writer, his real talent lies in his excellent guitar playing. Smith (1995 in music), a double platinum hit. Some of his most popular and well-known songs include "Clarity", "Bigger Than My Body", "No Such Thing" and "Your Body Is a Wonderland". He starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Mayer has toured with many groups, including Maroon 5, Guster, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, and Teitur. After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, he released 14 Shots to the Dome to muted sales and mixed reviews. He began his career in earnest there, quickly making a name for himself in the local coffeehouse and club circuit. It spawned three singles, "The Boomin' System," "Around the Way Girl," and especially the hard-hitting title track, which got special notice after LL Cool J's dynamic performance of it during an episode of MTV Unplugged. He soon realized that instead of studying music, he was more interested in writing and playing it, and chose to cut his studies short in favor of moving to Atlanta, Georgia. Eager to regain his hardcore audience, he released Mama Said Knock You Out, easily the hardest record he had made, which re-established his reputation in the hip hop community. After playing the guitar for several years, Mayer enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts at the age of 19. Critics scoffed at his new direction, though, and by the release of Walking with a Panther (1989 in music), he was booed offstage at the Apollo Theater. While in high school, he was in a band called Villanova Junction with Joe Beleznay, Tim Procaccini, and Rich Wolf. The ballad "I Need Love" was one of the first pop-rap songs to be a hit. After two years of practice, he started playing at blues bars and other venues in the area. In 1987, he released Bigger and Deffer (see 1987 in music). When a neighbor gave him a Stevie Ray Vaughan tape, Mayer discovered the blues and learned how to play the guitar. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were successful and helped the album go platinum. Mayer listened to pop music, but it was not until the age of thirteen that his inspiration for playing the guitar began. The album was released to critical acclaim, as LL Cool J was one of the first rappers to use conventional song structure to make pop-oriented rap. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and attended Fairfield High School. The song was the first hit record for Def Jam, and its success persuaded him to drop out of school to record Radio (1985 in music). He dedicated that award to his Grandma, Annie Hoffman, who passed away in May of 2004. He signed to Def Jam in 1984 and released the underground hit "I Need a Beat" (see 1984 in music). He also took home the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year which is awarded to song writers, for the song "Daughters". LL Cool J was born and grew up in Queens, New York City. He beat out, Elvis Costello, Josh Groban, Prince and Seal. He has also appeared in several films. In 2003 he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the 2002 release of the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland." In February of 2005, he also won a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy for his song "Daughters" of the album "Heavier Things". He is best known for romantic ballads like "I Need Love" as well as hardcore rap like "I Can't Live Without My Radio". John Clayton Mayer (born October 16, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) is a singer-songwriter who plays pop music. James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968) is an American hip hop artist better known by his stage name, LL Cool J (an abbreviation of "Ladies Love Cool James"). As Is 2004 Live Album, also a series of iTunes downloable tracks. Toys (1992). Heavier Things 2003 Studio Recording. In the House (1995). Any Given Thursday 2003 Live Album. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Room for Squares 2001 Studio Recording. Deep Blue Sea (1999). Inside Wants Out 2002 Label Release. In Too Deep (1999). Inside Wants Out 1999 Indie Release. Any Given Sunday (1999). Lo-Fi Masters Demo 1999 Indie Release. Charlie's Angels (2000). Villanova Junction Demo 1995 Indie Release. Rollerball (2002). S.W.A.T. (2003). Mindhunters (2004). 7 Aurelius) #26 US, #3 UK. 2005 "Hush" (feat. 2004 "Headsprung" #16 US, #25 UK. from "The DEFinition"
2003 "Paradise" (feat. 2002 "Luv U Better" #4 US, #7 UK. from "10"
1998 "Zoom" (Dr. from "Bulworth" soundtrack
from "Phenomenon"
from "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" soundtrack
1995 "Hey Lover" (feat. Smith"
from "14 Shots to the Dome"
1989 "I'm That Type of Guy" #15 US. 1988 "Going Back to Cali" #31 US, #37 UK (double-A-side with Jack the Ripper in the UK). from "Walkin with a Panther"
from "Bigger and Deffer"
James T. feat. 2000 "G.O.A.T. 1997 "Phenomenon" #7 US, #37 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. 1996 "All World: Greatest Hits" #29 US, #23 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000. Smith" #20 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. 1995 "Mr. 1993 "14 Shots to the Dome" #5 US, US Sales: 500,000. 1990 "Mama Said Knock You Out" #16 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. 1989 "Walking with a Panther" #6 US, US Sales: 1,000,000. 1987 "Bigger and Deffer" #3 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. 1985 "Radio" #46 US, US Sales: 1,000,000. |