LL Cool J

LL Cool J

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"). 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".

Discography

Albums

  • 1985 "Radio" #46 US, US Sales: 1,000,000
  • 1987 "Bigger and Deffer" #3 US, US Sales: 2,000,000
  • 1989 "Walking with a Panther" #6 US, US Sales: 1,000,000
  • 1990 "Mama Said Knock You Out" #16 US, US Sales: 2,000,000
  • 1993 "14 Shots to the Dome" #5 US, US Sales: 500,000
  • 1995 "Mr. Smith" #20 US, US Sales: 2,000,000
  • 1996 "All World: Greatest Hits" #29 US, #23 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000
  • 1997 "Phenomenon" #7 US, #37 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000
  • 2000 "G.O.A.T. feat. James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time" #1 US, #29 UK, US Sales: 500,000
  • 2002 "10" #2 US, #26 UK, US Sales: 500,000
  • 2004 "The DEFinition" #4 US, US Sales: 500,000

Hit singles

  • from "Bigger and Deffer"
    • 1987 "I Need Love" #14 US, #8 UK
  • from "Walkin with a Panther"
    • 1988 "Going Back to Cali" #31 US, #37 UK (double-A-side with Jack the Ripper in the UK)
    • 1989 "I'm That Type of Guy" #15 US
  • from "Mama Said Knock You Out"
    • 1990 "Around the Way Girl" #9 US, #36 UK (1991 re-issue)
    • 1991 "Mama Said Knock You Out" #17 US
  • from "14 Shots to the Dome"
    • 1993 "How I'm Comin'" #37 UK
  • from "Mr. Smith"
    • 1995 "Hey Lover" (feat. Boyz II Men) #3 US, #17 UK (1996 release in the UK)
    • 1996 "Doin' It" (guest vocals by LeShaun) #9 US, #15 UK
    • 1996 "Loungin'" #3 US, #7 UK
  • from "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" soundtrack
    • 1997 "Ain't Nobody" #1 UK
  • from "Space Jam" soundtrack
    • 1997 "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" (B Real / Busta Rhymes / Coolio / LL Cool J / Method Man) #8 UK
  • from "Phenomenon"
    • 1997 "Phenomenon" #9 UK
    • 1998 "Father" #18 US, #10 UK
  • from "Bulworth" soundtrack
    • 1998 "Zoom" (Dr. Dre & LL Cool J) #15 UK
  • from "10"
    • 2002 "Luv U Better" #4 US, #7 UK
    • 2003 "Paradise" (feat. Amerie) #36 US, #18 UK
    • 2003 "All I Have" (Jennifer Lopez feat. LL Cool J) #1 US, #2 UK
  • from "The DEFinition"
    • 2004 "Headsprung" #16 US, #25 UK
    • 2005 "Hush" (feat. 7 Aurelius) #26 US, #3 UK

Partial filmography

  • Mindhunters (2004)
  • S.W.A.T. (2003)
  • Rollerball (2002)
  • Charlie's Angels (2000)
  • Any Given Sunday (1999)
  • In Too Deep (1999)
  • Deep Blue Sea (1999)
  • Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
  • In the House (1995)
  • Toys (1992)



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. Recently he has announced a new CD and taken part in a benefit concert to raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. His biggest hit so far from the album is the song "Headsprung". He was still recording and appearing live in the early 2000s. His latest album, Definition, came out in 2004. Since then, Lopez has done much charity work and has received many honours, such as being inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003. It included the popular singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), "Luv U Better", and the massive 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". He continued his musical career with extensive tours of Europe and Latin America during this period, remaining firmly within his Latin music genre; an attempt to break out by releasing a disco album in the United Kingdom in 1978 proved an embarrassing flop.

His next album was 10 from 2002 (2002 in music). He co-starred the war movie The Dirty Dozen (1967) and Antonio (1973) . 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 first film appearance was in Marriage On The Rocks (1965) where he appeared with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. 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. During the 1960s and 1970s Lopez moved into acting as well as recording and playing, though his film career was not nearly as successful as his music. Smith (1995 in music), a double platinum hit. He also recorded covers of other popular songs of the day, including Lemon Tree (1965), I'm Coming Home Cindy (1966) and Sally Was a Good Old Girl (1968).

He starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. He also performed his own version of the traditional Mexican song La Bamba on this album. After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, he released 14 Shots to the Dome to muted sales and mixed reviews. The album included Lopez's most famous song, If I Had A Hammer, which reached number one in 25 countries and was a radio favourite for many years. 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. His debut album, Trini Lopez Live at PJ's, was released in 1963. 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. Costa was greatly taken with Lopez's Latinized versions of contemporary hits and signed him up to Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records.

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. Born Trinidad Lopez III in Dallas, Texas, he made his name on the club circuit of the American Southwest before being "discovered" in 1962 by the record producer Don Costa while playing at the PJ Club in Hollywood. The ballad "I Need Love" was one of the first pop-rap songs to be a hit. Trini Lopez (May 15, 1937- ) is a Latin American singer/guitarist. In 1987, he released Bigger and Deffer (see 1987 in music). Official site (http://www.trinilopez.com/) (A detailed biography is available at this site.). "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were successful and helped the album go platinum.

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. 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 signed to Def Jam in 1984 and released the underground hit "I Need a Beat" (see 1984 in music). LL Cool J was born and grew up in Queens, New York City.

He has also appeared in several films. He is best known for romantic ballads like "I Need Love" as well as hardcore rap like "I Can't Live Without My Radio". 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"). Toys (1992).

In the House (1995). Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Deep Blue Sea (1999). In Too Deep (1999).

Any Given Sunday (1999). Charlie's Angels (2000). 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"

    . LL Cool J) #1 US, #2 UK. 2003 "All I Have" (Jennifer Lopez feat. Amerie) #36 US, #18 UK.

    2003 "Paradise" (feat. 2002 "Luv U Better" #4 US, #7 UK. from "10"

      . Dre & LL Cool J) #15 UK.

      1998 "Zoom" (Dr. from "Bulworth" soundtrack

        . 1998 "Father" #18 US, #10 UK. 1997 "Phenomenon" #9 UK.

        from "Phenomenon"

          . 1997 "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" (B Real / Busta Rhymes / Coolio / LL Cool J / Method Man) #8 UK. from "Space Jam" soundtrack
            . 1997 "Ain't Nobody" #1 UK.

            from "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" soundtrack

              . 1996 "Loungin'" #3 US, #7 UK. 1996 "Doin' It" (guest vocals by LeShaun) #9 US, #15 UK. Boyz II Men) #3 US, #17 UK (1996 release in the UK).

              1995 "Hey Lover" (feat. Smith"

                . from "Mr. 1993 "How I'm Comin'" #37 UK.

                from "14 Shots to the Dome"

                  . 1991 "Mama Said Knock You Out" #17 US. 1990 "Around the Way Girl" #9 US, #36 UK (1991 re-issue). from "Mama Said Knock You Out"
                    .

                    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"

                      . 1987 "I Need Love" #14 US, #8 UK.

                      from "Bigger and Deffer"

                        . 2004 "The DEFinition" #4 US, US Sales: 500,000. 2002 "10" #2 US, #26 UK, US Sales: 500,000. Smith: The Greatest of All Time" #1 US, #29 UK, US Sales: 500,000.

                        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.