| Net Worth: | $ 121 Million |
|---|---|
| Source of Wealth: | Rapper |
| Born: | January 14, 1968 |
| Age: | 52 |
| Spouse: | Simone Smith |
| Children: | 4 (Najee Laurent Todd Eugene, Nina Simone, Samaria Leah Wisdom, and Italia Anita Maria) |
| Birth Name: | James Todd Smith |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.87m) |
LL Сооl Ј іѕ аn Аmеrісаn rарреr whо hаѕ achieved many milestones in his career. He rеlеаѕеd various hit singles and acted in movies and TV series. Aside from the entertainment industry, he is an entrepreneur and author.
Early Life
James Todd Smith was born on January 14, 1968 in Bay Shore, New York. He began rapping at the age of nine, composing songs at 11, and making demo tapes at 16. His family supports his love for music, in fact his grandfather bought him two turntables, an amplifier, and an audio mixer. His mother bought him a Korg drum machine using her tax refund.
Music Career
At the age of 16, he met Rick Rubin who was impressed by his music. The two then created the single I Need a Beat, which they sent to artist manager Russell Simmons. Later, Simmons and Rubin established the Def Jam Recordings and released the single. It sold a total of 100,000 copies.
The success of his first single led him to drop out from school and focus on his music career. He then worked on the album Radio that was released in 1985. It sold over 1.5 million copies and became platinum.
Acting Career
In 1985, LL Cool J debuted his acting career as a rapper in Krush Groove. The movie is based on the life of Simmons and the early days of Def Jam Recordings. He continued to portray supporting roles in The Right to Remain Silent, Caught Up, and Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later. From 2000 to 2008, he became part of various TV series and movies like Kingdom Come, S.W.A.T., and Slow Burn.
LL Cool J Net Worth
LL Cool J’s net worth is $121 million, which he gained from his successful albums and singles. His appearances in movies and television series also add to his fortune. He also created his own music labels Power of God and Rock the Bells. Aside from rapping and acting, he also wrote or co-written four books.
LL Cool J Wife
LL Cool J married jewelry designer Simone Smith in 1995. The pair met in the early 80s and were set up by a friend. Their relationship was tested when Simone was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2004. In the end, the challenge made their marriage stronger.
They have four children namely Nina Simone, Najee Laurent Todd Eugene, Samaria Leah Wisdom, and Italia Anita Maria.
LL Cool J Songs
LL Cool J released several singles and albums that are truly hit to the people. His album Bigger and Deffer (1987) became a multi-platinum followed by the release of Walking with Panther in 1989.
In 1990, he released Mama Said Knock You Out, which was a critical and commercial success. It sold two million copies and certified double platinum. It also ranked ninth in the best record of 1990 by Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics.
For the rest of the 1990s, he released Mr. Smith, 14 Shots to the Dome, and Phenomenon. Some of his popular singles include I’m That Type of Guy, Loungin, and Luv U.
LL Cool J I Need Love
Bigger and Deffer's second single I Need Love reached number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the first rap song to be listed on the UK Singles Chart. In the 1988 Soul Train Music Awards, the song received a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single. It ranked #13 on the Top 100 Rap Songs of About.com while 60th on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
“I Need Love” obeyed teenage logic, plain and simple: “Who goes to school and only talks to the guys?” - LL Cool J
