Acting · Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, USA · Born January 14, 1968
James Todd Smith (better known as LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James; born January 14, 1968) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC. Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, his breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). He achieved further commercial and critical success with the albums Bigger and Deffer (1987), Walking with a Panther (1989), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990), Mr. Smith (1995), and Phenomenon (1997). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells", and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as R&B hits such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. While he first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"), his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. He continued to work in movies from then until 1995 when he landed his own television sitcom, In the House (1995-2000). He has appeared in numerous films, including Last Holiday, Edison, Mindhunters, S.W.A.T., Deliver Us from Eva, Rollerball, Charlie's Angels, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, Halloween H20, B.A.P.S., Toys, and The Hard Way. In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the FOX medical drama House. He also guest starred on 30 Rock in 2007, and on Sesame Street 's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous” and performed "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008). As of 2011, he stars as Special Agent Sam Hanna on CBS's police procedural NCIS: L.A., a spin-off of NCIS. He was also the host of MTV's Lip Sync Battle.
NCIS: New York
2026
as Sam Hanna
MovieQuincy Jones, Music Man
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieStans
2025
as Self
TVHip Hop Was Born Here
2025
as Self - Host
MovieLadies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
2025
MovieJimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
2024
as Self
TVFat Joe Talks
2024
as Self - Guest
MovieA Hip Hop Minute
2024
as Self
MovieNCISverse: The First 1,000
2024
as Self
TVJames Brown: Say It Loud
2024
as Self
MovieComin' Up Short
2024
as Self
MovieA GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
2023
as Self
Movie2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2023
as Self
TVHip Hop Treasures
2023
as Self
TVSuperfan
2023
as Self
TVFight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
2023
as Self
Movie2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
as Self
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
TVSupreme Team
2022
as Self
TVPayback
2022
as Self - Funeral Attendee (archive footage)
TVThey Call Me Magic
2022
as Self
MovieYou're Watching Video Music Box
2021
as Self (archive footage)
TVNCIS: Hawaiʻi
2021
as Sam Hanna
MovieBiggie: I Got a Story to Tell
2021
as Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
MovieRicky Powell: The Individualist
2020
as Self
MovieOne World: Together at Home
2020
as Self
TVThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America
2019
as Self - Musician and Actor
TVDesus & Mero
2019
as Self - Illustrious Guest
MovieA Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
2018
as Self - Host
MovieQ85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
2018
as Self
TVShut Up and Dribble
2018
as Self - Musician
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
2018
TVSteve
2017
as Self
TVMartha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
2016
as Self
Greatest Hits
2016
TVThe $100,000 Pyramid
2016
as Self
MovieSinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
2015
as Self
TVClose Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
as Self
TVLip Sync Battle
2015
as Host
TVThe Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
as Self
TVHot Ones
2015
as Self
MovieStevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
2015
as Self
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
MovieThe Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
2014
as Self - Host
MovieGrudge Match
2013
as Frankie Brite
Mayweather
2013
as Narrator
MovieWhitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
2012
as Self
MovieYo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
2012
as Self
MovieSesame Street: Singing with the Stars
2012
as Self
TVFinding Your Roots
2012
as Self
TVConan
2010
as Self - Guest``````
TVThe Talk
2010
as Self
TVHawaii Five-0
2010
as Sam Hanna
TVWWII in HD
2009
as Shelby Westbrook (voice)
TVNCIS: Los Angeles
2009
as Sam Hanna
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MovieHow Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009
as Self
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
2009
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Deal
2008
as Bobby Mason
The Man
2007
as Manny Baxter
MovieShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
2007
as Self
TV30 Rock
2006
as Ridikolus
TVRachael Ray
2006
MovieLast Holiday
2006
as Sean Matthews
MovieSlow Burn
2005
as Luther Pinks
TVThe Tyra Banks Show
2005
as Self
MovieEdison
2005
as Deed
TVSo You Think You Can Dance
2005
TVAmerican Dad!
2005
as Sam Hanna (voice)
TVProject Runway
2004
as Self - Guest Judge
TVHouse
2004
as Clarence
The Tony Danza Show
2004
as Self
MovieMindhunters
2004
as Gabe Jensen
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
2003
TVNCIS
2003
as Sam Hanna
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
MovieS.W.A.T.
2003
as Deacon 'Deke' Kaye
MovieBeef
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDeliver Us from Eva
2003
as Ray Adams
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
TVAmerican Idol
2002
as Self - Guest Judge
MovieRollerball
2002
as Marcus Ridley
MovieIt's Black Entertainment
2002
as Self (archive footage)
TVLast Call with Carson Daly
2002
as Self
MovieHype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
MovieKingdom Come
2001
as Ray Bud Slocumb
MovieCharlie's Angels
2000
as Mr. Jones
TV106 & Park
2000
MovieAny Given Sunday
1999
as Julian Washington
TVThe Early Show
1999
as Self
MovieRapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
MovieIn Too Deep
1999
as Dwayne Gittens / God
TVTeen Choice Awards
1999
as Self
MovieDeep Blue Sea
1999
as Preacher
TVWWE Friday Night SmackDown
1999
as Self
MovieHalloween H20: 20 Years Later
1998
as Ronny
MovieWoo
1998
as Darryl
MovieCaught Up
1998
as Roger
TVThe View
1997
as Self
TVOz
1997
as Jiggy Walker
MovieB.A.P.S
1997
as LL Cool J
MovieTouch
1997
as LL Cool J
TVThe Chris Rock Show
1997
as Self
Clive Anderson All Talk
1996
as Self
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
TVThe Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
as Self
MovieThe Right to Remain Silent
1996
as Charles Red Taylor
TVMADtv
1995
as Self - Host
TVThe Frank Skinner Show
1995
as Self
MovieThe Show
1995
as Self
MovieOut-of-Sync
1995
as Jason St. Julian
TVIn the House
1995
as Marion Hill
TVMTV Europe Music Awards
1994
as Self - Presenter
TVThe Adventures of Pete & Pete
1993
as Mr. Throneberry
TVLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self - Guest
TVLate Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Guest
MovieToys
1992
as Patrick Zevo
MovieSimply Mad About the Mouse
1991
as Self
MovieThe Hard Way
1991
as Billy
MovieFuture Of The Funk
1991
as Self
TVThe Word
1990
TVMTV Unplugged
1989
as Self
TVYo! MTV Raps
1988
as Self
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
TVKids' Choice Awards
1987
as Self - Co-Host
MovieBig Fun in the Big Town
1986
as Self
MovieWildcats
1986
as Rapper
MovieKrush Groove
1985
as LL Cool J
TVMTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self - Host
TVEntertainment Tonight
1981
as Self
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Musical Guest
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Presenter
TVThe Grammys
1959
as Self
TVToday
1952
as Self
MovieLL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
as Self
