James Todd Smith, better known as L.L. Cool J, was born in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, to Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. His early life was marked by tragedy when, at the age of four, he witnessed his mother and grandfather being shot by his father.
Todd's childhood was marred by physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his mother's boyfriend, a physical therapist who treated her kindly but mistreated Todd. This experience led Todd to become a bully himself, but he eventually found solace in hip-hop music at the age of nine.
By 11, Todd was writing his own lyrics and making songs with DJ equipment his grandfather gave him. At 15, he and his friend came up with the stage name L.L. Cool J, which stands for "Ladies Love Cool James."
In 1984, L.L. met Rick Rubin, who helped him secure a record deal and released his debut album "Radio" in 1985. The album was a commercial success, and L.L. became one of the founding artists of Def Jam Recordings.
L.L. also started his acting career in 1985 with a cameo appearance in the film "Krush Groove." He went on to appear in several other films, including "Wildcats" and "Out-of-Sync," before landing a starring role in the sitcom "In the House" in 1995.
The show ran until 1999, and L.L. used the platform to showcase his acting abilities. He went on to appear in a number of films, including "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later," "Deep Blue Sea," and "Any Given Wednesday," and has worked alongside a range of stars, including Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, and Al Pacino.
In 2000, L.L. won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for his supporting role in "Deep Blue Sea," and he has continued to balance his music and acting careers. Despite planning to retire from hip-hop in 1998, L.L. decided to continue making music, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.
