James Todd Smith was born on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York to Ondrea Griffith (born January 19, 1946) … See more

In the VH1 documentary Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation, Smith revealed that he initially called himself J-Ski, but did not want to associate his stage name with the cocaine culture (The rappe… See more

While LL Cool J 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 landed the role of … See more

LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. He also launched a clothing line (called "Todd Smith"). The brand produced popular urban apparel. Designs included influences f… See more

With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the first hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success, along with Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC. Gigs at larger venues wer… See more

Smith dated Kidada Jones, daughter of producer Quincy Jones, from 1992 to 1994.
He married Simone Johnson in 1995. The couple met in 1987 and have four children.
Simone Johnson-Smith was diagnosed with chondrosar… See more