Five years later, he became a star, went on to win numerous awards, and earned the title of one of the founding fathers of hip hop. Rapper/actor LL Cool J has forgiven his dad for shooting his mother and grandfather and leaving them for dead when he was only four years old. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. Ll Cool J Forgives Dad For Shooting Mother - Contactmusic.com [83] Since April 2015, LL has hosted the show Lip Sync Battle. As if that wasnt bad enough, his mother, Ondrea, eventually settled into another relationship with a man named, Roscoe Granger, and in the book, LL details (via The Daily Press) how Roscoe, allegedly a drug addict, took every opportunity to beat LL whenever he had the chance. . I guess it would leave you scarred, at four years old, based on how the people around you dealt with it and encouraged you to deal with it. Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men, and sampled Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life"; it eventually became an early hip-hop music video to air on VH1. After labeling his family as very interesting, he revealed one of the most shocking aspects of the entire situation: LL Cool Js mother forgave his father for shooting her in the back. As a young boy growing up in New York City LL witnessed a few traumatic events that he carried with him into his adulthood. To make matters worse, it was the Grammy Award winner who found his mom and grandfather on the floor after his dad shot them. When LL was four years old, his father shot his mother and grandfather. LL Cool J's tenth album The DEFinition was released on August 31, 2004. Heartbreaking! LL Cool J Tearfully Shares Traumatic Childhood After His The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father". 2 and would be released in 2015. LL Cool J At 54: "Dreams Don't Have Deadlines" - BlackDoctor.org container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', The album is titled Exit 13. [99] As the album served as an example of an expansion of hip-hop music's artistic possibilities, its commercial success and distinct sound soon led to an increase in multi-racial audiences and listeners, adding to the legacy of the album and hip hop as well. Eventually, LLs father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', EXCLUSIVE: LL Cool J's Mom on How She Raised Him Right Gigs at larger venues were offered to LL as he would join the 1986-'87 Raising Hell tour, opening for Run-D.M.C. In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T., which stood for the "Greatest of All Time." Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr. Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. [28] [56], In March 2016, LL announced his retirement on social media, but quickly walked back his announcement and indicated that a new album was on the way. [62], LL hosted the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 22, 2022. "[18] This was at the same time that NYU student Rick Rubin and promoter-manager Russell Simmons founded the then-independent Def Jam label. While speaking to Oprah, the jewelry maker explained that they have an awesome marriage because of the sacrifices and love they share. 'Finding Your Roots' Uncovers LL Cool J Emotional Genetic History I was doing all kinds of wild things by then and getting in all kinds of trouble.. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. Source: MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / Getty. Who is LL Cool J dating? LL Cool J girlfriend, wife - Who's Dated Who? LL Cool J - Listal . And LL was the one who discovered them! 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). The abuse he suffered from Roscoe was damaging, but living with the pain of his father shooting his mother and grandfather must have been worse. Roscoe beat me for just about anything. Mr. James was upset that LL Cool J's mother had left him. Here is the truth behind the rapper's life. By the 90s, he already established himself as an actor and juggled both careers seamlessly. LL (birth name James Todd Smith) recounted his painful childhood memories in his biography I Make My Own Rules and the details are shocking. 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LL Cool J's second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer, which was produced by DJ Pooh and the L.A. 4 on the Billboard charts. He currently plays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. LL was a young boy growing up in New York when his parents separated in 1972. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. After his mother moved on, she married an abusive man and drug addict named Roscoe Granger. He would beat me for watching television, for lookin at him funny, for looking out the window watching other kids play. [7] In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. On October 6, 2012, LL Cool J released a new single from Authentic Hip-Hop called "Ratchet". LL Cool J Graduates From Harvard - Our Weekly LL COOL J / ACCIDENTAL RACIST Preface: Intercultural dialogue is a wholly positive and necessary thing. By Kory Grow. does not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. LL Cool J Net Worth 2022: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids - Ear Shot His fourth book, LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was cowritten in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy's Chuck D. LL Cool J started his own businesses in the music industry such as the music label in 1993 called P.O.G. [87] The brand produces popular urban apparel. The album had four singles ("How I'm Comin'", "Back Seat (of My Jeep)", "Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings", "Stand By Your Man") and guest-featured labelmates Lords of the Underground on "NFA-No Frontin' Allowed". I'm an Independent, you know? In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs," LL Cool J said. LL Cool J - Wikipedia How LL Cool J Learned to Forgive His Father - Video - Oprah.com LL Cool J explained the reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet. _taboola.push({ Plus, LL shares what his father's mistakes taught him about mercy. [86] He didnt care how he beat me or with what , By the time Ondrea left Roscoe, LL said that for him personally, the damager was done., You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. [48], On February 8, 2013, it was announced that the title of LL's upcoming album would be changed from Authentic Hip-Hop to Authentic with a new release date of April 30, 2013. Best Episode | Law & Order: SVU - Best Episode - Facebook Rufus "Scola" Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded. The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists - Pingovox How LL Cool J Learned to Forgive His Father | Oprah's Next Chapter Beat with belts like a slave with a whip. It was tough. LL Cool J - short for "Ladies Love Cool James" - was born in 1968 in Long Island, New York, and grew up in Queens. 2016 LL Cool J was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Once there, his friend offered to introduce his cousin, Simone. However, the victims survived, and thankfully, things were repaired in the household, with the Smith patriarch admitting and turning away from his errors. [29] By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding one million copies; it had previously earned a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986. He is best known for romantic ballads like I Need Love as well as hardcore rap like I Can't Live Without My Radio. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! He is also involved in many charitable causes for literacy, music, and arts programs for kids and schools.[109]. 2' Update", "LL COOL J Gets a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame", "LL Cool J retires, unretires, then announces new album", "Grammys: LL Cool J Back for Fifth Year as Host", "EXCLUSIVE: Def Jam Records Re-Signs LL Cool J To Iconic Label", "Q-Tip Reacts to Rock Hall Nomination: 'Music's Evolution Can't Happen Without Hip-Hop Artists', "LL Cool J Cancels 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' Performance After Testing Positive for COVID-19", "LL Cool J Set to Host 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards", "LL Cool J's Journey From 'Krush Groove' To The Grammys", "MOVIE REVIEW: 'WILDCATS' DOESN'T PUT POINTS ON SCOREBOARD", "The Military Industrial Toy Chest: Barry Levinson's Toys at 25", "LL Cool J's Defense: With the Rapper 'In the House,' His Street Rep Is on the Line", "FILM REVIEW; Monster and Victim: Older, Not Wiser", "FILM REVIEW; Superjaws: Lab Sharks Turn Men Into Sushi", "LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx Exchange Blows On Set Of Oliver Stone Football Flick", "FILM REVIEW; Dreaming Up a Riddle for a Know-It-All", "Mindhunters movie review & film summary", "From Bad News Springs a Newfound Joie de Vivre", "Why you should revisit '30 Rock' this St. Patrick's Day", "See What Happens When Rappers Visit Sesame Street", "There's something familiar about 'NCIS: Los Angeles', "Complete list of Teen Choice 2013 Awards winners", "In Grudge Match, Not Quite Rocky Balboa Against Raging Bull", "LL Cool J to Host Spike's 'Lip Sync Battle' for EP Jimmy Fallon", "Jokes from the 'Neighbors 2' trailer aren't in the movie. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LL's mother and grandfather with a shotgun. LL Cool J on 'Accidental Racist,' Rick Rubin, Being the 'G.O.A.T [18], 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 rappers who use "Ski" or "Blow" as part of their stage name, e.g., Kurtis Blow and Joeski Love, were associated with the rise of the cocaine culture, as depicted in the 1983 remake of Scarface.) Together, they share four children named Najee, Samaria, Italia, and Nina. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. [35] Rubin's early hip hop production work, before his exit from Def Jam to Los Angeles, helped solidify his legacy as a hip hop pioneer and establish his reputation in the music industry.[35]. A few years later, Simone was diagnosed with bone cancer. And LL was the one who discovered . He did not get the best attention as a young child, and his surroundings subjected him to a life of bullying and arms. LL Cool J Songs - Hit 'em High 1996 - Hush 2004 - U Will Know 1994 We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. WHO WE AREThe news you want unfiltered.The Electronic Urban Report/EUR puts the most buzz worthy African American news at your fingertips. It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts,[42] and went platinum. The second video, directed by Hype Williams, was "Freeze" featuring Lyfe Jennings. Simone Smith Cool runs a jewelry line; she is the wife to the popular rapper turned actor and a mother to his four kids Najee, Italia, Samaria, and Nina. He didnt need a good reason. This style would serve as one of Rubin's production trademarks and would have a great impact on future hip-hop productions. The "NCIS" actor recounted grueling details about his childhood in his book "I Make My Own Rules," beginning with his parents' divorce when he was younger. LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". 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After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now! And, so I have learned to hand out the mercy that I like to receive. L.L. My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right.. "It represents the collective energy in the room. It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', that benefits the victims. Both relatives survived their injuries, and the NCIS: Los Angeles star insists he has since made peace with his dad even though he was initially reluctant to allow him back into his life. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the US.[30]. He didnt care how he beat me or with what . [8] In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. Even more, he was featured in a television documentary series called Finding Your Roots; LL Cool J learned of the family secret so well-hidden that even his own mother was unaware . Though he was beginning to act out in the aftermath of the abuse by the age of 16 LL found his calling during the Golden Age of Hip Hop as one of the top emcees of the time. Through the love and attitude of others around, the rapper easily forgave his dad, and they enjoyed a perfect relationship from that moment. Yet, the scars never fully healed. }); Copyright 2015 . But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. LL Cool J admits that Tito Jackson is his biological father Story by 2. He has released twelve studio albums over his 27 year career, has starred in numerous feature films and currently The NCIS star confessed that James came back into his life and made amends for plenty of the things that he did wrong by helping him with his music career early on. LL Cool J Net Worth In 2023 and How He Makes Money READ MORE:LL Cool J Announces Rock the Bells Festival with Ice Cube, Lil Kim, Digable Planets, Hed make me take off all my clothes and put my arms up on my bunk bed with the `Star Wars sheets while he beat me. LL and his mother moved into his grandparents' home in St. Albans, Queens in 1972 where he was raised. "RIP to My Father James Nunya. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. [78] LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street's 39th season, introducing the word of the day--"Unanimous"in episode 4169 (September 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (September 30, 2008). He didnt need a good reason. In image as in song, the artists projected a tough, cool, street b-boy attitude. And LL was the one who discovered . The rapper/actor took to Twitter to inform fans that his dad, James Nunya, passed away at the age of 65. LL Cool J - IMDb [31] Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show,[32] as well as an appearance on Diana Ross' 1987 television special, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. LL Cool J Discovered the Grandparents Who 'Embraced' Him Were Not LL Cool J attends Spike TV's Guys Choice 2015 at Sony Pictures Studios on June 6, 2015 in Culver City, California | Photo: Getty Images. Aired on 01/27/2013 | CC. According to Hollywood.com; Truck driver James Nunya shot his father-in-law Eugene in the stomach and estranged wife Ondrea in the back out of frustration over the couples divorce in 1972, when the Grammy winner and awards host was just a young boy. We raise awareness about these issues to help potential victims seek professional counseling and prevent anyone from getting hurt. After the off-and-on relationship and two kids, LL Cool J left Simone twice. Decades later LL sat down with Oprah Winfrey during a segment on Oprahs Next Chapter to discuss how he coped with Roscoes constant abuse and its sad to hear that he had to become so strong at such a young age. James Todd Smith was born on 14 January 1968 to Ondrea Griffith in Bay Shore, New York, and James Louis Smith, Jr, also known as James Nunya. According to her, they put God first in their marriage, made many compromises, have respect, and show unwavering support to each other. . My family is a very interesting family. 74. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. It also reached No. The official second single from Phenomenon was "4, 3, 2, 1", which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus. 14 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B chart and No. But even with all of that negativity LL still found a way to forgive his father for everything hes ever done to him. You know how glad I was to have Roscoe out of my life, but the damage was done. When he was four years old, he witnessed his father shooting his mother and grandfather. Hed even pull me out of the shower to get a beating. "It was a relative, but it wasn't any of my father's brothers.". Actor and rapper LL Cool J, best known as Special Agent Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles, has had a very successful life. LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore, New York on January 14, 1968 to James Louis Smith (AKA James Nunya) and Ondrea Griffith. Despite commercial appeal, the album was often criticized by the hip-hop community as being too commercial and materialistic, and for focusing too much on love ballads. LL Cool J Bio (Wiki) - Married Biography [66] He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson's 1992 film Toys. 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The show is a spin-off of NCIS, which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG. With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the early hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. Track 9 on Phenomenon. According to a Chicago Tribune report, his father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them. LL Cool J (Music) - TV Tropes Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! The album was originally scheduled to be executively produced by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent. LL Cool J has written four books, including 1998's I Make My Own Rules, an autobiography cowritten with Karen Hunt. When he was very young his parents got a divorce and it angered his biological father, James, so much that he shot both LLs mother and grandfather with a shotgun. [63][64], While LL Cool J first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"),[65] his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. Young James had a rather traumatic childhood. He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. His upbringing, though, was quite traumatic. LL Cool J Revealed in 1997 Memoir That His Dad Shot His Mom, Grandfather "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were singles that helped the album go platinum. His mother, Ondrea, was a nurses assistant while his father, James, was a truck driver. Eventually, LLs father James came back into his life and helped him out in the early stages of his budding rap career. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; [101] He married Simone Johnson in 1995. Thankfully, she later became the rapper's number one woman, who is appreciated and deeply loved by a man she described as "her rock.". In his memoir I Make My Own Rules, the rapper recalled the day his father James almost killed his mother and grandfather. Pl. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13. He was driving and stopped by a friends house to say hi. My mother forgave my father He came back into my life and made amends for a lot of things by helping to guide me with my music career early on, and kinda helping me in that area (sic). The unraveling of LL Cool J's hidden family history also uncovered a rough parallel to the violence he witnessed as a child, when his grandfather and mother were wounded in a shooting involving . He has also appeared in several films. As a result LL fired James and hired a new manager. Two-year-old shoots parents after finding gun on nightstand - Yahoo News It was like the scene in `Glory when Denzel Washington was getting beat down like a slave, except I was like 8 years old. [8], In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. LL Cool J has an enviable relationship with his wife, Simone Smith, and they share four kids. [57] LL hosted the Grammy Awards Show for five consecutive years, from the 54th Grammy Awards on February 12, 2012, through the 58th Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016. A new cover was unveiled at the same time. In 1990, LL released Mama Said Knock You Out, his fourth studio album. LL Cool J learns family secret in 'Finding Your Roots' published in 2002. The last LL COOL J album, Authentic, was released in 2013, five years after his last Def Jam album, Exit 13. The hip-hop Icon LL Cool J opened up about his rough childhood and the abusive nature of his stepdad and his biological father who he claimed shot his mother when he was just a child.
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