LL Cool J | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Highest Rated: 75% The Hard Way (1991)

Lowest Rated: 0% Caught Up (1998)

Birthday: Jan 14, 1968

Birthplace: Bay Shore, New York, USA

A true hip-hop original, LL Cool J did as much as anybody to bring rap to the mainstream in the '80s. He was born James Todd Smith in the Bay Shore section of Long Island in New York on January 14, 1968. His early life was horrific - his father shot both LL's mother and grandfather, and the young LL was the victim of child abuse. He found solace in rapping while still an adolescent, and by the time he was 16 he had gotten himself a record deal with Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons' then-new Def Jam label. Rechristened LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), he released his debut single, "I Need a Beat," in 1984. The record's sales figures helped to put both LL and the label on the map. As successful as the song was, it hadn't charted, but LL's next two singles, "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" became bona fide hits, and his 1985 debut LP, Radio, crossed over to the pop charts and went Platinum, making him one of hip hop's first real stars. His next album, 1987's Bigger and Deffer blew up even bigger, hitting No. 1 R&B and No. 3 Pop and including the hit "I Need Love," a gentle love song that expanded people's conception of rap's possibilities. The 1989 album Walking With a Panther was similarly successful, but it was 1990's Mama Said Knock You Out that really carved LL's face into hip hop's Mt. Rushmore, becoming the biggest album of his career and birthing the Gold singles "Around the Way Girl" and the title track. In the early '90s, LL inaugurated his acting sideline, which would prove as long lasting as his musical career. During this period he appeared in such films as Barrry Levinson's "Toys" (1993) and "The Hard Way," and in 1995 he began a five-season run as the star of the TV sitcom "In the House" (WB 1995-2000). Later, he starred in the procedural drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS 2009- ). Throughout his life, LL would continue to rack up hip-hop "firsts," from being the first hip-hop artist to appear on American Bandstand to becoming the first rapper honored at the Kennedy Center, the latter distinction arriving in 2017.

Highest rated movies

75% 53% The Hard Way 68% 45% Charlie's Angels 60% 39% Deep Blue Sea 56% 49% Halloween H20: 20 Years Later 55% 67% Last Holiday 52% 73% Any Given Sunday 48% 52% S.W.A.T. 43% 76% Deliver Us From Eva

Photos

View All LL Cool J photos

LL Cool J

LL Cool J at arrivals for CBS, The CW and Showtime Summer 2011 TCA Tour, 9900 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA July 29, 2012. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection LL Cool J at arrivals for NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 34th Annual Paleyfest Los Angeles, The Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center, Los Angeles, CA March 21, 2017. Photo By: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection LL Cool J at arrivals for NCIS: LOS ANGELES at 34th Annual Paleyfest Los Angeles, The Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center, Los Angeles, CA March 21, 2017. Photo By: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection Simone Johnson, LL Cool J at arrivals for The 55th Annual Grammy Awards - ARRIVALS Pt 2, STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA February 10, 2013. Photo By: Jef Hernandez/Everett Collection LL Cool J at arrivals for 47th Annual Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards - ARRIVALS 2, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV April 1, 2012. Photo By: James Atoa/Everett Collection LL Cool J. at arrivals for The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards - ARRIVALS, The Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA February 12, 2012. Photo By: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection LL Cool J. at arrivals for The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards - ARRIVALS, The Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA February 12, 2012. Photo By: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection NCIS: Los Angeles, LL Cool J, 09/22/2009, ©CBS NCIS: Los Angeles, Chris O'Donnell (L), LL Cool J (R), 09/22/2009, ©CBS View more photos

Filmography

Movies

Credit
31% 46% Grudge Match Frankie Brite (Character) $29.8M 2013
No Score Yet 27% The Deal Bobby Mason (Character) - 2008
55% 67% Last Holiday Sean Matthews (Character) $38.4M 2006
9% 54% Slow Burn Luther Pinks (Character) $1.2M 2005
11% 36% Edison Deed (Character) - 2005
24% 57% Mindhunters Gabe Jensen (as James Todd Smith aka LL Cool J) (Character) $4.5M 2004
48% 52% S.W.A.T. Deacon 'Deke' Kaye (Character) $116.6M 2003
43% 76% Deliver Us From Eva Ray (Character) $17.3M 2003
3% 14% Rollerball Marcus Ridley (Character) $19.0M 2002
27% 72% Kingdom Come Ray Bud Slocumb (Character) $23.2M 2001
68% 45% Charlie's Angels Mr. Jones (Character) $125.3M 2000
52% 73% Any Given Sunday Julian Washington (Character) $75.5M 1999
39% 75% In Too Deep Dwayne Gittens/God (Character) $14.0M 1999
60% 39% Deep Blue Sea Sherman "Preacher" Dudley (Character) $73.6M 1999
56% 49% Halloween H20: 20 Years Later Ronald "Ronny" Jones (Character) $55.0M 1998
10% 62% Woo Darryl (Character) $8.1M 1998
0% 54% Caught Up Roger (Character) $6.7M 1998
No Score Yet 80% Playa' Pack Unknown (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Right to Remain Silent Charles Red Taylor (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of Sync Jason St. Julian (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hip Hop Time Capsule - 1993 Unknown (Character) - 1993
29% 39% Toys Captain Patrick Zevo (Character) $21.3M 1992
75% 53% The Hard Way Detective Billy (Character) $24.5M 1991
26% 50% Wildcats Rapper (Character) $23.6M 1986

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Behind the Music Self 2021-2022 2024
No Score Yet 72% NCIS: Hawai'i Sam Hanna (Guest Star) 2023-2024
No Score Yet 100% Hip Hop Treasures Self 2023
No Score Yet 88% Superfan Guest 2023
No Score Yet 63% NCIS: Los Angeles Sam Hanna (Character) 2009-2023
No Score Yet 83% NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna (Guest Star) 2009 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jennifer Hudson Show Guest 2022
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Supreme Team Self 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Come Dance With Me Executive Producer 2022
No Score Yet 62% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2020-2021
No Score Yet 41% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2012 2014-2015 2017-2019 2021
No Score Yet 49% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2017 2019-2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2010-2017 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Guest 2020
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Guest 2015 2020
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2019
100% No Score Yet AMC Visionaries: Rap Yearbook Unknown (Character) 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lip Sync Battle Host 2015-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2011-2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet The $100,000 Pyramid Guest 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2007-2009 2011 2015 2017
No Score Yet 91% American Dad! Sam Hanna (Guest Voice) 2017
No Score Yet 19% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2015-2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Greatest Hits Music Performer 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Finding Your Roots Guest 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The GRAMMYs Host 2012-2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet FABLife Guest 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Guest 2015
No Score Yet 100% The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson Guest 2013-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Music Performer,
Guest
2010-2011 2013
No Score Yet 69% Hawaii Five-0 Unknown (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2010-2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lopez Tonight Guest 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet WWII Lost Films Unknown (Character) 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bonnie Hunt Show Guest 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Conan O'Brien Guest 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sesame Street Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
78% 92% 30 Rock Ridikolus (Guest Star) 2007
90% 96% House Clarence (Guest Star) 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet In the House Marion Hill (Character) 1995-1999
93% 95% Oz Jiggy Walker (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet MADtv Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet 62% Saturday Night Live Music Performer 1987
LL Cool J | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)
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