The famous American rapper LL COOL J, real name is James Todd Smith. Born January 14, 1968 in New York. He is considered one of the world's first representatives of the hip-hop musical style.
The nickname is a shortened version of the phrase "Ladies love tough James".
Childhood and youth of James Todd Smith
When the boy was 4 years old, his parents separated, leaving the child to be raised by his grandparents. James became interested in rap at the age of 9.
When he was 11 years old, he became the leader of a team of peers who were fond of the same. At the age of 13, James was recording demos at home on cool equipment donated by his grandfather. Grandfather supported his beloved grandson in everything.
The teenager did not limit himself to this and sent his recordings to rare companies involved in the "promotion" of novice musicians. The young 15-year-old rapper was not given much attention and received only one response. It was not a famous label, but Def Jan Records, which had just started its activity and became famous.
And the first album of James Radio was a debut not only for the artist, but also for the label. The single I Need a Beat immediately gained popularity. The young employees of the firm had an excellent instinct for young talents, and James was not mistaken.
Lightning success LL COOL J
The first disc sold out excellently and immediately entered the list of classic hip-hop compositions. It was discussed by music critics, calling it the most original album in this genre.
There was no competition between rappers in the 1980s - the public perceived any novelty as a phenomenon.
The singer went on a world tour in the company of other musicians, having previously acted in films. His composition I Can't Live Without My Radio became the soundtrack.
The second disc LL COOL J Bigger and Deffer was released in 1987. During this time, the "West Coast Rap Gang" was formed. From it stood out the trio LA Posse, which produced the new album by James.
The disc immediately gained mega-popularity and was awarded platinum. The hits I'm Bad and A Need Love have been in the top 5 chart leaders for a long time.
After such success, the media "exploded", attention to the artist was significant. He even made it to the top 10 sexiest celebrities. This was followed by an 80-day US tour. LL COOL J became an idol and inspiration for many aspiring musicians who chose rap for themselves.
Celebrities of the music world offered him cooperation. For example, the first lady of America, Nancy Reagan, made the artist the face of her anti-drug fund.
Late 1980s and early 1990s Ll Cool Jay
In 1989, without changing the musical style, the singer released the album Walking with a Panther. The theme of infringement of the rights of blacks was combined with the romanticism of rapper ballads. In the same year, the rapper gave a number of charity performances in Africa.
The next year was marked by working with DJ Marley Marl in his recording studio. The result was the album Mama Said Knock You Out. The collection included four hit-parade tracks, almost all of which took leading positions.
In 1991, the singer tried his hand as a film actor, starring in the film The Hard Way. A year later - in the movie Toys. LL COOL J chose MTV to broadcast the first rap concert.
Ll Cool Jay activities in support of youth
The musician also led social activities, for example, he participated in a program to return stray teenagers to school. He also advertised reading books among young people and popularized libraries.
These promotions were successful. Then James became the initiator of the formation of a youth association, which called on teenagers who aspired to knowledge in sports to join their ranks.
Experiments and return to the roots LL COOL J
The album 14 Shots to the Dome (1993) became experimental. The singer, unexpectedly for fans, was carried away by the “gangsta” trend. Although he could afford to experiment, being a "rap shark", this disc did not become famous.
When creating the fifth album in 1995, the musician decided that it was time to finish with innovations. And Mr. Smith immediately received "platinum" and repeatedly.
A lot of James starred in films and advertising projects. Then he decided to tie the knot with a former classmate. In the next four years, nothing new appeared, except for a collection of the most popular hits. But in 1997, the artist made the “fans” happy with the Phenomenon disc, for the recording of which he invited hip-hop celebrities. Soon, James received an award from the MTV channel, which highly appreciated his video clips. He then wrote the autobiographical book I Make My Own Rules.
Musical creativity also continued. 2000 saw the release of the album GOAT Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest Off All Time. The collection came out sharply emotional and bright. He showed that LL COOL J is successful despite the emergence of a significant number of young artists.
Ll cool jay today
In 2002, a new album "10" was released. The disc did not become something outstanding, but it was no worse than previous works. In 2004, James recorded The Definition, which solidified his star position in the rapper's sky. The next two discs were released in 2006 and 2008.
