James Todd Smith (better known as LL Cool J, an acronym for Ladies Love Cool James; born January 14, 1968) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC. Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, his breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). 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). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells", and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as R&B hits such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. While he 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 continued to work in movies from then until 1995 when he landed his own television sitcom, In the House (1995-2000). He has appeared in numerous films, including Last Holiday, Edison, Mindhunters, S.W.A.T., Deliver Us from Eva, Rollerball, Charlie's Angels, In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, Halloween H20, B.A.P.S., Toys, and The Hard Way. In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the FOX medical drama House. He also guest starred on 30 Rock in 2007, and on Sesame Street 's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous” and performed "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008). As of 2011, he stars as Special Agent Sam Hanna on CBS's police procedural NCIS: L.A., a spin-off of NCIS. He was also the host of MTV's Lip Sync Battle. LL 쿨 J(1968년생, Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, USA) 는 배우로, 대표작으로 딥 블루 씨, S.W.A.T. 특수기동대, 애니 기븐 선데이가 있으며, 그 외에도 NCIS, 지미 팰런의 투나잇 쇼, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, 아메리칸 대드!, 하우스, 레이트 나이트 위드 세스 마이어스, 데일리 쇼, The Kelly Clarkson Show, 하와이 파이브 오, Late Show with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, NCIS: 로스앤젤레스 등 다양한 작품에 출연했다. 특히 2026년에는 NCIS: New York에도 참여해서 활동중이다. (오뜨랑에서 실시간으로 번역된 한글 프로필도 확인할 수 있어요) 2026년 NCIS: New York에서 Sam Hanna 역을 맡았다. 2026년 NCIS: New York 제작에 참여했다. 2025년 Quincy Jones, Music Man에 출연했다.