LL Cool J
Acting
James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (acronym for Ladies Love Cool James), 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.
TV Shows(72)
Hip Hop Was Born Here
Self - Host
2025
Fat Joe Talks
Self - Guest
2024
James Brown: Say It Loud
Self
2024
Hip Hop Treasures
Self
2023
Superfan
Self
2023
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
Self
2023
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Supreme Team
Self
2022
Payback
Self - Funeral Attendee (archive footage)
2022
They Call Me Magic
Self
2022
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
Sam Hanna
2021
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest
2019
Shut Up and Dribble
Self - Musician
2018
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Self
2016
Greatest Hits
2016
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self
2016
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015
Lip Sync Battle
Host
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self
2015
Hot Ones
Self
2015
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Finding Your Roots
Self
2012
Conan
Self - Guest``````
2010
Hawaii Five-0
Sam Hanna
2010
WWII in HD
Shelby Westbrook (voice)
2009
NCIS: Los Angeles
Sam Hanna
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
30 Rock
Ridikolus
2006
Rachael Ray
2006
The Tyra Banks Show
Self
2005
So You Think You Can Dance
2005
American Dad!
Sam Hanna (voice)
2005
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge
2004
House
Clarence
2004
The Tony Danza Show
Self
2004
Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
2003
NCIS
Sam Hanna
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge
2002
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self
2002
106 & Park
2000
The Early Show
Self
1999
Teen Choice Awards
Self
1999
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Self
1999
The View
Self
1997
Oz
Jiggy Walker
1997
The Chris Rock Show
Self
1997
Clive Anderson All Talk
Self
1996
The Daily Show
Self
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self
1996
MADtv
Self - Host
1995
The Frank Skinner Show
Self
1995
In the House
Marion Hill
1995
MTV Europe Music Awards
Self - Presenter
1994
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
Mr. Throneberry
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1993
MTV Unplugged
Self
1989
Yo! MTV Raps
Self
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Kids' Choice Awards
Self - Co-Host
1987
MTV Video Music Awards
Self - Host
1984
Entertainment Tonight
Self
1981
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
People's Choice Awards
Self - Presenter
1975
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self - Performer (Times Square)
1972
The Grammys
Self
1959
Today
Self
1952
NCIS: New York
Sam Hanna
Movies(64)
Quincy Jones | Music Man
Self (archive footage)
2025
Stans
Self
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
2025
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
2025
Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular
Self
2024
A Hip Hop Minute
Self
2024
NCISverse: The First 1,000
Self
2024
Comin' Up Short
Self
2024
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Self
2023
2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2023
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2022
You're Watching Video Music Box
Self (archive footage)
2021
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
Self - Hip-Hop Artist (archive footage)
2021
Ricky Powell: The Individualist
Self
2020
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America
Self - Musician and Actor
2019
A Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary
Self - Host
2018
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
2018
MVP: Most Valuable Performer
2018
Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert
Self
2015
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute
Self
2015
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles
Self - Host
2014
Grudge Match
Frankie Brite
2013
Mayweather
Narrator
2013
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
2012
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
Self
2012
Sesame Street: Singing with the Stars
Self
2012
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Self
2009
DJ Cinema Presents: Masterpiece Theater Blend Dvd
Self (archive footage)
2009
The Deal
Bobby Mason
2008
The Man
Manny Baxter
2007
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
2007
Last Holiday
Sean Matthews
2006
Slow Burn
Luther Pinks
2005
Edison
Deed
2005
Mindhunters
Gabe Jensen
2004
S.W.A.T.
Deacon 'Deke' Kaye
2003
Beef
Self (archive footage)
2003
Deliver Us from Eva
Ray Adams
2003
Rollerball
Marcus Ridley
2002
It's Black Entertainment
Self (archive footage)
2002
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Kingdom Come
Ray Bud Slocumb
2001
Charlie's Angels
Mr. Jones
2000
Any Given Sunday
Julian Washington
1999
Rapmania: The Roots of Rap
1999
In Too Deep
Dwayne Gittens / God
1999
Deep Blue Sea
Preacher
1999
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Ronald 'Ronny' Jones
1998
Woo
Darryl
1998
Caught Up
Roger
1998
B.A.P.S
LL Cool J
1997
Touch
LL Cool J
1997
The Right to Remain Silent
Charles Red Taylor
1996
The Show
Self
1995
Out-of-Sync
Jason St. Julian
1995
Toys
Patrick Zevo
1992
Simply Mad About the Mouse
Self
1991
The Hard Way
Billy
1991
Future Of The Funk
Self
1991
Big Fun in the Big Town
Self
1986
Wildcats
Rapper
1986
Krush Groove
LL Cool J
1985
LL Cool J Presents The Rock the Bells Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
Self