LL Cool J (James Todd Smith III)
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LL Cool J (Born James Todd Smith III) was born on January 14th, 1968 in the working class St. Albans neighborhood of Queens in NYC. He was raised as an only child by his parents, James SMith, Jr. and Ondrea Smith. As a child LL Cool J was in the church choir, a member of the Boy Scouts, and had a job as a paperboy. LL Cool J’s child hood was was plagued by his parents violent and dysfunctional relationship. When LL was 4 years old, his mother left his father and took him to live with her parents in St. Albans. In 1972, LL’s father sought revenge against the family he felt had abandoned him. LL’s father shot his mother as she was returning home from work late, she was hit in the legs and back as she ran into the house, her father was also shot in the stomach. Both LL’s mother and his grandmother survived the shooting.
LL’s childhood troubles did not end there, when his mother started dating a man named Roscoe, LL would routinely be beaten when his mother was away at work. LL began wearing hats all the time to hide the bruises and lumps that resulted from the beatings. LL used rap music as an escape for the troubles he had experienced in his life. Inspired by his musical family including his grandfather who played tenor saxophone, his mother who played accordion, and his grandmother who sang with a choir; LL began rapping at age 11 and by the age of 12 he completed his first studio recording. To date LL Cool J has dropped 12 albums and will soon drop his last and final album with Def Jam Records, “Exit 13″. LL Cool J has appeared in several blockbuster movies and is one of the few Rappers to successfully enter the movie business. He has managed to maintain his successful recording career for more than twenty years. |
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