LL Cool J

Capable of being both a cherished hip-hop/rap artist and a fine Hollywood actor, LL Cool J has indeed scored such a rare achievement in American entertainment industry that only few other stars could follow. Throughout his long career, he has fulfilled the hard task to flourish both professions in an excellent way, creating tunes which frequently became massive hits while at the same time taking parts in well-known movies that have really played important parts in enhancing his reputation in show business. The fact that he once experienced dark period in his younger years fortunately did not make him fall into a negative way of life, instead evoked him to materialize his dream to be what he has become of later.

Born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968 in St. Albans, Queens, New York as the only child of James and Ondrea Smith, little LL was never known how it felt to have a happy childhood for he had already been forced to endure some hardship during his early life. Since toddler, he had lived in awful situation due to the violence that often occurred in his parents' relationship which later shockingly resulted in his father's ruthless shot toward his mother and grandfather by the year 1972. Things got worse after survived Ondrea began dating a young physical therapist named Roscoe whom she met while being treated in the hospital for it turned out that this man frequently abused LL mentally and physically while the mother left home to work.