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blackkudos · 4 years

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Ledisi

Ledisi Anibade Young (born March 28, 1972), better known simply as Ledisi, is an American R&B and jazz recording artist, songwriter, and actress. Her first name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. In 1995, Ledisi formed the group Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get the group signed to a major label, she formed LeSun Records with Sundra Manning. Anibade and Ledisi released an album entitled "Soulsinger" (black and white cover on the LeSun Music independent label) featuring the song Take Time, which gained substantial airplay from San Francisco area radio stations. A twelve-time Grammy Award nominee, Ledisi has released eight studio albums between 2000 and 2017.

In 2000, Ledisi re-released her first major label signed album, titled Soulsinger: The Revival. Ledisi and her group toured in 2001. In 2002, Ledisi released her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue. The album won an award for "Outstanding Jazz Album" at the California Music Awards.

In 2005, Ledisi signed a record deal with Verve Forecast and released her third album, titled Lost & Found, on August 28, 2007; it sold almost 217,000 copies and earned her two Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. In 2008, Ledisi released her Christmas album, It's Christmas.

In 2009, Ledisi released her fourth album Turn Me Loose, which earned her two Grammy nominations, followed by her fifth album Pieces of Me (2011) which debuted on the US Billboard 200 album chart at number eight, becoming the first top-ten album of her career and her highest-charting album to date. It also garnered three Grammy nominations at the 54th Grammy Awards including for Best R&B Album. In 2013, she received a nomination for Best R&B Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards for her collaboration with fellow R&B and jazz musician Robert Glasper for the album cut "Gonna Be Alright" from his fifth album Black Radio (2012). In 2014, she released her sixth album The Truth to critical acclaim and moderate sales. She portrayed legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in the 2014 Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic, Selma.

Early life

Ledisi was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She grew up in a musical family; her mother, Nyra Dynese, sang in a Louisiana R&B band and her stepfather, Joseph Pierce III, (deceased) was a drummer in the New Orleans area. Her biological father is soul singer Larry Sanders, the son of blues singer Johnny Ace. He left the family when she was a baby and they did not meet again for nearly three decades.

Ledisi first began performing publicly at age eight with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Ledisi moved to Oakland, California, where she attended McChesney Junior High School, now Edna Brewer Middle School. She was shy about her singing abilities and would sing only upon request when students in her gym class would implore her to sing Deniece Williams's version of Black Butterfly, bringing the entire locker room audience under the spell of her very mature, melodious voice. As she sang more publicly her music career blossomed. She was nominated for a Shellie award in 1990 for her performance in a production of The Wiz and performed in an extended run with the San Francisco cabaret troupe, Beach Blanket Babylon. She studied opera and piano for five years at University of California Berkeley in their Young Musicians Program.

Musical career

1995–1999: Career beginnings

In the 1990s, Ledisi formed a group called Anibade, alongside Sundra Manning (producer, keyboards, songwriting), Phoenix (LaGerald) Normand (background vocals, songwriting), Cedrickke Dennis (guitar), Nelson Braxton (bass), Wayne Braxton (sax), and Rob Rhodes (drums), playing a jazz and hip-hop influenced kind of soul. The group won acclaim in the San Francisco Bay Area with a cult-like following of die-hard fans who referred to themselves as "Ledites" and meet her with love at every event, singing along verbatim to songs that though unrecorded at the time, were well known by their fans. The group later recorded a demo of one of the songs from their set, entitled, "Take Time" which was played on local stations and requested non-stop. Ledisi tried to get the group signed to a major label, but had no luck. Ledisi also performed often with jazz saxophonist Robert Stewart throughout the early 1990s in San Francisco.

2000–2003: Soulsinger: The Revival and Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue

In January 2000, Ledisi released her first album, Soulsinger: The Revival, independently on her label, LeSun Records. The album spun off four singles, "Soulsinger", "Take Time", "Get Outta My Kitchen", and "Good Lovin'". After the release of Soulsinger: The Revival, Ledisi toured with her group Anibade.

In 2002, Ledisi released her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue, which was also released independently. The album featured the singles "Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue" and "Autumn Leaves". During this time she also recorded commercials for the Sci Fi Channel. In 2003, Ledisi won "Outstanding Jazz Album" for Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue at the California Music Awards.

2006–2008: Lost & Found

During her five-year hiatus, Ledisi made appearances on soundtracks. In 2007, she signed with Verve and released "Blues in the Night" which featured on the tribute album, We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song.

In August 2007, Ledisi's third album, Lost & Found, was released. During her hiatus, Ledisi stated that she was unsure of wanting to stay in the music industry. In response, Ledisi wrote the song "Alright" to express her life. "Alright" became the lead single and debuted at #45 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart. The album's second single, "In The Morning", debuted at #49 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart. Other songs from the album charted but were not released as singles. "Think of You" charted at #71 on the Hot R&B charts, "Joy" charted at #103 on the Hot R&B charts and #29 on the Adult R&B Airplay.

In December 2007, the album earned her two Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. In 2008, Ledisi continued her tour to promote the album, Lost & Found. By January 2009, the album had sold 216,894 copies.

In September 2008, Ledisi released her Christmas album, It's Christmas, which featured the singles "This Christmas" and "Children Go Where I Send Thee". In December 2008, Ledisi's T.V. special aired on Gospel Channel, titled "Ledisi Christmas". Ledisi performed a few songs from her Christmas album. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Give Love On Christmas Day" charted on the Hot R&B charts at #113.

In 2008 Ledisi performed the song "The Man I Love" as a blues singer in the Leatherheads movie.

2009–2010: Turn Me Loose

In 2009, Ledisi's fourth studio album was announced as Turn Me Loose. The album was released on August 18, 2009. Speaking in April 2010 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis – Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & Soul – Ledisi explained the album's title reflected its musical diversity: "The title 'Turn Me Loose' is basically me saying 'I don't wanna be boxed in! Let me be myself as a performer and singer, because I do EVERYTHING! Not just one particular style!'." She employed production from seasoned R&B songwriter-producers such as Raphael Saadiq, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, James "Big Jim" Wright, and Carvin & Ivan. The first single from the album was "Goin' Thru Changes". The second single was "Higher Than This", produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and James "Big Jim" Wright.

On May 13, 2010, Ledisi performed at Charter Oak Cultural Center's 9th Annual Gala, a fundraiser for free after-school youth arts programming in inner-city Hartford. She performed several songs from Turn Me Loose, and also performed a duet with Anika Noni Rose, a tribute to the late Lena Horne.

2011–2012: Pieces of Me

Ledisi toured with R&B/soul singer Kem on his North American INTIMACY Tour. On March 10, 2011, during her opening act in Atlanta, Georgia, Ledisi announced that she had finished recording her fifth studio album, Pieces of Me, on March 9, 2011. It was released on June 14, 2011. It debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 38,000 copies in its first week. The album's title track served as the album's lead single.

Ledisi has performed at the White House seven times at the request of President and First Lady Obama.

Ledisi headlined her first tour to promote her album, Pieces of Me. The Pieces of Me Tour played to 22 sold out shows across North America. With this album, she received three nominations for the 2012 Grammy Awards, in the categories Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song, for the album and the lead single "Pieces of Me".

Ledisi released her first book, Better Than Alright: Finding Peace, Love & Power on Time Home Entertainment, Inc. in 2012. The book, an innovative collaboration with ESSENCE, is filled with the singer's personal photos, quotes, lyrics, and richly detailed stories of her journey to acceptance of her beauty, talent, and power.

On April 6, 2012, Ledisi announced her second headlining tour, B.G.T.Y., with Eric Benet serving as an opening act. In December 2012, VH1 announced that Ledisi would perform at their 2012 VH1 Divas show, a concert benefiting the Save The Music Foundation charity. Ledisi performed a Whitney Houston tribute medley with Jordin Sparks and Melanie Fiona.

2014–2016: The Truth

On March 2014, Ledisi released her new album The Truth. She is also on tour with Robert Glasper in partnership with the magazine "Essence" (which featured her on one of their three April covers as well as Erykah Badu and Solange Knowles).

In April 2014, Ledisi was cast to play Mahalia Jackson in the American historical drama film, Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb and DuVernay. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and Martin Luther King, Jr. In the film and on the official film soundtrack, Ledisi sings "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Initially slated to perform at the 57th Grammy Awards as part of a tribute to the Selma March alongside Common and John Legend (who performed their Oscar-winning duet "Glory") she was ultimately snubbed by the Recording Academy and recording artist Beyoncé, who performed in her place. Ledisi's snubbing and Beyoncé's performance received mixed reaction from social media. In 2015, she received her ninth Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance for the single "Like This" off of her seventh album The Truth. She lost to Beyoncé and Jay Z for "Drunk in Love".

2017–present: Let Love Rule

In May 2017, Ledisi released a single titled "High" produced by Darhyl "Hey DJ" Camper and Rex Rideout. Her eighth studio album called Let Love Rule was released on September 22, 2017. In November 2017, she received three more nominations at the 60th Grammy Awards in January 2018 including Best R&B Album, Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance. Ledisi won a Soul Train Award 'Soul Certified Award' for the album.

Ledisi helped the BET Awards pay tribute to Anita Baker, the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient of the night on June 24, with a rendition of the singer's 1986 ode "Sweet Love".

Ledisi was then a part of the Aretha Franklin Tribute that was put together by the annual award ceremony known as Black Girls Rock. Ledisi delivered a rendition of the hit "Ain't No Way".

In October 2018, Ledisi performed with Adam Lambert in an NBC broadcast, A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway, before a live studio audience at the Marquis Theatre in New York, singing "As Long as You're Mine" from Wicked.

Discography

Studio albums

Soulsinger: The Revival (2000)

Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue (2002)

Lost & Found (2007)

Turn Me Loose (2009)

Pieces of Me (2011)

The Truth (2014)

Let Love Rule (2017)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Ledisi has been nominated for twelve career Grammy Awards.

BET Awards

BETJ Virtual Awards

California Music Awards

Soul Train Music Awards

2008, BET J Cool Like Dat Award (Nominated)

2008, Female Artist of the Year (Nominated)

2003, Outstanding Jazz Album, Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue (Won)

2011, Centric Award (nominated)

2009, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist (nominated)

2014, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist (Nominated)

2017 Best R&B/Soul Female Artist (Nominated)

2017 Soul Certified Award (won)

2018 Soul Certified Award (won)

NAACP AWARDS

2012 Best Female Artist (Nominated)

2015 Best Female Artist (Nominated)

2018 Best Female Artist (Nominated)

2018 Best Traditional song - High (Nominated)

2018 Best Visual - High (Nominated)

Honors/Special Awards

2016, NAACP Awards Theatre - Spirit Award Honoree

2016, America For The Arts - Music Honoree

Tours

Pieces of Me Tour (2011)

B.G.T.Y. Tour (2012)

The Truth Tour (2014)

The Intimate Truth Tour (2015)

The Rebel The Soul The Saint Tour (2017)

Let Love Rule Tour (2018)

Ledisi Live UK Tour (2019)

Filmography

2008: Leatherheads (as the Blues Singer)

2011: Leave It on the Floor (as Princess' Mother)

2014: Selma (as Mahalia Jackson)

2016: The Tale Of Four (Short Film) (as Aunt Sara)

2020: American Soul (as Patti LaBelle) (season 2, upcoming)

#03/28

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benthemusicalbeard · 5 years

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30 Jan 2019

Evening all! I hope you are well reader. I have some tremendous tunes for you to trial this week. Something to keep you busy during the inevitable shut down this country will experience as soon as that first snowflake hits the ground! Let’s get started!

First this week and a very talented jazz musician from Auckland, NZ by the name of Nathan Haines. I stumbled across the song I’m sharing by chance after trying to find a song by Steely Dan of the same name, only to find I enjoyed the Haines version better. Now as I’ve stated in previous posts I often prefer the original over any cover but Haines’ cover of the Steely Dan track is smoother to listen to and in keeping with his musical style. It features 2-D from the Gorillaz (Damon Albarn to you and I) on vocals. By my reckoning Haines has released 12 albums to date with his first coming way back in 1994. The early discography is very much what you would call ‘proper jazz’ and his talents as a flutist and saxophonist are there to see (or hear.....you know what I mean). Take or leave the earlier albums but more recent albums have contained covers of already fairly funky jazz-style songs as well as some outstanding material of his own creating. Having had a quick play with his back catalogue I enjoy the more recent material more with many of the tracks off the latest two or three albums containing songs that would not be out of place on an old Jamiroquai album! My favourite is the 2010 album ‘Heaven And Earth’ with his 2009 collaboration album ‘Right Now’ a close second but give him a listen. I can recommend his material as excellent background music, I’ve had it on most of the week at home!

Nathan Haines - FM - https://youtu.be/gJb7yKn1Mt4

Second up this week and a band with a well deserved reputation for some of the greatest music videos in existence. Originally from Chicago the group are called OK Go. Some of you may be familiar with a number of their songs but the videos for the songs are often more popular than the song itself! Their video for ‘Here It Goes Again’ won the Best Music video at the 2007 Grammy Awards and most of their videos are one shot, basically done in one take. However, their music should not be overlooked. Four albums have been released by the band since their self titled 2002 debut and even though their songs have never charted too highly they have a huge following and an even larger appreciation through the success of their music videos. Their style has been described as ‘pop rock’ and even ‘power pop’ which sums them up pretty well. The first song of theirs I heard was their first ever single, the 2002 song ‘Get Over It’ which was on a mixed CD my mate had in his car. Whilst at Uni I brought the album on the strength of that song and have been a fan of theirs ever since. Their songs make me smile with their quirkiness and upon hearing a song of theirs my mind can’t even begin to imagine what the music video would look like! Aside from the song I’m sharing which is my favourite of their songs, check out the songs/videos for ‘I Won’t Let You Down’, ‘This Too Shall Pass’ and be prepared for ‘The Writings On The Wall’. The video for the song I’m posting is a very clever stop/go animation creation and watch out for a cheeky cameo from a friendly goose as the band members navigate their way around Echo Park in Los Angeles.

OK Go - End Love - https://youtu.be/V2fpgpanZAw

Finally this week and the soundtrack to my latter comprehensive school and college days. Now I was never a ‘rocker’, the first albums I purchased were not even close to rock. In fact the first album I ever bought was ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’ by Fatboy Slim during the house music craze of the mid 90′s. However when entering the tricky world of Year 10 & 11 at school, those pesky GCSE days, I was introduced to the band Incubus by many of my friends at the time and they quickly became a firm favourite of mine. Even to this day, with their later releases, name me an album and I can tell you where I was, what time of my life I was in and what I should or shouldn’t have been doing at the time! The band are from California and formed in 1991. Having gone through a few personnel changes, namely the bass player and resident band turntabler, they have released eight albums to date. From the early albums of funk style rock and metal to the more recent albums with a more alternative/soft rock feel it is too hard for me to name a favourite album of theirs because they all mean something to me as they all have the wonderful trick of taking me back to the friends and the memories of that time. If you are not familiar with their work then from consecutive albums I recommend ‘A Certain Shade Of Green’, ‘Pardon Me’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’ to get a feel for their style and evolution in musical styles. Tough call on a song to share but as this song was the one that I heard and felt I should include in the blog I will share it! From the 1997 album ‘S.C.I.E.N.C.E’....

Incubus - Glass - https://youtu.be/mAT92O09vrY

There we have it, posting complete. Getting increasingly harder to choose what to post as with this blog now in full swing I have to listen to more music which throws up more stuff I want to share. First world problems......I can’t decide what to share on my blog! The issues of the modern world, but I carry on because I’m an absolute warrior. I wonder who they’ll get to play me in the film?!

#nathan haines #okgo #ok go #incubus #music #songs #playist #new music #new songs #spotify #steely dan

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paulodebargelove · 7 years

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Happy Birthday to James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love CoolJames), is an American rapper, actor, author, and entrepreneur from Queens, New York. He is known for such hip hop hits as “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”, “I’m Bad”, “The Boomin’ System”, “Rock The Bells” and “Mama Said Knock You Out”, as well as romantic ballads such as “Doin’ It”, “I Need Love”, “Around the Way Girl” and “Hey Lover”.

LL Cool J is also known as one of the forefathers of pop rap. He has released 13 studio albums and two greatest hits compilations. His twelfth album Exit 13 (2008), was his last for his long-tenured deal with Def Jam Recordings. His latest album, Authentic, was released in April 2013. In 2010, VH1 considered him to be in their “100 Greatest Artists Of All Time” list.

LL Cool J has also appeared in numerous films, including In Too Deep, Any Given Sunday, S.W.A.T., Mindhunters, and Edison. He currently stars in an action role as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. LL Cool J is also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Spike.

Early life

LL Cool J was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffeth (born January 19, 1946) and James Louis Smith, Jr. In an episode of Finding Your Roots, LL learned his mother was adopted by Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower. The series’ genetic genealogist CeCe Moore identified LL’s biological grandparents as Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis through analysis of his DNA. LL’s biological great-uncle was hall of fame boxer, John Henry Lewis.

He began rapping at age 9 and was influenced by hip-hop group The Treacherous Three. In March 1984, when NYU student Rick Rubin and promoter-manager Russell Simmons founded the then-independent Def Jam label, 16-year-old Hollis, Queens-native James Todd Smith was creating demo tapes in his grandparents’ home. His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him $2,000 worth of equipment, including two turntables, an audio mixer and an amplifier. Smith later discussed his childhood background and rapping, stating that “By the time I got that equipment, I was already a rapper. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. It’s like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all-Spanish house. I got into it when I was about 9, and since then all I wanted was to make a record and hear it on the radio.” By using the mixer he had received from his grandfather, Smith produced and mixed his own demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City, including Simmons’ and Rubin’s own Def Jam Recordings.

In a VH1 documentary (Planet Rock: the Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation), LL Cool J, at 14 years of age, revealed that he initially wanted to call himself J-Ski but did not want to associate his stage name with the cocaine culture (the rappers who use “Ski” or “Blow” as part of their stage name e.g., Kurtis Blow, Joeski Love were associated with the rise of the cocaine culture as depicted in the 1983 remake of Scarface).

Under his new stage name, LL Cool J (an abbreviation for Ladies Love Cool James), Smith was signed by Def Jam, which led to the release of his first official record, the 12-inch single “I Need a Beat” (1984). The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. Smith later discussed his search for a label, stating “I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home.” That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. In a later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating “They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, started playing. … As soon as it was over there were girls screaming and asking for autographs. Right then and there I said ‘This is what I want to do’.” LL’s debut single sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish both Def Jam as a label and Smith as a rapper. The commercial success of “I Need a Beat”, along with the Beastie Boys’ single “Rock Hard” (1984), helped lead Def Jam to a distribution deal with Columbia Records the following year.

Musical career

1985–1987: Radio

Radio was released to critical acclaim, both for production innovation and LL’s powerful rap. Released November 18, 1985, on Def Jam Recordings in the United States, Radio earned a significant amount of commercial success and sales for a hip hop record at the time. Shortly after its release, the album sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Radio peaked at number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 46 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It entered the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for forty-seven weeks, while also entering the Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986. Radio remained on the chart for thirty-eight weeks. By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), after earning a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986, with sales exceeding one million copies. “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells” were singles that helped the album go platinum. It eventually reached 1,500,000 in US sales.

With the breakthrough success of his hit single “I Need a Beat” and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the first hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C.. Gigs at larger venues were offered to LL as he would join the 1986-'87 Raising Hell tour, opening for Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. Another milestone of LL’s popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show, as well as an appearance on Diana Ross’ 1987 television special, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues.

The album’s success also helped in contributing to Rick Rubin’s credibility and repertoire as a record producer. Radio, along with Raising Hell (1986) and Licensed to Ill (1986), would form a trilogy of New York City-based, Rubin-helmed albums that helped to diversify hip-hop. Rubin’s production credit on the back cover reads “REDUCED BY RICK RUBIN”, referring to his minimalist production style, which gave the album its stripped-down and gritty sound. This style would serve as one of Rubin’s production trademarks and would have a great impact on future hip-hop productions. Rubin’s early hip hop production work, before his exit from Def Jam to Los Angeles, helped solidify his legacy as a hip hop pioneer and establish his reputation in the music industry.

1987–1993: Breakthrough and success

LL Cool J’s second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer, which was produced by DJ Pooh. This stands as his biggest-selling career album, having sold in excess of three million copies in the United States alone. It spent 11 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart. It also reached #3 on the Billboard’s Pop albums chart. The album featured the singles “I’m Bad”, the revolutionary “I Need Love” - LL’s first #1 R&B and Top 40 hit, “Bristol Hotel”, and “Go Cut Creator Go”. LL Cool J’s third album was 1989's Walking with a Panther. Released in 1989, the album was a commercial success, with several charting singles (“Going Back to Cali,” “I’m That Type of Guy,” “Jingling Baby,” “Big Ole Butt,” and “One Shot at Love”). The album however was often criticized by the hip-hop community as being too commercial and materialistic, and for focusing too much on love ballads. According to Billboard, the album peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 and was LL Cool J’s second #1 R&B Album where it spent four weeks.

While the previous album Bigger and Deffer, which was a big success, was produced by The L.A. Posse (at the time consisting of Dwayne Simon, Darryl Pierce and, according to himself the most important for crafting the sound of the LP, Bobby “Bobcat” Ervin), Dwayne Simon was the only one left willing to work on producing Walking with a Panther. Bobcat said he wanted more money for the album after realizing how much of a success the previous album really had become but Def Jam refused to change the contract which made him leave Cool J. According to Bobcat this is the reason that Walking with a Panther was met with very mixed reception at the time of its release.

In 1990, LL released “Mama Said Knock You Out”, his fourth studio album. The Marley Marl produced album received critical acclaim and eventually went double Platinum selling over two million copies according to the RIAA. LL won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992 for the title track.

1993–2005: Continued success and career prominence

After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. The album had three singles (“How I’m Comin’”, “Back Seat” and the strangely titled “Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings”) and guest-featured labelmates Lords of the Underground on “NFA-No Frontin’ Allowed”. The album went gold.

LL Cool J starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Smith (1995), which went on to sell over two million copies. Its singles included “Doin’ It” and “Loungin”. Another of the album’s singles, “Hey Lover”, featured Boyz II Men sampling Michael Jackson’s “The Lady in My Life,” which eventually became one of the first hip-hop music videos to air on VH1. The song also earned him a Grammy Award. Yet another single from the album, “I Shot Ya Remix”, included vocal work by Foxy Brown. In 1996, Def Jam released this “greatest hits” package, offering a good summary of Cool J’s career, from the relentless minimalism of early hits such as “Rock the Bells” to the smooth-talking braggadocio that followed. Classic albums including Bigger and Deffer and Mama Said Knock You Out are well represented here. In 1997, he released the album Phenomenon. The singles included “Phenomenon” and “Father”. The official second single from Phenomenon was “4, 3, 2, 1,” which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus.

In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T., which stood for the “greatest of all time.” It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts, and went platinum. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, “for the inspiration”. LL Cool J’s next album 10 from 2002, was his 9th studio (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles “Paradise” (featuring Amerie), “Luv U Better”, produced by Pharrell and The Neptunes and the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, “All I Have”. The album reached platinum status. LL Cool J’s 10th album The DEFinition was released on August 31, 2004. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. Production came from Timbaland, 7 Aurelius, R. Kelly, and others. The lead single was the Timbaland-produced “Headsprung”, which peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single was the 7 Aurelius–produced, “Hush”, which peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.

2006–2012: Later career and touring

LL Cool J’s 11th album, Todd Smith, was released on April 11, 2006. It includes collaborations with 112, Ginuwine, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari and Freeway. The first single was the Jermaine Dupri-produced “Control Myself” featuring Jennifer Lopez. They shot the video for “Control Myself” on January 2, 2006 at Sony Studios, New York. The second video, directed by Hype Williams, was “Freeze” featuring Lyfe Jennings.

In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam Recordings, the only label he has ever been signed to. The album is titled Exit 13. The album was originally scheduled to be executively produced by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent. Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2-year delay, it was released September 9, 2008 without 50 Cent as the executive producer. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13. LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called “The Return of the G.O.A.T.”. It was the first mixtape of his 24-year career and includes freestyling by LL Cool J in addition to other rappers giving their renditions of his songs. A track entitled “Hi Haterz” was leaked onto the internet on June 1, 2008. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over the instrumental to Maino’s “Hi Hater”. He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. It is a single and is available on iTunes. The new track is based on his experiences playing special agent Sam Hanna. “This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs,” LL Cool J said. “It represents the collective energy in the room. I was so inspired I wrote the song on set.”

In March 2011 at South by Southwest, LL Cool J was revealed to be Z-Trip’s special guest at the Red Bull Thre3Style showcase. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. The two took part in an interview with Carson Daly where they discussed their partnership. Both artists have promised future collaborations down the road, with LL Cool J calling the duo “organic” One early track to feature LL’s talents was Z-Trip’s remix of British rock act Kasabian’s single “Days Are Forgotten”, which was named by influential DJ Zane Lowe as his “Hottest Record In The World” and received a favorable reception in both Belgium and the United Kingdom. In January 2012, the pair released the track “Super Baller” as a free download to celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl victory. The two have been touring together since 2011, with future dates planned through 2012 and beyond.

2012–present: Authentic, G.O.A.T. 2 and future projects

In June 2012, LL Cool J began work on his thirteenth studio album. Stating, “I’m going to be doing a little bit of the album on the [My Connect Studio], make sure that it is official.”

On October 6, 2012, LL Cool J released a new single from Authentic Hip-Hop called “Ratchet”. Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL Cool J collaborated with Joe and producers Trackmasters with his 2nd single, “Take It”.

LL Cool J hosted the 55th Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013, as well as the 57th Grammys on February 9, 2015.

On February 8, 2013, it was announced the album title would be changed from Authentic Hip-Hop to Authentic with a new release date of April 30, 2013, and a new cover was unveiled at the same time. At around the same time, it was announced that LL Cool J had collaborated with Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen on two tracks on the album.

On October 16, 2013, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced LL Cool J as a nominee for inclusion in 2014.

In October 2014, he announced his upcoming 14th studio album will be called G.O.A.T. 2 with a release window of 2015. LL Cool J stated about the album “the concept behind the album was to give upcoming artists an opportunity to shine, and put myself in the position where I have to spit bars with some of the hardest rhymers in the game.” However, the album had been put on hold and has yet to be released. LL Cool J explained the reason for the album being put on hold, saying “didn’t feel like it was feel it was ready yet”.

On January 21, 2016, LL Cool J received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In March 2016, LL Cool J had announced his retirement on social media, but quickly announced coming out of retirement and that another new album is on the way.

In July 2016, LL appeared on ABC's Greatest Hits.

Acting career

While LL Cool J 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 pursue acting, landing the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in the 1992 film Toys in which he shared the silver screen with Robin Williams. In 1995, he landed his own television sitcom, In the House. He starred as an ex-Oakland Raiders running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children.

In 1998, he had a role in the film Halloween H20. In 1999's Deep Blue Sea, he played the wise-cracking cook on a top-secret sea base besieged by genetically enhanced sharks. He received rave reviews for his role as Dwayne Gittens, an underworld boss, nicknamed “God” in In Too Deep. Later that year, he had a starring role in Any Given Sunday, in which he played Julian Washington, the talented but selfish running back on the dysfunctional Miami Sharks. Since then, LL Cool J has appeared in a variety of films, such as the 2002 remake of Rollerball, Deliver Us from Eva, Mindhunters, and S.W.A.T.

In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the Fox medical drama House as a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease in the episode “Acceptance”.

LL Cool J also appeared as Queen Latifah’s love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday.

He also guest starred on 30 Rock in the 2007 episode “The Source Awards” as the hip-hop producer Ridikulous, who Tracy Jordan fears is going to kill him.

LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street’s 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, “Unanimous”, in episode 4169 (Sept. 22, 2008) and performing “The Addition Expedition” in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008).

LL Cool J is currently a series regular on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles, a spin-off of NCIS (which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG). He portrays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an ex–Navy SEAL who is fluent in Arabic and an expert on West Asian culture. The series debuted in autumn of 2009, but the characters were introduced in an April 2009 crossover episode on the parent show.

LL Cool J appeared in a cameo role, where he is credited with being the product lead of Google’s Gmail Tap, an April Fool’s Day joke launched by the Gmail team, purporting to bring a Morse Code keyboard to the platform.

Since April 2015, LL has hosted the show Lip Sync Battle.

Other ventures

LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. LL Cool J launched a clothing line (called “Todd Smith”). The brand produces popular urban apparel. Designs include influences from LL’s lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community. LL Cool J has written four books, including 1998's I Make My Own Rules, an autobiography cowritten with Karen Hunter. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is… published in 2002. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave “Scooter” Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout. His fourth book, LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was cowritten in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy’s Chuck D.

LL Cool J started his own businesses in the music industry such as the music label in 1993 called P.O.G. (Power Of God) and formed the company Rock The Bells to produce music. With the Rock The Bells label, he had artists such as Amyth, Smokeman, Natice, Chantel Jones and Simone Starks. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. Rufus “Scola” Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded. LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site launched in September 2008. The website accepts music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip-hop genre, and the site’s users rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events.

He also appeared in an introduction to Wrestlemania 31.

Political involvement

In 2002, LL Cool J supported Republican Governor of New York George Pataki’s bid for a third term. In 2003, LL Cool J appeared before a senate committee hearing on P2P file-sharing, voicing his support alongside the RIAA, expressing that he just wished “music could be downloaded legitimately.” He has also voiced his support for New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, during an appearance on the senator’s local television show and has worked with Smith in putting on the annual Jump and Ball Tournament (since 2003) in the rapper’s childhood neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens. In a February 10, 2012 televised interview with CNN host Piers Morgan, LL Cool J expressed sympathy for President Obama and ascribed negative impressions of his leadership to Republican obstruction designed to “make it look like you have a coordination problem.” He was quick to add that no one “should assume that I’m a Democrat either. I’m an Independent, you know?” In LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle, he included Barack Obama in a list of “People I admire” saying, “He accomplished what people thought was impossible.”

His song “Mr President” on his album Exit 13 questioned the rationale for the Iraq War, and also expressed sympathy with illegal immigrants.

Legacy

Radio’s release coincided with the growing new school scene and subculture, which also marked the beginning of hip-hop’s “golden age” and the replacement of old school hip hop. This period of hip hop was marked by the end of the disco rap stylings of old school, which had flourished prior to the mid-1980s, and the rise of a new style featuring “ghetto blasters”. Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C.’s debut album, to combine the vocal approach of hip hop and rapping with the musical arrangements and riffing sound of rock music, pioneering the rap rock hybrid sound.

The emerging new school scene was initially characterized by drum machine-led minimalism, often tinged with elements of rock, as well as boasts about rapping delivered in an aggressive, self-assertive style. In image as in song, the artists projected a tough, cool, street b-boy attitude. These elements contrasted sharply with the 1970s P-Funk and disco-influenced outfits, live bands, synthesizers and party rhymes of acts prevalent in 1984, rendering them old school. In contrast to the lengthy, jam-like form predominant throughout early hip hop (“King Tim III”, “Rapper’s Delight”, “The Breaks”), new school artists tended to compose shorter songs that would be more accessible and had potential for radio play, and conceive more cohesive LPs than their old school counterparts; the style typified by LL Cool J's Radio. A leading example of the new school sound is the song “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”, a loud, defiant declaration of public loyalty to his boom box, which The New York Times described as “quintessential rap in its directness, immediacy and assertion of self”. It was featured in the film Krush Groove (1985), which was based on the rise of Def Jam and new school acts such as Run-D.M.C. and the Fat Boys.

The energy and hardcore delivery and musical style of rapping featured on Radio, as well as other new school recordings by artists such as Run-D.M.C., Schooly D, T La Rock and Steady B, proved to be influential to hip hop acts of the “golden age” such as Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. The decline of the old school form of hip hop also led to the closing of Sugar Hill Records, one of the labels that helped contribute to early hip-hop and that, coincidently, rejected LL’s demo tape. As the album served as an example of an expansion of hip hop music’s artistic possibilities, its commercial success and distinct sound soon led to an increase in multi-racial audiences and listeners, adding to the legacy of the album and hip hop as well.

He is mentioned in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton.

Discography

Radio (1985) Bigger and Deffer (1987) Walking with a Panther (1989) Mama Said Knock You Out (1990) 14 Shots to the Dome (1993) Mr. Smith (1995) Phenomenon (1997) G.O.A.T. (2000) 10 (2002) The DEFinition (2004) Todd Smith (2006) Exit 13 (2008) Authentic (2013)

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