LL Cool J

[WATCH] Man Who Claims To Be “Hidden” Son Of LL Cool J Speaks Out

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Over the weekend, a video began to circulate of a young artist by the name of LoveBenJi saying that he is the “hidden” son of Hip Hop pioneer LL Cool J, but he only knows his dad as James Todd Smith.

LoveBenJi goes into detail about him signing an allegedly bogus non-disclosure agreement that would prevent the public from knowing anything of his existence. Not to mention that LoveBenJi looks JUST like Ladies Love. He also added that his alleged father occasionally sends him a modest $200 a month, but has him blocked on all social media.

“It takes a lot of courage for me to able to talk about this now at the age that I am,” Love Benji said. “They made me sign the paperwork, you know, they didn’t want it to go public. This is probably around covid (2020-21). They wanted to silence me [but] ever since my mother really told me the truth. I feel like it should be public; now I need to just get this off my chest. I want to give thanks to you too, man. James Todd Smith, That’s what I know him as, [my] father [and] great man. But many of you probably know him as LL Cool J. He blocked me from all social media. I tried to take trips to see him…and his beautiful wife, [my] siblings, brothers, and sisters. I never knew why I wanted to make music, why I wanted to be an actor, why I wanted to do these things. Turns out, my father is LL Cool J…I’m blessed. I’m thankful he’ll send me every now and then, probably $200 a month, but it ain’t about the money. He blessed me with the charm, the ladies, [and] the charisma. I really didn’t want to take it here and have the blogs blow it up or nothing like that…Since he’s blocking my number, I haven’t heard much from him. I feel like this is how I’ll be about to reach out to him. That’s my truth. Let me know, Dad. Stay smooth…Blessed.”

The post [WATCH] Man Who Claims To Be “Hidden” Son Of LL Cool J Speaks Out appeared first on The Source.

Questlove Reveals that Will Smith Was Supposed to Make A Surprise Appearance At Grammys, but Had to Cancel Due to Bad Boys 4 Filming

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Grammys 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop Tribute

It’s been a while since Will Smith has been on a stage at an awards show, but allegedly, he was scheduled to make a surprise appearance at the Grammy’s this past Sunday night. However, his comeback performance was derailed due to conflicts with filming Bad Boys 4.

In the weeks leading up to the Grammy’s, host Trevor Noah had hinted that there would be surprise guest appearances, but had kept quiet about specifics. However, Questlove, who produced a 10-minute 50th anniversary of hip-hop tribute performance for the ceremony, let one no-show surprise guest name slip on the red carpet.

Questlove told a Variety reporter that he was going to give the spoiler alert away. “Will Smith was a part of the festivities tonight, but they started shooting Bad Boys 4 this week. There were a lot of preliminary shots that he had to do, so we had to lose Will.”

The show did, however, go on without Smith. Missy Elliott, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, The Roots, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, GloRilla, Rakim, Ice-T, Lil Baby, GloRilla, Lil Uzi Vert, and more showcased their talents in a commemorative tribute to the genre.

Before the performance, Dr. Dre was honored with the inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. He spoke about the impact that hip-hop had on him while saying that he was happy to be influencing the next generation of artists. The full performance can be seen below.

Questlove said that pulling off the show took a lot of hard work, telling the New York Times that “it was a lot of mountains to move to make this happen,” noting that Will Smith was not the only celebrity who couldn’t make it. Future and Lil’ Wayne also had toco cancel due to other commitments.

It’s been almost a year since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in March of 2022.

The post Questlove Reveals that Will Smith Was Supposed to Make A Surprise Appearance At Grammys, but Had to Cancel Due to Bad Boys 4 Filming appeared first on The Source.

The 2023 Grammy Awards Are Honoring The 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop In A Tribute Hosted By LL Cool J

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Ahead of the 2023 Grammy Awards this weekend, the Recording Academy has announced that they’ll be hosting a special segment to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. LL Cool J will open the tribute with an introduction and a performance.

Questlove is the segment’s producer and musical director. He will also be providing music with his band, The Roots. Another hip-hop group, Black Thought, are set to narrate.

Fans can also expect to catch Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz, and Too $hort contributing to the hip-hop dedication.

“For five decades, hip-hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture,” Harvey Mason Jr., the Recording Academy’s CEO, shared on their website.

“Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated,” he added. “I’m so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the Grammy stage. It is just the beginning of our year-long celebration of this essential genre of music.”

The 2023 Grammys will air live on CBS and Paramount+ this Sunday, February 5 at 8 p.m. ET.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

LL Cool J Said A New Album Is Coming: ‘Wait Til You Hear This MF’

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LL Cool J is up to big things. A few days ago, he tweeted: “Should I do a biopic?” and stirred up conversation about who would play him. Now, he’s taken to Twitter again to talk about what else he’s been up to, which includes highly anticipated music finally arriving soon.

“I’m competing with myself on this new album,” he wrote on the app. “Wait til you hear this MF. This year B. It’s coming.” He also posted about his 55th birthday, sharing photos from a celebration as well as a video of DJ Z-Trip giving him a present — a custom art piece. LL’s last album was 2013’s Authentic, so this is great long-awaited news.

Speaking of big things, last month, he announced the ‘Rock The Bells’ cruise, running from November 13-17 this year and including performances from Trina and Trick Daddy. “It took 50 years, but it’s finally here! This Cruise is for Hip-Hop because you deserve it,” he wrote on Instagram. “The Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience is setting sail in 2023. We’re dropping the lineup at the top of the new year, but put $100 down to reserve your cabin today or sign up to be the first in line.”

LL COOL J Teases New Album in 2023: ‘I’m Competing With Myself’

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LL Cool J dropping a new album during the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop? Sign us up. Coming off his 55th birthday, LL announced a new album. It would be his first album since 2013’s Authentic.

“I’m competing with myself on this new album. Wait til you hear this MF,” LL tweeted. “This year B. It’s coming.”

2023 is proving to be a massive year for LL Cool J. In addition to a new album, his inaugural Hip-Hop cruise is ready to take off.

The “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” has been announced in collaboration with Sixthman, the industry leader in immersive music and lifestyle festivals at sea. The cruise is the first of its type, sailing from Miami to the Bahamas on Nov. 13 – Nov. 17, 2023, and offers an all-inclusive four-day, four-night Hip-Hop adventure aboard the Norwegian Pearl.

The company is taking its annual Rock The Bells Festival to sea, a dynamic, day-long event created by Rock The Bells founder LL COOL J in his birthplace of Queens, NY, featuring live performances by renowned musicians. The cruise is one of several announcements planned by the corporation to commemorate and celebrate Hip-50th Hop’s anniversary and to recognize its icons.

The post LL COOL J Teases New Album in 2023: ‘I’m Competing With Myself’ appeared first on The Source.

This Former ‘The Wire’ Actor Said He Wants To Play LL Cool J In A Biopic

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With a nearly four decades-long career, you would think that LL Cool J would have a movie about his meteoric rise. Sadly, he doesn’t. However, that may change soon. The OG rapper and Kennedy Center Honoree recently took to social media to tease the idea of making a biopic about his life. One actor in particular has made it known he would love the opportunity to portray the legendary hitmaker.

“Should I do a biopic?” LL Cool J tweeted on Thursday (January 12).

Following the post’s reaction on social media, fans immediately started suggesting who could play the rap lothario. But one choice stands out from the rest. Former The Wire actor and 90210 star Mack Wilds quoted the tweet making an official plea for the possible role, saying, “I mean… what are we talking about?” he wrote with a smiley face emoji.

In a recent interview, the actor gushed about paying the iconic rapper.

“Hell, yes! I’d love to play LL,” Wilds told HipHopDX. “I’ve been trying to figure out if he’d do a biopic for years.”

Wilds then recalled when his father took him to his first concert, and LL Cool J was performing, noting that his love of the rapper-turned-actor began there.

“LL was my very first concert,” he explained. “He did a free concert at Wingate Park in Brooklyn. My dad took me ’cause he saw I really connected to his music. He was my first understanding of stage presence.”

Happy 55th Birthday to Hip Hop Pioneer LL Cool J!

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James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J, nickname “Ladies Love Cool James”; born on Long Island, New York, January 14, 1968. LL Cool J signed to pioneer Hip Hop label Def Jam Records in 1984. His career took off with classic hits, included on albums like: Bigger and Deffer, Walking with a Panther, Mama Said Knock You Out, 14 Shots to the Dome, Mr. Smith. LL turned to act, appearing in movies like B.A.P.S., Halloween H2O, and Any Given Sunday.

LL is undoubtedly one of the most tenured artists in the game, having started his career at the age of 15, signing to Def Jam with the hit demo single “I Need A Beat”. Many artists that are considered the greats on the mic have always been compared to Mr. Smith and his consistency to continue to put out hits and remain relevant over a span of four decades.

Happy born day to one of the GOATs of the game and wish him many more hereafter!

The post Happy 55th Birthday to Hip Hop Pioneer LL Cool J! appeared first on The Source.

Ice Cube Explains Declining “Verzuz” With LL Cool J & Scarface

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Ice Cube has undoubtedly made his fair share of hits throughout his decorated career. However, he declined to participate in a Verzuz battle with both LL Cool J and Scarface.

His reason? Because it’s all love on his side.

 Ice Cube speaks during SiriusXM and Pandora Playback with Mount Westmore including E-40, Too Short & Ice Cube at SiriusXM Studios on December 07, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

In a recent appearance on the Bootleg Kev Podcast, Cube explained he has an entirely different concept for the famous battles. 

The “No Vaseline” rapper was asked about whether or not he has any desire to compete in a head-to-head hit battle. His answer remains no. 

His preferred concept is just for him and his opponent to play each other’s favourite songs of theirs. Of course, this ultra-friendly format isn’t exactly how the Verzuz battles actually go down.

Currently, artists go head-to-head in the popular web series by choosing the best of their own hits. After going back and forth over 20 rounds, the viewers determine the winner on their own terms.

As a result, the N.W.A. star is not interested. “I can’t go against people I admire. LL is an OG to me in the game, so I can’t see it. Me and Scarface love each other, but we don’t communicate enough to do a Verzuz together. I don’t want it to be competition,” says the 53-year-old. 

Just last year, the Houston native funnily made similar comments about the possibility of a Verzuz clash against his friend. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, the “Smile” rapper claimed he would beat Cube by playing his favourite “Cube sh*t.” 

In other recent news, Ice Cube has dropped his new album as a member of MOUNT WESTMORE. The supergroup finds the Ride Along actor uniting with three other West Coast hip-hop legends – Snoop Dogg, E-40 and Too $hort.

SNOOP CUBE 40 $HORT officially dropped just last night (December 9). The project had been teased since last year.

What do you think of Ice Cube’s proposed format for a Verzuz battle? Comment down below, and check back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.

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