LL Cool J

LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, is an American rapper and actor whose early Def Jam releases helped bring hip-hop to a broad mainstream audience. His albums *Radio*, *Bigger and Deffer*, and *Mama Said Knock You Out* established his reputation for combining hard-edged battle rhymes with melodic, crossover-friendly songs. He later expanded into film and television and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.