JAMES TODD SMITHaka LL COOL J (Deacon "Deke" Kaye) is an actor, a two-time Grammy Award winner, author and NAACP Image Award winner. He was also honored this year as ShoWest's Male Star of Tomorrow and with Soul Train's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Smith, under his well known rap moniker LL Cool J, is the first rap artist to amass six consecutive platinum-plus selling albums and six gold singles. He has recorded nine consecutive multi-platinum albums and in 2003 released his tenth album, "Ten," which debuted at #2. The first single from the album, "Luv U Better," quickly rose to #1 on the hip-hop charts and his duet with Jennifer Lopez, "All I Have," reached # 1 on the Billboard charts.
Most recently Smith starred with Gabrielle Union in Deliver Us from Eva, a contemporary romantic comedy from writer/director Gary Hardwick, and provided music for the film's soundtrack as well. He also stars opposite Val Kilmer and Christian Slater in Renny Harlin's Mindhunters, which is slated for release in early 2004. Smith earlier starred in Harlin's action film Deep Blue Sea, for which he received critical acclaim for his comedic role as the "Chef." His record label, Rock the Bells, co-produced the soundtrack for the film and he contributed two songs including the title track "Deepest Blue." He also starred in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday opposite Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, providing a song for that film's soundtrack as well. His other film credits include Rollerball for director John McTiernan, Kingdom Come opposite Jada Pinkett Smith and Vivica A. Fox, In Too Deep, Halloween H20 and Toys. Additionally, he starred in the sitcom "In the House."
Smith's first children's book And the Winner Is ... was recently released as part of Scholastic's exciting new series of books and CDs by today's hottest rap stars called "Hip Kid Hop." The book tells the story of a young basketball player who learns the importance of winning and losing gracefully. He also penned a 1997 autobiography I Make My Own Rules.
Smith currently lives in New York with his wife and four children.
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