"Cool" is right there in his name, but LL Cool J has faced his share of difficulties:
violence, abuse, and tragic loss.
Keep watching to learn his full story.
LL Cool J has been a fixture in the pop culture landscape for decades.
He got started in the then-emerging genre of hip-hop in the '80s, becoming one of the
first artists to find mainstream success.
His hits "Mama Said Knock You Out," "I Need Love," and "Going Back to Cali" still remain
high-water marks of the genre today.
"Has your life changed?"
"Yeah, it definitely changed a little, y'know, pants size bigger, my pockets are fatter."
He transitioned from musician to actor later in his career, with the films "In Too Deep"
and "Any Given Sunday."
These days, he's mostly known for his TV work, as Agent Sam Hanna on "NCIS: Los Angeles."
But while he's currently at the top of his game, this industry icon's road to stardom
hasn't always been easy.
LL was born in 1968 in Queens, New York.
His mom, Ondrea, was a nurse's assistant, and his dad, James, drove a truck.
After a marital falling-out, the family moved in with Ondrea's parents.
LL's dad, however, responded to the situation with violence.
One night, James shot LL's mom and grandfather.
Mercifully, both survived.
But it wouldn't be the last time LL would hear from his dad.
Years later, James attempted to atone for his mistakes.
He even helped his son get a start in the music industry.
LL recalled to I Love Old School Music,
"[My father] came back into my life and made amends for a lot of things by helping to guide
me with my music career early on, and kinda helping me in that area.
My father made a massive blunder, but he also did a lot of things right."
While those connections would ultimately land LL in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by 2021,
his early family life was about to become even tougher.
As I Love Old School Music noted, Ondrea's next relationship was with a man named Roscoe.
And as LL tells it, Roscoe was intensely abusive to him as an 8-year-old.
He said,
"[Roscoe] would beat me for watching television, for lookin' at him funny, for looking out
the window watching other kids play.
He didn't need a good reason.
It was just a power trip."
"Soon as you walk out of that room, I'm back in my mind, I'm back in my imaginary world
where everything is great, where my dreams come true."
At the age of 11, LL began to find refuge in hip-hop, releasing a single by age 16.
Around this time, his mom had walked out on their abuser and moved in with her parents,
Eugene and Ellen, according to Hello.
Reportedly, Eugene, who was a jazz musician, provided LL with thousands of dollars' worth
of DJ equipment.
Which was just what the future star needed.
As a teen, LL rubbed shoulders with some of the greats in the early days of the genre.
According to Music-News, he became fast friends with Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC, who graciously
mentored the aspiring rapper.
LL remembered,
"He was a lot of fun, and he just brought an air of security to everyone around him.
Like, he was very confident.
He was so cool."
"We know — we tryna help our kids."
Tragically, Jam Master Jay was later shot and killed by an unknown assailant.
It happened on October 30th, 2002, possibly in a drug deal gone bad.
Making matters worse, the police had no suspects, and nearly two decades would pass until there
was a break in the case.
Unfortunately, the case remains unsolved to this day.
Still, despite the devastating losses and struggles, LL prevailed, landing hit after
massive hit.
But his next challenge would come from a more professional place — when he faced backlash
from unhappy fans.
"Well, you know, Frank Sinatra says the best revenge is massive success.
"
Within the world of hip hop, musicians and promoters have struggled to walk the line
between making music accessible, while staying true to the genre's gritty, urban roots.
Not every artist has succeeded, with some — like Vanilla Ice — becoming cultural
laughingstocks for their efforts.
LL found himself on the wrong side of that line in the late '80s, according to My Black
History.
To some hip-hop fans, his 1989 album, "Walking With a Panther," was evidence that he was
selling out.
And during a performance at the Apollo, the formerly enthusiastic crowd even booed the
rapper.
LL got the message.
His next album, "Mama Said Knock You Out," was a gritty, tough — and critically acclaimed
— return to his roots.
Not one to dwell on his struggles, he declared in his opening lyric:
"Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years."
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