James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC.
Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio. He achieved further commercial and critical success with the albums Bigger and Deffer, Walking with a Panther, Mama Said Knock You Out, Mr. Smith, and Phenomenon. His twelfth album, Exit 13, was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam.
LL Cool J has appeared in numerous films, including played NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles. He was also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network.
A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells", and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as R&B hits such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence.
| Game | Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thrasher Presents Skate and Destroy | Deejay Punk-Roc - My Beatbox (Sampled I'm Bad) | 1999 | Chicken Eye |
| Knockout Kings 2002 | The G.O.A.T. | 2001 | G.O.A.T. |
| Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 | Rock The Bells | 2002 | Radio |
| Def Jam: Fight for NY | Mama Said Knock You Out | 2004 | Mama Said Knock You Out |
| True Crime: New York City | I Can't Live Without My Radio | 2005 | Radio |
| Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA (Beta) | Mama Said Knock You Out | 2006 | Mama Said Knock You Out |
| Scarface: The World Is Yours | Rock The Bells | 2006 | Radio |
| What You Want | Todd Smith | ||
| Skate It | Rock The Bells | 2008 | Radio |
| Skate 2 | Rock The Bells | 2009 | Radio |
| DJ Hero | Rock The Bells | 2009 | Radio |
| Lips: Number One Hits | Around The Way Girl | 2009 | Mama Said Knock You Out |
| Lips (DLC) | Going Back to Cali | 2009 | Walking with a Panther |
| I Need Love | 2010 | Bigger and Deffer | |
| Dance Central | Craig Mack ft. Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes and Rampage - Flava in Ya Ear (Remix) | 2010 | Project: Funk da World |
| Def Jam Rapstar | Mama Said Knock You Out | 2010 | Mama Said Knock You Out |
| Def Jam Rapstar (DLC) | Around The Way Girl | 2010 | Mama Said Knock You Out |
| Luv U Better | 2010 | 10 | |
| DJ Hero 2 | I Can't Live Without My Radio | 2010 | Radio |
| GTA Online (The Cayo Perico Heist) | Going Back to Cali | 2020 | Walking with a Panther |
| Madden NFL 25 | Runnit Back | 2024 | The FORCE |