He added that he eventually shortened the name to LL Cool J "because Ladies Love Cool James would look a little ridiculous and a little long on a piece of vinyl." With the new name LL landed a record deal with Def Jam and just a year later in 1985, he released his first official single, I Need a Beat.

What is LL Cool Js real name?

LL Cool J, original name James Todd Smith, (born January 14, 1968, Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, U.S.), American rapper and actor, a leading exponent of mid-1980s new-school rap and one of the few hip-hop stars of his era to sustain a successful recording career for more than a decade.

Why did LL Cool J dad shoot his mom?

James reportedly did it because he was distraught that Ondrea had left him and also taken their son with her. Thankfully for the family, both of them survived the incident. “I guess it would leave you scarred – at four years old – based on how the people around you dealt with it and encouraged you to deal with it.”