LL Cool J, 53, admits he never thought about the success of his career – as most in his hometown didn’t expect to live beyond 25 with ‘ringing gunshots’
He is a hugely successful rapper and actor, having released 13 studio albums and now appears regularly on the popular U.S. police drama series, NCIS: Los Angeles.
But for LL Cool J, real name James Todd Smith, 53, he couldn’t have imagined his career so far.
In a candid interview with the Binge Guide for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, the maker of I Need Love described the violence that was common in his 25-year-old New York city.
Admit candidate: LL Cool J, 53, admitted to The Binge Guide for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, that he never thought of the success of his career – as most did not expect in his own city to live beyond 25. Pictured on the NCIS drama series: Los Angeles
‘In my neighborhood where I was raised, you know, most of us didn’t even think we were going to be 25,’ he admitted. ‘And that’s not a good thing.’
”[With] gunshots take off and people are killed over stupid stuff ‘,’ he continued. ‘The answer at the time was that I would never have thought I would get this far.’
LL Cool J was born on the shores of New York Bay, and raised in Queens.
While yet to release another studio album from Authentic 2013, LL Cool J has earned a reputation for his role as the special producer Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles.
![Gun violence: 'In my neighborhood where I was raised, you know, most of us didn't even think we were going to live to be 25,' he admitted. 'And that's not a good thing. [With] gunshots hit it off and people are killed over stupid stuff. 'Pictured in 1997](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/20/13/39544916-9281393-image-a-57_1613828998341.jpg?resize=560%2C834&ssl=1)
Gun violence: ‘In my neighborhood where I was raised, you know, most of us didn’t even think we were going to live to be 25,’ he admitted. ‘And that’s not a good thing. [With] gunshots hit it off and people are killed over stupid stuff. ‘Pictured in 1997
Commenting on institutional police brutality and racism in the U.S., LL Cool J said he believes police drama writers are doing a good job in tackling it.
‘I think the thing we are not doing is that we are not trying to put one particular idea down anyone’ s throat, because I think that would be just as wrong as doing it. let go, ‘he said.
LL Cool J also suggested that the stories, which are based on real issues, may be why the show has been so good, in an interview with Forbes in April last year.
Rapper-turned-actor: While yet to release another studio album from 2013’s Authentic, James Cool’s real name LL Cool J has earned a reputation for his role as Sam Hanna’s Special Executive at NCIS : Los Angeles. Pictured in 1991
Loyal fans: LL Cool J also suggested that the stories, which are based on real issues, are perhaps why the show has been so popular with viewers, in an interview with Forbes in April last year. Pictured in 2020
‘Our show covers a lot of what’ s happening in the world, ‘he said.
‘We close our cases much faster than the NCIS representatives in real life but our show deals in real, as subtle as it may seem. ‘
He continued: ‘The flip side is that these characters, people can connect with them, the regular, assertive people; they don’t care about each other. ‘
Real issues: ‘Our show covers a lot of the things that are happening in the world,’ he said. ‘We close our cases much faster than the NCIS representatives in real life but our show deals in real, as subtle as it may seem. ‘Pictured on display