LL Cool J

LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, was a central figure in the emergence of modern hip hop. At age sixteen, his grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him professional recording equipment worth two thousand dollars. This investment enabled him to produce the demo that reached Rick Rubin while the producer was still a student at New York University. Consequently, LL Cool J became one of the first artists signed to Def Jam Recordings. His debut, Radio, was the label's first full-length album. He is also credited with pioneering the rap ballad with his 1987 hit "I Need Love."