LL Cool J (born James Todd Smith; his stage name is an acronym for "Ladies Love Cool James") had already been rapping since the age of nine. Two years later, his grandfather gave him a DJ system and he began making tapes at home. Eventually, he sent these demo tapes to record companies, attracting the interest of Def Jam, a fledgling label run by New York University students Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin. Def Jam signed LL and released his debut, "I Need a Beat," as their first single in 1984. The record sold over 100,000 copies, establishing both the label and the rapper. His first two albums, 'Radio' and 'Bigger and Deffer', made him a star, but he strived for pop stardom a little too much on 1989's 'Walking With a Panther'. By 1990, his audience had declined somewhat, since his ballads and party raps were the opposite of the chaotic, edgy political hip-hop of Public Enemy or the gangsta rap of N.W.A., but he shot back to the top of the charts with 'Mama Said Knock You Out', which established him as one of hip-hop's genuine superstars. In the 1990's LL struck with 'Mama Said Knock You Out', the hardest record he ever made. LL supported the album with a legendary, live acoustic performance on MTV Unplugged, and on the strength of the Top Ten R&B singles "The Boomin' System" and "Around the Way Girl" (number nine, pop) as well as the hit title track, 'Mama Said Knock You Out' became his biggest-selling album, establishing him as a pop star in addition to a rap superstar. He soon landed roles in the films 'The Hard Way' (1991) and 'Toys' (1992), and he also performed at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration in 1993. 'Mama Said Knock You Out' kept him so busy that he didn't deliver the follow-up, '14 Shots to the Dome', until the spring of 1993. Boasting a harder, gangsta-rap edge, 14 Shots... initially sold well, debuting in the Top Ten, but it was an unfocused effort that generated no significant hit singles. Consequently, it stalled at gold status and hurt his reputation considerably. Following the failure of 14 Shots to the Dome, LL began starring in the NBC sitcom In the House. He returned to recording in 1995, releasing 'Mr. Smith' toward the end of the year. Unexpectedly, 'Mr. Smith' became a huge hit, going double platinum and launching two of his biggest hits with the Boyz II Men duet "Hey Lover" and "Doin' It." At the end of 1996, he released the greatest-hits album, 'All World', while 'Phenomenon' appeared one year later. 'G.O.A.T' (The Greatest of All Time ). Featuring James T. Smith:, released in 2000, reached the top of the album charts, and 2002's '10' featured one of his biggest hits in years, "Luv U Better." With the help of producer Timbaland he unleashed the tough 'DEFinition' album in 2004 as his James Todd Smith clothing line was hitting the shops.