LL Cool J LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer, actor, author and entrepreneur from Queens, New York. He is known for such hip hop hits as "Going Back to Cali", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", "Rock the Bells" and "Mama Said Knock You Out", as well as romantic ballads such as "Doin' It", "I Need Love", "All I Have", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover". A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J has released 13 studio
Salt (rapper) Salt (rapper) Cheryl Renee James (born March 28, 1966) better known by her stage name Salt, is an American rapper and songwriter. James is best known as a member of the American Grammy–award winning female rap trio Salt-n-Pepa, which also includes Pepa (Sandra Denton) and Spinderella (Deidra "Dee Dee" Roper). James starred in "The Salt-n-Pepa Show", a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group which aired on the VH1 network in 2008. The daughter of a transit worker and Barbara James, a banker, James was born in Brooklyn, New York. The middle of three children, James grew up in