LL Cool J has become a known name all over the world but what does “ll” stand for in his name?
Over the years, LL, whose real name is James Todd Smith, has released several songs that have become an instant hit.
While it is not unusual for rappers to have a stage name, LL’s name is something that stands out. In fact, there is a story behind how he got the name and why he decided to keep it.
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What does LL stand for in LL Cool J?
As per The Sun, LL stands for “Ladies Love.” The term was coined by his friend Mikey D.
However, this was not the name that LL wanted to first go for. The outlet reports that the rapper wanted to call himself J-Ski before he settled for LL Cool J.
He opened up more about it VHS1 documentary Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation. In it, LL explained he did not want to be associated with narcotics, and the terms “ski” or “blow” were being widely used by the rappers at that time to connect them to narcotics.
When did he start using the stage name?
LL had been performing since a very young age. However, it wasn’t until he was 16 that he decided to start using his stage name.
As per the outlet, the rapper decided to go for LL because “Ladies Love” would have been too long. Talking about how the name came about, he said: “I had a friend, his name is Playboy Mikey D, he’s a rap artist. We were in a group together. I was walking down the street one day, and I said, ‘I want a cool name’.”
It is at that point that they came with “Ladies Love Cool J.” However, he decided to shorten it “because Ladies Love Cool James would look a little ridiculous and a little long on a piece of vinyl.”
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What is the rapper up to these days?
The rapper is quite active on social media and has 2.7 million followers on Instagram. In fact, he regularly updates his followers about his life while often reacting to some of the social media posts.
He is currently appearing in New NCIS: LA and has done several shows in the past.
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