Art and Commerce: How to Make It
LL COOL J offers audiences powerful insights into overcoming adversity in the industry, staying true to one's passion, and the importance of reinvention in the face of changing times.
Becoming LL COOL J
Grammy Award-winning rapper, actor, and entrepreneur LL COOL J shares his unique blend of creativity, resilience, and leadership to the stage. Known for his pioneering role in the Hip-Hop industry, LL COOL J shares his journey from Queens to global stardom.
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LL COOL J’s philanthropic impact uplifts children
As his career has skyrocketed, LL COOL J has continued his efforts to make a difference in others’ lives. As an avid philanthropist, LL COOL J has dedicated his time and capital to causes including literacy for kids, school music and arts programs, and extracurricular sports programs. LL COOL J’s Jump & Ball Community Camp has been providing free and fun-filled summer programming to kids in Southeast Queens, teaching team building and leadership skills critical to life off the court.
Watch LL COOL J's Urban One Honors acceptance speech >>
Watch LL COOL J's Hall of Fame acceptance speech >>
Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J is a Harvard graduate
Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J graduated from Harvard Business School’s media and sports program, run by ANITA ELBERSE. The two-time Grammy Award winner was also awarded the Harvard Foundation’s most prestigious medal at the foundation’s annual award ceremony during the Cultural Rhythms festival, cementing his legacy in the upper echelons of culture.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Grammy® Award-winning Hip-Hop icon, Kennedy Center Honoree, recording artist, actor, author, NAACP Image Award winner, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Rock The Bells, LL COOL J has created one of the most multifaceted careers and brands in entertainment and continues to display his wide range of talents with every project. Three decades after he first burst onto the scene, LL COOL J continues his vibrant, trailblazing career.
LL COOL J began in the nascent, burgeoning rap and Hip-Hop scene of the 80’s, which developed into the musical and cultural phenomenon that is today’s Hip-Hop. All the while, LL COOL J has remained a musical and cultural force, a living icon and a significant, relevant artist. In March 2018, LL launched his own SiriusXM timeless Hip-Hop channel entitled “LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio”, garnering millions of daily listeners. The channel features a wide range of timeless Hip-Hop content, music, interviews, and in-depth retrospectives curated, programmed, and presented by the award-winning artist. Since founding, Rock The Bells has developed into a global platform that has become the preeminent voice for timeless Hip-Hop.
Rock The Bells is the preeminent voice for timeless Hip-Hop. Founded in 2018 by LL COOL J, Rock The Bells focuses on content, commerce and experiences that honor the CULTURE and the core elements of Hip-Hop—MCs, DJs, Breakers, Graffiti Artists — and more. Rock The Bells is the bridge between OG’s and those inspired by their groundbreaking influences on the culture.
My Speaker List
