LL Cool J Nominated for the Rock Hall of Fame
Hip hop legend LL Cool J could be making his way into to the coveted Rock Hall of Fame. It has been announced that LL has been nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame, and is the only MC among the 2018 nominees.
According to Rolling Stone, in order to be eligible for this year’s nomination list, an artist’s first single or album had to have been released in 1992 or earlier. Along with LL, the list includes Radiohead, Bon Jovi, Rage Against The Machine, Judas Priest, Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, The Cars, Eurythmics, Dire Straits, J. Gelis Band, Nina Simone, Link Wray, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The MC5, The Meters, Moody Blues, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and The Zombies.
Back in 1985, LL Cool J dropped his album Radio, which became a landmark in hip hop history and he became rap’s true first superstar. As the first-length album to be released on the legendary hip hop label Def Jam, Radio made a mark not only for its historic nature but for its quality of music –as XXL reports.
Since then, LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, released a string of hits including “Rock the Bells,” “I’m Bad,” “Going Back to Cali,” “Around the Way Girl,” “Mama Said Knock You Out,” and “I Need Love” – which was the first rap song that reached popularity in the UK. LL also had a successful transition to the silver screen – appearing in hit films including, Deep Blue Sea, Any Given Sunday, B.A.P.S, Charlie’s Angels, and Halloween H20. He has also seen much success in the small screen after appearing in In The House, OZ, American Dad, NCIS: Los Angeles, and, most recently, Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle – which earned him two Emmy nominations.
According to Rolling Stone, those who receive the highest votes will be announced in December and inducted on April 14 at a ceremony at Public Hall in Cleveland. HBO is expected to air the ceremony later this year. Be sure to check out the Hall of Fame nominees here and cast your vote.
Photo Credit: PR Photos
