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94-534: Alfonso Ribeiro (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, singer, and television host. He is best known for his roles as Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Alfonso Spears on the sitcom Silver Spoons , and Maxwell Stanton on In the House . He is the current host of ABC 's America's Funniest Home Videos , taking over for Tom Bergeron , who left after 15 years. Ribeiro has hosted

188-611: A Chris Paul impersonator. In 2021, he voiced a character in Muppets Haunted Mansion . In 2022, Ribeiro joined season 31 of Dancing with the Stars as co-host of the show, alongside host Tyra Banks . After Banks departed the show following season 31, Ribeiro became the main host of the show, with Julianne Hough joining as co-host, assuming Ribeiro's previous role. On July 6, 2019, the syndicated radio show The '90s with Alfonso Ribeiro launched on multiple radio stations across

282-516: A Grammy Award . Another song from the album, " I Shot Ya Remix ", included debut vocal work by Foxy Brown . In 1996, Def Jam released this "greatest hits" package, offering a good summary of Cool J's career, from the relentless minimalism of early hits such as "Rock the Bells" to the smooth-talking braggadocio that followed. Classic albums including Bigger and Deffer and Mama Said Knock You Out are well represented here. In December 1996, his loose cover of

376-697: A Beat" and his landmark debut album, Radio (1985). He achieved further commercial and critical success with the albums Bigger and Deffer (1987), Walking with a Panther (1989), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990), Mr. Smith (1995), and Phenomenon (1997). His twelfth album, Exit 13 (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. He later re-signed with the label and released his fourteenth album, The FORCE (2024). LL Cool J has appeared in numerous films, including Halloween H20 , In Too Deep , Any Given Sunday , Deep Blue Sea , S.W.A.T. , Mindhunters , Last Holiday , and Edison . He played NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna in

470-494: A U.S. Senate Committee hearing on the RIAA lawsuits against Americans distributing or downloading copyrighted music over peer-to-peer networks. He appeared to endorse the RIAA's position, claiming illegal file sharing was hurting his sales and that his session musicians "can't live" due to the lost income. Chuck D provided an opposing viewpoint, saying free file-sharing could be leveraged as

564-485: A cameo appearance on The Graham Norton Show to perform "The Carlton", with show guests Will and Jaden Smith . Ribeiro incorporated the dance into his performance for week four of season 19 of Dancing With the Stars , earning the only perfect 10 of the episode, along the way to winning the season. In December 2018, NBC and CBS reported that Ribeiro, along with Instagram star Russell Horning, aka Backpack Kid , and rapper Terrence Ferguson, aka 2 Milly, brought

658-411: A coordination problem." He was quick to add that no one "should assume that I'm a Democrat either. I'm an independent , you know?" In his 2010 book LL Cool J's Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle , he included Obama in a list of people he admired, stating that the then-president had "accomplished what people thought was impossible." LL Cool J has his own charitable foundation called Jump & Ball, which

752-585: A copyright for his dance on January 13, 2019. On March 7, 2019, Ribeiro dropped the lawsuit. Ribeiro was partnered with Witney Carson for season 19. On November 25, 2014, Ribeiro and Carson were declared the season's champions. In November 2017, Ribeiro returned to 25th season in Week eight, to participate in a trio Jive with Frankie Muniz and his professional partner Witney Carson. Score given by guest judge Kevin Hart in place of Goodman. The American public scored

846-533: A dance routine that gained fame as "The Carlton". Ribeiro based "The Carlton" on Eddie Murphy 's "white man dance" and Courteney Cox 's dance from Bruce Springsteen 's " Dancing in the Dark " music video. Ribeiro starred on the sitcom In the House with LL Cool J from 1997 to 1999. He graduated from the New York Film Academy in 1999 and would go on to direct episodes of One on One , All of Us , Meet

940-468: A dancer on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in the 1960s and 1970s. Ribeiro began his career at age 8. He first gained recognition in 1983 when he played a leading role in the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid . He received positive reviews for his performance and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award . Ribeiro appeared as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial that featured Michael Jackson in 1984;

1034-457: A death row inmate felled by an unknown disease in an episode titled " Acceptance ". He appeared as Queen Latifah 's love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday . He also guest-starred on 30 Rock in the 2007 episode " The Source Awards ", portraying a hip-hop producer called Ridikulous who Tracy Jordan fears may kill him. LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street ' s 39th season, introducing

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1128-473: A hip hop pioneer and establish his reputation in the music industry. LL Cool J's second album was 1987's Bigger and Deffer , which was produced by DJ Pooh and the L.A. Posse . This stands as one of his biggest-selling career albums, having sold in excess of two million copies in the United States alone. It spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard ' s R&B albums chart. It also reached No. 3 on

1222-705: A hip hop record at the time. Shortly after its release, the album sold over 500,000 copies in its first five months, eventually selling over 1 million copies by 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of America . Radio peaked at number 6 on the Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 46 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It entered the Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on December 28, 1985, and remained there for 47 weeks, while also entering

1316-628: A hip-hop icon. During this time, LL also recorded a rap solo for Michael Jackson 's demo of a song called "Serious Effect" which remains unreleased, but was later leaked online. After acting in The Hard Way and Toys , LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome in March 1993. The album had four singles (" How I'm Comin' ", " Back Seat (of My Jeep) ", " Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings ", " Stand By Your Man ") and guest-featured Lords of

1410-492: A jewelry line in 2011, before becoming a born-again Christian . Smith is credited with introducing his wife to singer and close friend Mary J. Blige in 2005, inspiring their friendship; both women launched another jewelry line, Sister Love, in late 2020 after announcing it two years prior. In 2023, the couple co-founded a jewelry line for men, Majesty. In an episode of Finding Your Roots , Smith learned that his mother

1504-539: A judge. Carlton in the original series was known for frequently dancing a specific set of steps to Tom Jones ' " It's Not Unusual ", a dance routine that gained fame as "The Carlton". Ribeiro developed the dance, later claiming to have drawn inspiration from the appearance by Courteney Cox in the 1984 music video for Bruce Springsteen 's " Dancing in the Dark ", and by Eddie Murphy depicting white people dancing in Eddie Murphy Raw . On May 24, 2013, Ribeiro made

1598-399: A later interview, LL Cool J recalled the experience, stating "They pushed the lunch room tables together and me and my DJ, Cut Creator, started playing. ... As soon as it was over there were girls screaming and asking for autographs. Right then and there I said 'This is what I want to do'." LL's debut single sold over 100,000 copies and helped establish both Def Jam as a label and Smith as

1692-501: A lawsuit against Epic Games for their decision to feature respective choreographies in the popular game Fortnite . "The Carlton" was one of the many dances that Fortnite players can purchase for their avatars. Epic Games declined to comment on the lawsuits. The U.S. Copyright Office denied him a copyright for his dance in January 2019. The Copyright Office described the contested work as "a simple routine made up of three dance steps,

1786-415: A lawsuit against Epic Games for their decision to feature respective choreographies in the popular game Fortnite . In Ribeiro's case, his "Carlton dance", which he made popular in the 1990s as a cast member of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , is one of the many dances that Fortnite players can purchase for their avatars. Epic Games declined to comment on the lawsuits. The U.S. Copyright Office denied him

1880-426: A lot of things" by offering him guidance at the start of his music career. His mother was also supportive of his musical endeavors, using her tax refund to buy him a Korg drum machine . Smith has stated that by the time he received musical equipment from his relatives, he "was already a rapper. In this neighborhood, the kids grow up in rap. It's like speaking Spanish if you grow up in an all-Spanish house." This

1974-410: A nominee for inclusion in 2014. In October 2014, LL announced that his 14th studio album would be called G.O.A.T. 2 and would be released in 2015. LL stated that "the concept behind the album was to give upcoming artists an opportunity to shine, and put myself in the position where I have to spit bars with some of the hardest rhymers in the game"; however, the album was put on hold. LL Cool J explained

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2068-615: A promotional tool and the industry was being overprotective of its copyright. LL also voiced his support for New York State Senator Malcolm Smith , a Democrat , during an appearance on the senator's local television show; LL worked with Smith in putting on the annual Jump and Ball Tournament in the rapper's childhood neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens . In a February 10, 2012 televised interview with CNN host Piers Morgan , LL Cool J expressed sympathy for President Barack Obama and ascribed negative impressions of his leadership to Republican obstruction designed to "make it look like you have

2162-500: A rapper. The commercial success of "I Need a Beat", along with the Beastie Boys ' single " Rock Hard " (1984), helped lead Def Jam to a distribution deal with Columbia Records the following year. Radio was released to critical acclaim, both for production innovation and LL's powerful rap. Released November 18, 1985, on Def Jam Recordings in the United States, Radio earned a significant amount of commercial success and sales for

2256-452: A recurring guest star in the third season of NCIS: Hawaiʻi . In December 2013, LL co-starred as a gym owner in the sports dramedy Grudge Match . From 2015 to 2019, LL hosted the show Lip Sync Battle . He was also cast to play Beth's father in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising , as shown in a trailer for the film, but his scenes were cut from the final product. LL Cool J worked behind

2350-500: A rumor spread that Ribeiro died from snapping his neck while dancing in the commercial. The same year, Ribeiro was cast as Rick Schroder 's best friend on the TV series Silver Spoons , after which he and his family moved to Los Angeles. In 1985, Ribeiro authored a dance instruction book, Alfonso's Breakin' & Poppin' Book , and appeared in a commercial advertising it. He also released four 12-inch singles on Prism Records , including

2444-748: A three-month engagement. The two live in Los Angeles and have three children, born in 2013, 2015, and 2019. Ribeiro competed in several editions of the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race car race in Long Beach, earning an overall win in 2015 and celebrity class wins in 1994, 1995 and 2016. He also worked as radio spotter for CART racecar driver Bryan Herta , and performed the national anthem at CART and IndyCar Series races. In December 2018, Ribeiro, along with Instagram star Russell Horning, aka Backpack Kid , and rapper Terrence Ferguson, aka 2 Milly, brought

2538-548: A tough, cool, street b-boy attitude. These elements contrasted sharply with the 1970s P-Funk and disco -influenced outfits, live bands, synthesizers and party rhymes of acts prevalent in 1984, rendering them old school. In contrast to the lengthy, jam -like form predominant throughout early hip hop (" King Tim III ", " Rapper's Delight ", " The Breaks "), new-school artists tended to compose shorter songs that would be more accessible and had potential for radio play , and conceived more cohesive LPs than their old-school counterparts;

2632-508: A trilogy of New York City-based, Rubin-helmed albums that helped to diversify hip-hop. Rubin's production credit on the back cover reads "REDUCED BY RICK RUBIN", referring to his minimalist production style, which gave the album its stripped-down and gritty sound. This style would serve as one of Rubin's production trademarks and would have a great impact on future hip-hop productions. Rubin's early hip hop production work, before his exit from Def Jam to Los Angeles, helped solidify his legacy as

2726-471: Is fluent in Arabic and is an expert on West Asian culture. The series debuted in autumn of 2009, but the characters were introduced in an April 2009 crossover episode on the parent show. In 2013, LL received a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Action for his work on the program. In May 2023, following the series finale of NCIS: Los Angeles , it was announced that LL would reprise the role of Sam Hanna as

2820-812: Is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children, one of whom moves out with her before the third season. In 1998, LL Cool J played security guard Ronny in Halloween H20 , the seventh movie in the Halloween franchise . In 1999, he co-starred as Preacher, the chef in the Renny Harlin horror/comedy Deep Blue Sea . He received positive reviews for his role as Dwayne Gittens, an underworld boss nicknamed "God", in In Too Deep . Later that year, he starred as Julian Washington—a talented but selfish running back on fictional professional football team

2914-613: Is of Barbadian descent through his grandfather. His 1997 memoir says his father abused his mother. According to the Chicago Tribune , "[As] a kid growing up middle class and Catholic in Queens, life for Smith was heart-breaking. His father shot his mother and grandfather, nearly killing them both. When 4-year-old Smith found them, blood was everywhere." In 1972, Smith and his mother moved into his grandparents' home in St. Albans, Queens , where he

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3008-505: Is played by Jelani Talib in the 2019 short film Bel-Air , a reimagining of the original show as a modern drama. In September 2020, a two-season series based on the short film was picked up by the streaming service Peacock , with Will Smith as an executive producer commenting on his excitement to explore the characters in this format, specifically referencing "[t]he Carlton character, a Black young Republican, modern day? The heat that will be stirred up between these characters". Olly Sholotan

3102-460: The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 22, 2022. On June 14, 2024, LL Cool J released the single "Saturday Night Special", featuring rappers Rick Ross and Fat Joe ; the single marks LL Cool J's first single as a lead artist in eight years and serves as the lead single from his fourteenth studio album, The FORCE , which is entirely produced by Q-Tip . The album was released on September 6, 2024, under Def Jam Recordings, his first under

3196-451: The 58th Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016. In October 2018, LL Cool J was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . In September 2019, it was announced that LL had re-signed to Def Jam for future album releases. On December 29, 2021, LL Cool J canceled his performance at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. LL Cool J hosted

3290-442: The Beastie Boys . Another milestone of LL's popularity was his appearance on American Bandstand as the first hip hop act on the show, as well as an appearance on Diana Ross ' 1987 television special, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues . The album's success also helped in contributing to Rick Rubin's credibility and repertoire as a record producer. Radio , along with Raising Hell (1986) and Licensed to Ill (1986), would form

3384-464: The Billboard ' s Pop albums chart. The album featured the singles " I'm Bad ", the revolutionary " I Need Love " – LL's first #1 R&B and Top 40 hit, " Kanday ", " Bristol Hotel ", and " Go Cut Creator Go ". While Bigger and Deffer , which was a big success, was produced by the L.A. Posse (at the time consisting of Dwayne Simon, Darryl Pierce and, according to himself the most important for crafting

3478-720: The Billboard charts. Production came from Timbaland , 7 Aurelius , R. Kelly , and others. The lead single was the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung", which peaked at No. 7 on the Hip-Hop and R&B singles chart, and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single was the 7 Aurelius –produced, "Hush", which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B chart and No. 26 on the Hot 100. LL Cool J's 11th album, Todd Smith ,

3572-478: The CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawaiʻi . LL Cool J was also the host of Lip Sync Battle on Paramount Network . A two-time Grammy Award winner, LL Cool J is known for hip hop songs such as " Going Back to Cali ", " I'm Bad ", " The Boomin' System ", " Rock the Bells ", and " Mama Said Knock You Out ", as well as R&B hits such as " Doin' It ", " I Need Love ", " Around

3666-485: The Fat Boys . The energy and hardcore delivery and musical style of rapping featured on Radio , as well as other new-school recordings by artists such as Run-D.M.C., Schoolly D , T La Rock and Steady B , proved to be influential to hip-hop acts of the "golden age" such as Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy . The decline of the old-school form of hip hop also led to the closing of Sugar Hill Records , one of

3760-645: The GSN game show Catch 21 , the ABC Family show Spell-Mageddon , and the television show Dance 360 . At the beginning of his career, he starred in the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and later took part in the 13th season of the British reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! . Ribeiro won season 19 of Dancing with the Stars with professional partner Witney Carson , then later became

3854-488: The New York Giants Super Bowl victory. The two have been touring together since 2011, with future dates planned through 2012 and beyond. On October 6, 2012, LL Cool J released "Ratchet", a new single from his upcoming album titled Authentic Hip-Hop . Following that, on November 3, 2012, LL collaborated with Joe and the production duo Trackmasters on his second single, "Take It". On February 8, 2013, it

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3948-479: The RIAA . Mama Said Knock You Out marked a turning point in LL Cool J's career, as he proved to critics his ability to stay relevant and hard-edged despite the misgivings of his previous album. LL won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992 for the title track. The album's immense success propelled Mama Said Knock You Out to be LL's top selling album of his career (as of 2002) and solidified his status as

4042-659: The Rufus and Chaka Khan song " Ain't Nobody " was included on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack & released as a single. LL Cool J's interpretation of "Ain't Nobody" was particularly successful in the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK Singles Chart in early-1997. Later that same year, he released the album Phenomenon . The singles included " Phenomenon " and "Father". The official second single from Phenomenon

4136-435: The 1984 track "Dance Baby". After Silver Spoons ended, Ribeiro took a hiatus from acting to finish high school and attend California State University, Los Angeles . Ribeiro's most prominent role was as Carlton Banks , the cousin of Will Smith 's lead character , on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from September 1990 to May 1996. Carlton was known for frequently dancing to Tom Jones ' " It's Not Unusual ",

4230-445: The 2019 series . Catch 21 was revived in 2019, and Ribeiro returned as the host, with his former Dancing with the Stars partner Witney Carson joining as co-host. His role earned him a 2020 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host , but he lost to Alex Trebek . He earned another nomination the following year, but again lost to Trebek. In 2020, Ribeiro starred in a series of commercials for State Farm Insurance as

4324-545: The Browns , Are We There Yet? , Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover . Ribeiro appeared as a contestant on a special child TV stars episode of Weakest Link in 2001. He made it into the final round but lost to Keshia Knight-Pulliam . Ribeiro competed as one of the celebrity singers on the reality television show Celebrity Duets in September 2006, winning over the runner-up Lucy Lawless . From 2008 to 2016, Ribeiro hosted

4418-567: The Miami Sharks—in Oliver Stone 's drama Any Given Sunday . He and co-star Jamie Foxx allegedly got into a real fistfight while filming a fight scene. During the next two years, LL Cool J appeared in Rollerball , Deliver Us from Eva , S.W.A.T. , and Mindhunters . In 2005, he returned to television in a guest-starring role on the Fox medical drama House ; he portrayed

4512-463: The Pop Albums chart on January 11, 1986, remaining on that chart for thirty-eight weeks. By 1989, the album had earned platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding one million copies; it had previously earned a gold certification in the United States on April 14, 1986. " I Can't Live Without My Radio " and " Rock the Bells " were singles that helped

4606-560: The Underground on "NFA-No Frontin' Allowed". That June, the album went gold. LL Cool J starred in In the House , an NBC sitcom, before releasing his album Mr. Smith (1995), which went on to sell over two million copies. Its singles included " Hey Lover ", " Doin' It " and " Loungin ". "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men , and sampled Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life". The song also earned him

4700-717: The Way Girl " and " Hey Lover ". In 2010, VH1 placed him on their "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time" list. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors . In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category. James Todd Smith was born on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore , on Long Island , New York to Ondrea Griffith (born January 19, 1946) and James Louis Smith Jr, also known as James Nunya. He

4794-454: The album go platinum. It eventually reached 1,500,000 copies sold in the U.S. With the breakthrough success of his hit single "I Need a Beat" and the Radio LP, LL Cool J became one of the early hip-hop acts to achieve mainstream success along with Kurtis Blow and Run-D.M.C. Gigs at larger venues were offered to LL as he would join the 1986–'87 Raising Hell tour, opening for Run-D.M.C. and

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4888-620: The album was often criticized by the hip-hop community as being too commercial and materialistic, and for focusing too much on love ballads. As a result, his audience base began to decline due to the album's bold commercial and pop aspirations. According to Billboard , the album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was LL Cool J's second #1 R&B Album where it spent five weeks. In 1990, LL released Mama Said Knock You Out , his fourth studio album. The Marley Marl produced album received critical acclaim and eventually went double Platinum, selling over two million copies according to

4982-404: The cast of the 1980s show Silver Spoons , auditioned wearing a track suit. Carlton was Ribeiro's breakout role, in which he "consistently stole scenes from Will Smith". Ribeiro said that Carlton was a character that he "had a blast playing for six years", but also noted that for many years thereafter, the role caused him to be "pigeon-holed as an actor based on that character". Carlton Banks

5076-591: The co-host alongside Tyra Banks starting from season 31 . Ribeiro has served as the main host of Dancing with the Stars alongside co-host Julianne Hough beginning with season 32 in 2023. Ribeiro was born in New York City in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx to parents of Trinidadian descent. His paternal grandfather was Albert Ribeiro, a calypsonian known professionally as Lord Hummingbird. His aunt had been

5170-410: The cocaine culture (The rappers who use "Ski" or "Blow" as part of their stage name, e.g., Kurtis Blow and Joeski Love, were associated with the rise of the cocaine culture, as depicted in the 1983 remake of Scarface .) Under his new stage name LL Cool J (an abbreviation for L adies L ove Cool J ames), coined by his friend and fellow rapper Mikey D , Smith was signed by Def Jam, which led to

5264-511: The collective energy in the room. I was so inspired I wrote the song on set." At South by Southwest in March 2011, LL Cool J was revealed to be Z-Trip 's special guest at the Red Bull Thre3Style showcase. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. The two took part in an interview with Carson Daly where they discussed their partnership. Both artists have promised future collaborations down

5358-435: The competition. After his victory, he hosted the nationwide live tour for the show. On May 19, 2015, Ribeiro was named Tom Bergeron 's successor to host America's Funniest Home Videos . In July, Ribeiro made a cameo appearance in the music video for " All Night " by pop-rock band R5 . In September, he returned to Dancing with the Stars as a guest judge in week three of season 21 , and he substituted for Bergeron as host

5452-523: The country via Sun Broadcast Group , co-hosted by radio veteran Daena "DK" Kramer. The three-hour weekly show celebrates 1990s music and culture while Ribeiro and Kramer share their stories, pop culture facts and memories from the 1990s. Ribeiro was married to Robin Stapler from January 2002 until August 2006. They have a daughter, born in October 2002. Ribeiro married Angela Unkrich on October 13, 2012, following

5546-415: The dance in place of Goodman with the averaged score being counted alongside the three other judges. This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Ribeiro performed with Cheryl Burke instead of Carson. Score given by guest judge Jessie J in place of Goodman. Score given by guest judge Pitbull in place of Goodman. Carlton Banks Carlton was "an affluent teenager attending private school in

5640-451: The first of which is popularly known as 'The Carlton'", describing the steps for the entire routine as follows: The dancer sways their hips as they step from side to side, while swinging their arms in an exaggerated manner. In the second dance step, the dancer takes two steps to each side while opening and closing their legs and their arms in unison. In the final step, the dancer's feet are still and they lower one hand from above their head to

5734-399: The following week, after Bergeron's father became ill. In October 2018, he was announced as the host of the British game show Money Tree . That month, it was also announced that Ribeiro would sit in for Bruno Tonioli as guest judge on Strictly Come Dancing for week 5, joining regular judges Craig Revel Horwood , Darcey Bussell , and Shirley Ballas . This would also occur in week 5 of

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5828-424: The game show Catch 21 on GSN . On May 24, 2013, Ribeiro made a cameo appearance on The Graham Norton Show to perform "The Carlton Dance", with show guests Will and Jaden Smith . On July 24, he began hosting his second game show, Spell-Mageddon , on ABC Family . On November 17, Ribeiro became a contestant in the thirteenth series of the British reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here . He

5922-443: The growing new school scene and subculture , which also marked the beginning of hip-hop's "golden age" and the replacement of old school hip hop . This period of hip hop was marked by the end of the disco rap stylings of old school, which had flourished prior to the mid-1980s, and the rise of a new style featuring " ghetto blasters ". Radio served as one of the earliest records, along with Run-D.M.C.'s debut album , to combine

6016-568: The heart of the show". Screenwriter Rob Edwards described how he sought to ensure that Carlton would not be a "walking punch-line" like some sitcom antagonists, but would be a strong character, capable of effectively challenging the protagonist. Despite his faults, primarily arrogance, insecurity, and naïveté, Carlton is also shown as having a number of qualities that black viewers identified as positive even when they were held up to scorn—honesty, studiousness and dedication to education, and respect for his parents. Ribeiro, who had previously been in

6110-567: The instrumental to Maino's " Hi Hater ". He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. It is a single and is available on iTunes . The new track is based on his experiences playing special agent Sam Hanna. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs ," LL Cool J said. "It represents

6204-512: The label since 2008's Exit 13 , but instead of parent company Universal Music Group, will be distributed by Def Jam and UMG's sister counterpart Virgin Music Group . The single "Proclivities", featuring rapper Saweetie , released in August 2024. On August 31, 2024, LL Cool J released the album's fourth single " Murdergram Deux ", featuring Eminem . While LL Cool J first appeared as a rapper in

6298-492: The label, but was ultimately released when the label folded. LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site, in September 2008. The website was designed to accept music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip-hop genre, and allow the site's users to rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events. In March 2015, LL Cool J appeared in an introduction to WrestleMania 31 . Radio ' s release coincided with

6392-455: The labels that helped contribute to early hip hop and that, coincidentally, rejected LL's demo tape. As the album served as an example of an expansion of hip-hop music's artistic possibilities, its commercial success and distinct sound soon led to an increase in multi-racial audiences and listeners, adding to the legacy of the album and hip hop as well. In 2017, LL Cool J became the first rapper to receive Kennedy Center Honors . In 2021, he

6486-540: The middle of their chest while fluttering their fingers. In March 2019, Ribeiro dropped the lawsuit against Epic Games. LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for L adies L ove Cool J ames), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC . Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I Need

6580-538: The movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"), his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats . He landed the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in Barry Levinson 's 1992 film Toys . From 1995 to 1999, he starred in his own television sitcom In the House . He portrayed an ex- Oakland Raiders running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and

6674-549: The music industry. In 1993, he founded a music label called P.O.G. (Power Of God) and formed the company Rock The Bells to produce music. On his Rock The Bells label, he had artists such as AMyth , Smokeman, Natice, Chantel Jones and Simone Starks. Additionally, Rock the Bells Records was responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack , which helped to promote the 1999 movie of the same name. Rufus "Scola" Waller also signed to

6768-412: The only label he has ever been signed to. The album is titled Exit 13 . The album was originally scheduled to be executively produced by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent . Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2-year delay, it was released on September 9, 2008, without 50 Cent as the executive producer. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the internet and some of

6862-547: The reason for it, saying, "It was good but I didn't feel like it was ready yet." On January 21, 2016, LL received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In March 2016, LL announced his retirement on social media, but quickly walked back his announcement and indicated that a new album was on the way. LL hosted the Grammy Awards Show for five consecutive years, from the 54th Grammy Awards on February 12, 2012, through

6956-433: The release of his first official record, the 12-inch single " I Need a Beat " (1984). The single was a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy song with spare beats and ballistic rhymes. Smith later discussed his search for a label, stating "I sent my demo to many different companies, but it was Def Jam where I found my home." That same year, Smith made his professional debut concert performance at Manhattan Center High School. In

7050-402: The ritzy Bel-Air sub-section of Los Angeles", who wore "button-down collared shirts and sweaters (often knotted around his neck)". He was "notoriously preppy ", and a firmly conservative Republican . Writer Andy Borowitz described the character as an effort to portray "the anti-Will". The character was loosely based on the children of Fresh Prince executive producer Quincy Jones , and

7144-427: The road, with LL Cool J calling the duo "organic" One early track to feature LL's talents was Z-Trip's remix of British rock act Kasabian 's single "Days Are Forgotten", which was named by influential DJ Zane Lowe as his "Hottest Record In The World" and received a favorable reception in both Belgium and the United Kingdom. In January 2012, the pair released the track " Super Baller " as a free download to celebrate

7238-412: The scenes with the mid-1980s hip-hop sportswear line TROOP. He also launched a clothing line (called "Todd Smith"). The brand produced popular urban apparel. Designs included influences from LL's lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community. LL Cool J has written four books, including I Make My Own Rules , (1997), an autobiography cowritten with Karen Hunter . His second book

7332-491: The sound of the LP, Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin), Dwayne Simon was the only one left willing to work on producing LL Cool J's third album Walking with a Panther . Released in 1989, the album was a commercial success, with several charting singles (" Going Back to Cali ", which had originally been released on the 1987 movie soundtrack Less than Zero , "I'm That Type of Guy", "Big Ole Butt", and "One Shot at Love"). Despite commercial appeal,

7426-444: The style typified by LL Cool J's Radio . A leading example of the new school sound is the song "I Can't Live Without My Radio", a loud, defiant declaration of public loyalty to his boom box, which The New York Times described as "quintessential rap in its directness, immediacy and assertion of self". It was featured in the film Krush Groove (1985), which was based on the rise of Def Jam and new school acts such as Run-D.M.C. and

7520-414: The tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13. LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called " The Return of the G.O.A.T. ". It was the first mixtape of his 24-year career and includes freestyling by LL Cool J in addition to other rappers giving their renditions of his songs. A track titled "Hi Haterz" was leaked onto the internet on June 1, 2008. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over

7614-402: The vocal approach of hip hop and rapping with the musical arrangements and riffing sound of rock music , pioneering the rap rock hybrid sound. The emerging new-school scene was initially characterized by drum machine -led minimalism, often tinged with elements of rock, as well as boasts about rapping delivered in an aggressive, self-assertive style. In image as in song, the artists projected

7708-470: The word of the day--"Unanimous"—in episode 4169 (September 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (September 30, 2008). In 2009, he began starring on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles . The show ran for 14 seasons and is a spin-off of NCIS , which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG . LL Cool J portrayed NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an ex– Navy SEAL who

7802-409: Was " 4, 3, 2, 1 ", which featured Method Man , Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus . In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T. , which stood for the "Greatest of All Time." It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts, and went platinum. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration". LL Cool J's next album 10 from 2002,

7896-415: Was adopted by Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower. The series' genetic genealogist CeCe Moore identified Smith's biological grandparents as Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis through analysis of his DNA. Smith's biological great-uncle was Hall of Fame boxer John Henry Lewis . In 2002, LL Cool J supported George Pataki 's bid for a third term as Governor of New York. In 2003, LL Cool J spoke at

7990-415: Was announced that the title of LL's upcoming album would be changed from Authentic Hip-Hop to Authentic , with a new release date of April 30, 2013. A new cover was also unveiled. At around the same time, it was announced that LL Cool J had collaborated with Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen on two tracks on the album. On October 16, 2013, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced LL Cool J as

8084-626: Was at the same time that NYU student Rick Rubin and promoter - manager Russell Simmons founded the then-independent Def Jam label. By using the mixer he had received from his grandfather, Smith produced and mixed his own demos and sent them to various record companies throughout New York City, including Def Jam. In the VH1 documentary Planet Rock: The Story of Hip Hop and the Crack Generation , Smith revealed that he initially called himself J-Ski, but did not want to associate his stage name with

8178-409: Was cast as Carlton in the actual reboot, described in one review as "not the same nerdy Alfonso Ribeiro with a token funny dance. He's almost cool—with toned biceps and a friend circle comprised of lacrosse players". In 2017, Ribeiro speculated that following the events of the series, Carlton would have tried to follow his father's career path, becoming a lawyer and eventually working towards becoming

8272-411: Was eliminated from the show on December 5, finishing in seventh place. On September 4, 2014, Ribeiro was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 19 of Dancing with the Stars . He partnered with professional dancer Witney Carson and became the fourth celebrity dancer in the show's history to receive a 9 from each judge in week one. On November 25, 2014, Ribeiro and Carson won

8366-496: Was his ninth studio (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles " Paradise " (featuring Amerie ), and the number 1 R&B hit " Luv U Better ", produced by the Neptunes . Later pressings of the album added the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, " All I Have ". The album reached platinum status. LL Cool J's tenth album The DEFinition was released on August 31, 2004. The album debuted at No. 4 on

8460-430: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with an award for Musical Excellence. Smith dated Kidada Jones , daughter of producer Quincy Jones , from 1992 to 1994. He married Simone Johnson in 1995. The couple met in 1987 and have four children. Simone Johnson-Smith was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma , a third-stage bone cancer , and was later cancer-free as of 2004. She became an entrepreneur, launching

8554-560: Was named after Borowitz's classmate at Harvard University , Carlton Cuse . However, Carlton "had layers that prevented him from being a one-dimensional snob". In the 2020 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion , Smith noted that the show's comedy "was originally centered on the friction between Will and Uncle Phil... but it quickly become evident that the Will-Carlton dynamic would be the series' primary source of humor", and "the tension between Carlton and Will" therefore became "the tension at

8648-489: Was raised. He suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother's ex-boyfriend Roscoe. Smith began rapping at the age of 10, influenced by the hip-hop group The Treacherous Three . In 1984, sixteen-year-old Smith was creating demo tapes in his grandparents' home. His grandfather, a jazz saxophonist, bought him $ 2,000 worth of equipment, including two turntables , an audio mixer and an amplifier . During this time, Smith reconciled with his father who "made amends for

8742-549: Was released on April 11, 2006. It includes collaborations with 112 , Ginuwine , Juelz Santana , Teairra Mari and Freeway . The first single was the Jermaine Dupri -produced " Control Myself " featuring Jennifer Lopez . They shot the video for "Control Myself" on January 2, 2006, at Sony Studios, New York. The second video, directed by Hype Williams , was "Freeze" featuring Lyfe Jennings . In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam Recordings,

8836-454: Was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is... published in 2002. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig, wrote a fitness book titled The Platinum Workout . His fourth book, LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was cowritten in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy's Chuck D. Throughout his career, LL Cool J has started several businesses in

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