LL Cool J first-ever hip-hop artist to receive Kennedy Center Honors

LL Cool J will become the first-ever hip-hop artist to receive the Kennedy Center Honors alongside four other recipients this year.

The rapper, along with singers Gloria Estefan and Lionel Richie, television writer and producer Norman Lear and dancer Carmen de Lavallade, will be honored at the 40th year of the awards.



The honorees will be celebrated at a gala on Dec. 3, featuring performances and tributes from top entertainers and attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump before the show is broadcast on Dec. 26.

LL Cool J was amazed at the news, saying: 'To be able to go from the corner in Queens beatin' on a garbage can to getting a Kennedy Center Honor with this type of company and to be first is just an amazing feeling.

'You know, it just adds another level of legitimacy to hip-hop culture,' he said in a telephone interview.

LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, began his rap career as a teenager. His debut album, 'Radio,' was released in 1985.

In 1992, he won his first of two Grammy awards for best rap solo performance for 'Mama Said Knock You Out.' He earned a second for 'Hey Lover' in 1997.

Beyond music, he has branched out to working in television. Since 2015 he has hosted Spike TV's reality show 'Lip Sync Battle.'

The show was nominated for an Emmy in 2016 and again in 2017. He also currently stars in the CBS drama 'NCIS: Los Angeles,' where he plays special agent Sam Hanna.

Still, the 49-year-old says his 'first love is hip-hop.'

'That's always going to be my first love, but I'm an entertainer,' he said, adding that he likes to 'create,' whether it's music or TV shows, content that 'entertains the world.'

His most recent album, 'Authentic,' was released in 2013.

'There's definitely more history to be written. You know, one day I'll get back in the studio. You never know what can happen,' he said.

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Meanwhile, Gloria Estefan was in a car on the way to the airport when she learned she'd be honored by the Kennedy Center.

Her husband got the news first, she said, and before announcing it told her to prepare herself. 'Buckle your seatbelt,' he said, even though she was already strapped in.

The Cuban-American artist has won three Grammy awards and four Latin Grammy awards and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

 

LOL. Random.

The Kennedy Center Honors have veered way over into pop culture honorees over the years, still it's hard to see why someone like LL would receive such an award.
But LL didn't vote to give the award to himself so I can't really complain.

Gloria Estefan and Lionel Richie seem random too.

I was like did LL build some orphanages in Tanzania I didn't know about??

Good on him. But random.
I guess Ice Cube will be next.

It's going to be weird as fuck seeing Trump give these folks their Kennedy Center medals. Ugh.

 

Why no ATCQ, or PE or Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five??? Smh, this is what did I guess:



But yeah, DK is correct, that institute's selection process is clearly bias, NO MJ nor Prince.......come on!!!