Predicto

James Todd Smith —people worldwide respect him by his hip-hop alias, which is short for “Ladies Love Cool James.”

Since bursting onto the music scene, he has released 12 albums and achieved much commercial and critical success. LL Cool J has stayed relevant by forever reinventing himself, his style, his music and by being a major creative force.

With his first album, Radio, he was able to use pop music formats to work with rap music, branding himself as a rap music-styled crooner with “I Need Love,” his first major hit. He reinvented himself again at the dawn of the 1990s with a tougher, meaner image with the song “Mama Said Knock You Out,” which won him his first Grammy Award. Then came the 1995 album Mr. Smith” with a heartfelt collaboration with Boyz II Men in “Hey Lover,” which won him another Grammy. LL Cool J’s subsequent albums Phenomenon, G.O.A.T., 10, The DEFinition, Todd Smith and Exit 13 all found commercial success as he explored a blend of club hip-hop and his own personal style.

Recent events could launch LL Cool J to new legend: he has been selected for potential nomination as one of the five inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 2010. Should he make it, he will only be the third hip-hop music act to be inducted in the Hall’s history after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 2007 and Run-DMC in 2009.

The competition for this year, however, is stiff. He is going against some other “Hall of Fame shoo-ins.” ABBA, KISS, Donna Summer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are all potential nominees as well, among several other artists.

Can LL Cool J beat these odds? Thus far, the members of the Predicto community have spoken and, after more than 3,400 votes, 54% have voted yes to him becoming an inductee next year.

In the same way LL Cool J has transcended boundaries in music, acting and more, ”Userohll2979” says “He is one of the pioneer rappers that used hip-hop and rock together in his music.”

Others say it should not be and that hip-hop has no place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Predicto user ”Payge0713” voted no and commented “Honestly, he hasn’t done much to be inducted. Also, who would consider him rock? Study the definition of rock, people!”

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